There's a school of thought that says Bob Marley and the Wailers made their best recordings before signing with Island Records, which really says something because most people in the world were introduced to them through those first, classic Lp's on Island Records.

These early recordings have been issued by various companies over the years, but this set has been issued by Trojan Records, which has always owned these recordings. The sound quality of these tracks are really raw and lo-fi, recorded under very cheap conditions, so don't expect the same sound quality you'd find on their Island albums (recorded in more professional settings).

It's interesting to hear such early classics like "Trenchtown Rock," "Small Axe," "Duppy Conqueror," "Kaya," and "Don't Rock The Boat," especially when they've been re-recorded for later albums, and because these later re-recordings were found on albums with better distribution, the early recordings have probably become more 'obscure' in comparison. If you want to explore these early recordings, which are essential to any Bob Marley devotee, this two-disc set is a good place to go. Budget price, packed with just about every track worth owning from this period, and some nice liner notes by Laurence Cane-Honeysett, who's advised Trojan Records on many of their great re-issues.