Let's Get Started/Eastman Dub (Greensleeves, 1990 [orig. released 1978])

Let's Get Started is, plain and smiple, one of the most overlooked classics in reggae.  The trio known as Tetrack -- Carlton Hines, Paul Mangaroo, and Dave Harvey --  recorded only one album as far as I can tell, and if it's gonna be one and done, this is the way to go out.  Let's Get Started is breathtaking, with its sweet, soulful melodies -- written by Hines -- and with falsetto harmonies unified so perfectly that the 3 voices often sound as one.  They remind me a lot of the Mighty Diamonds, with a hint of the Abyssinians (though they're not as focused on righteous themes as the latter).  Their lyrics echo those of then-contemporary '70s soul groups -- socially conscious but always tempered with good old-fashioned love songs.  Hines is a master songwriter (He left the group for a solo career that was only moderately successful; he was more successful as a writer and producer for Gregory Isaacs [He wrote the smash "Rumours."], Dennis Brown, and others) who propels Tetrack's infectious, ethereal sound.  I can't find one thing wrong with this album, as every track is enjoyable, particularly "Only Jah Jah Know" and "Couldn't Walk Away."  Seeing as how the harmonies and melodies make Let's Get Started such a classic, taking them away for the dub version of the album naturally proves detrimental to its quality.  As I understand it, Eastman Dub, by Augustus Pablo, isn't the dub of Let's Get Started per se, but rather it is the dub mix of his East of the River Nile, which is the dub version of Let's Get Started.  Admittedly, I haven't listened to East of the River Nile, so I can't verify this, but this is what I've heard.  Both East of the River Nile and Eastman Dub are generally highly regarded albums, but hearing the dubs alongside the vocal tracks highlights just how understated the music is.  Pablo's trademark melodica is relatively absent from most of the 9 tracks, allowing the music to be driven by bass, drums, and keyboards.  "Only Jah Jah Dub" is the high point, while "Big Yard Connection" (dub of "We Don't Get Along") and "African Dub" (dub of "Simple Things") are also decent.  But without the vocals, these songs are comparatively toothless, especially since the dub mixes are dulled by, for example, replacing the vibrant horns of "We Don't Get Along" with tame keyboards.  Eastman Dub isn't great, but it's not bad either, particularly for Augustus Pablo fans.