Nighthawk Records
1984
Early Recordings 1971-1979
About This Album
A welcome addition to the Itals' canon, this compilation rounds up a clutch of the group's early recordings, most previously unavailable in the U.S. The set kicks off with "In a Dis a Time," the trio's debut single and one that actually predates their official launch as a group. However, that 1976 Jamaican chart-topper is obviously not the earliest recording here; that honor goes to "Run Baldhead Run," a potent warning unleashed by Keith Porter and his then-singing partner, Roy Smith, in 1971. The single's flip-side version, "Last Prayer," is also included. But the vast majority of tracks date from the second half of the decade, drawn from the Itals' stream of singles, all released exclusively on small Jamaican labels. Many of the best were overseen by Lloyd Campbell, including the aforementioned hit, "Time Will Tell," "Brutal," and "Don't Wake the Lion." "Time Will Tell" and "Brutal" would both be re-recorded for the Itals' debut album, Brutal out Deh, along with "Baldhead" and the equally classic "Temptation," also found here, while "Smiley Knotty Dread," a new number from that set, is bundled up as well.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 10)

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