Various Artists - Merritone Rock Steady 1 & 2 (Dub Store Records)

For 'Merritone Rock Steady 1 & 2' the Japanese label delved into the archives of Ken Khouri, the man behind Federal Records and The Federal Record Manufacturing Facility - Jamaica's first vinyl pressing plant - and also the Merritone label. On the first disc beside well-known names like Ronald Alphonso ('Sai Pan', 'Stranger For Durango'), The Ethiopians ('You Got To Be Clean') and Hopeton Lewis ('Pick Yourself Up') mostly meanwhile forgotten artists like Oswald Sewell ('Where Can He Go', 'Oh My Love'), Henry Buckley ('Beware Of All Those Rude Boys', 'If I Am Right'), Laxton Ford ('Finders Keepers') and Pulus ('Sow To Reap'). Even though with 4 songs by The Tartans and 6 tunes by Hopeton Lewis the second disc offers a lot less variation, the tracks could convince us a lot more than the somewhat dated  sounding 'Merritone Rock Steady 1'. By the way, be sure to check the Jamaican version of the theme tune to 'Batman' by Lynn Taitt & The Jets on 'Merritone Rock Steady 2'. The 42 (!) tracks on these two discs were copied straight from the original master tapes and in the liner notes you'll get a lot more background information thanks to an extensive interview with Ken's son Paul who, as a musician and engineer, worked for his father for many years. Vintage Jamaican sweetness!