A top-shelf serving of mellow early-70s Bahamaian soul. Wendell Stuart's tenor tremelos are heartworn and intoxicating. I'd say he's reminiscent of an early Johnny Nash. The backbeats are smoothly understated and Solomon Frazer's sonorous lead guitar bounces and strums in a pleasingly Ranglin-esque mode. Plenty of winners here, with a charming bossa-like rendition of Sandie Shaw's Always Something There to Remind Me (later a hit for Naked Eyes in 1982)...
...Stuart's version of Tom Paxton's The Last Thing on My Mind is also something else, but my real favorite might be this slowburning rendition of the Supreme's "My World Is Empty Without You", which was recently included on Trans Air's excellent West Indies Funk compilation:
Highly recommended. 320 vinyl rip by yours truly.
Download Link: Wendell Stuart & The Downbeaters (197x, Elite ER-1006)
A1 Jude
A2 My World Is Empty Without You
A3 The Last Thing On My Mind
A4 Island Woman
A5 Yellow Bird
B1 Always Something There To Remind Me
B2 Island In The Sun
B3 Shame And Scandle In The Family
B4 Delilah
B5 From The Moment To Moment
B6 Mary Ann
