Various Artists - Island Story 1962-1987

Reflecting the label's roots in Jamaica in the late 1950s, this 31-song collection celebrating Island's 25th anniversary includes the definitive reggae anthems "The Harder They Come" by Jimmy Cliff from the classic movie soundtrack of the same name and "No Woman No Cry" by Bob Marley. Capturing the playful side of Jamaica, there's the first hit for label founder Chris Blackwell, the infectious 1963 smash "My Boy Lollipop" by little Millie Small; "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker and the Aces, "Montego Bay" by Amazulu, "Sinsemilla" by Black Uhuru, and a rousing "Funky Kingston" courtesy of Toots and the Maytals. Illustrating how Island grew far beyond the confines of the Caribbean, the album also includes white rockers U2, Traffic, Free, Robert Palmer and Julian Cope. Throw in several ballads such as "Up Where We Belong" by Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley, and this is the overview you'd expect from such a long-lived and diverse label, although it must have been tough to hold to only one song from a catalog as extensive as Marley's, for example. Flow is sometimes a problem, but the music is strong. ~ Mark Allan, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alex Sadkin Producer Amazulu ?, Performer Andy Hill Producer Barry Hammond Producer Bernard Edwards Producer Bill Laswell Producer Black Uhuru ?, Performer Bob Marley ?, Performer Brian Eno Producer Buggles Performer, ? Chris Blackwell Executive Producer, Producer Daniel Lanois Producer Dave Bloxham Producer Desmond Dekker ?, Performer Ed Hollis Producer Ed Stasium Producer Eddie & the Hot Rods ?, Performer Ernest Ranglin Director Fairport Convention Performer, ? Frankie Goes to Hollywood ?, Performer Free ?, Performer Grace Jones Performer, ? Gwen Guthrie ?, Performer Jennifer Warnes Performer, ? Jim Capaldi Performer, ? Jimmy Cliff Producer, ?, Performer Jimmy Miller Producer Joe Cocker ?, Performer Julian Cope ?, Performer Laurie Latham Producer Leslie Kong Producer Lynn Goldsmith Producer Marianne Faithfull Performer, ? Mark Miller Mundy Producer Millie Small Performer Muff Winwood Producer Pete Wingfield Vocals, Keyboards, Producer Robbie Shakespeare Producer Robert Palmer Performer Sly & Robbie ?, Performer Sly Dunbar Producer Sparks ?, Performer Steve Winwood Producer, ?, Performer The Christians Performer, ? The Gibson Brothers Performer, ? The Maytals Performer The Spencer Davis Group ?, Performer Third World ?, Performer Tom Waits Performer, Producer, ? Tony Hibbert Performer Toots & the Maytals Performer Traffic Performer, ? Trevor Horn Producer U2 Performer, ? Warrick Lyn Producer Will Powers ?, Performer