Contains 20 tracks.

Personnel: Justin Hinds (vocals).

Liner Note Author: Randy Alkabu.

Photographer: Tim Barrow.

From the late ska period on, Justin Hinds & the Dominoes were one of Duke Reid's most popular and respected artists, churning out scores of singles during their decade-long collaboration. For 30 years, however, only a fraction of this work was readily available outside of Jamaica. Fortunately, Trojan filled that void with two disks, Peace & Love and Ska Uprising, each surveying the trio's ska, rocksteady, and reggae material. While both are excellent, Ska Uprising offers a selection from the group's more popular, more accessible tracks, making it a better introduction to Hinds' danceable, country-prophet castigations. Most of the classics are here, such as the omnipresent "Carry Go Bring Come," the satirical "The Higher the Monkey Climbs," a reggae version of "Botheration," and "Drink Milk," a number one hit from 1970. Along with such trademark "statement" tracks, this collection also features several superb love songs. Often expressing a similar cynicism, they exude a depth and urgency rare in Jamaican music of the period. Standouts include a subdued cover of the Rip-Chords' "Here I Stand," the bawdy scorcher "Rub up, Push Up," and the beautifully plaintive "Try Me," where the imploring wails of the Dominoes echo Hinds' entreaties in perfect call-and-response harmony. Overall the selections are excellent, and unlike Peace & Love, the reggae tracks don't slow the collection down. Those looking for an introduction to Justin Hinds & the Dominoes' early work should definitely start here, then later enrich their collection with the rarer, deeper tracks found on the latter disk. Together they deliver a fulfilling, enjoyable portrait of one of the most distinctive and penetrating voices of 1960s Jamaica, and no fan should be without. ~ David Colon