The Slickers are best known for their landmark tune, the oft-covered "Johnny Too Bad"...and little else.  Too bad, indeed.  The song gained worldwide attention after being featured on the soundtrack to The Harder They Come, but as far as the rest of the world knew, they fell off the face of the Earth soon thereafter.  Even in Jamaica, the group's history is shrouded in a mystery worthy of CSI.  Their origin seems tied in with that of The Pioneers, another harmony trio that's best known for their "Long Shot (Kick de Bucket))" and "Samfie Man" (both on the great The "King" Kong Compilation).  Derrick "Joe" Crooks was a founding member of both groups, and the first Slickers single, "Nana," seems to have actually been recorded by the Pioneers lineup, leading to a series of confusing credits for songs recorded by either The Slickers or The Pioneers or some combination of the two.  There's even confusion over their flagship tune, "Johnny Too Bad," which is rumored to have been written not by a member of the trio, but by Delroy Wilson's brother Trevor -- ironically, a notorious "Johnny too bad" himself.  Although The Slickers had been around since the '60s, 1979's Breakthrough might be their only album proper, as 1976's Many Rivers to Cross is thought to be actually a Pioneers project.  As such, this is a rare piece of reggae history, and the good folks at Makasound have even managed to throw in a solid bonus track, "People in the Neighbourhood," plus three additional (unnamed) dubs.  Breakthrough was recorded at Lee "Scratch" Perry's legendary Black Ark Studio, although Perry himself was not involved with the production.  Nevertheless, his aura seems to have imprinted itself in the album's swimming, murky sound, which could strike a chord with Perry aficionados.  Vocally, The Slickers fall in line with the great lineage of reggae harmony trios, combining the soul of The Mighty Diamonds (this mix of "Johnny Too Bad" even sounds a bit like "Have Mercy") with the more folksy edge of Culture or The Itals.  The latter predominates in the choppy, repetitive refrains that punctuate most of the tunes.  This isn't a sound for everyone; some might find the melodies dull and droning, but hardcore '70s roots fans should relish the rare chance to hear this mysterious group in action.