On Great Expectation, the Jolly Boys return with a rough-edged, rum-soaked set of rock and pop covers that drag mento out of the archives and straight into the fire.
The Jolly Boys are back, and Great Expectation marks their first North American release in 20 years—proof that Jamaica’s original party starters still have plenty to say.
Long before reggae and ska took root, there was mento: a bawdy, back-porch blend of acoustic rhythm and social mischief. With Great Expectation, the legendary group doesn’t just preserve that tradition—they twist it. Produced by Gee Street Records founder Jon Baker, the album sidesteps the expected standards and instead dives into a wild mix of rock and pop, reimagining songs by The Clash, Johnny Cash, and Amy Winehouse through a mento lens.
It’s raw, it’s rowdy, and it’s exactly the kind of left turn that reminds you why the Jolly Boys mattered in the first place—and why they still do.