The Paragons - On The Beach (With The Paragons) (LP) 2024 (Mint (M))

On The Beach, recorded in 1967 for Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label, captures The Paragons at the height of the rocksteady era, John Holt's lead vocal drawing comparisons to a laid-back Four Tops with a touch of the Beach Boys, backed by Tommy McCook and The Supersonics. It blends downbeat ska with doo-wop phrasing and soulful, emotionally direct singing, including a rendition of "Island in the Sun." The album's best-known cut is the group's original version of "The Tide Is High," later a Blondie hit worldwide, and the record remains a foundational entry in rocksteady and Northern Soul collections alike.