Best Reggae Albums of all time?

Here goes:

Dread Beat an' Blood - Linton Kwesi Johnson Dry and heavy - Burning Spear Starship Africa - Creation Rebel Cry Tuff Dub Encounter 3 (I think it's 3 - the one with the swirly sleeve) - Prince Far-I Original Rockers - Augustus Pablo

I must stress that these are purely personal selections, not a list of accepted classics.

thinking about this made realise how reggae is not particularly an album music. So many individual tracks I love, so many great compilations and mixed tapes, but where are the albums? An honourable 'bubbling under' mention goes to: Althea and Donna - Up town top ranking; Johnny Clarke - Rockers Time; Dillinger - (can't remember title, features 'Truth and Rights' and has a black and white cartoon of him on sleeve); Hugh Mundell - Africa must be free.

As people have observed, there aren't a lot of wicked reggae albums, but this is because reggae is simple single driven music. Bring on the 7 inch singles!

Also, a lot of the 'pop' UK Trojan etc. single artist studio albs from the late 60s/early 70s are gd fun, and perfectly fine for everyday listening.

Perhaps I just have low standards.

and compilations:
the on u sound box - dread operator, in dub daze, & a party of dubbers & toasters
all of the Soul Jazz comps including the 100% dynamite comps and the Studio 1 Rockers, etc.

upsetters - super ape
congos - heart of the congos
rastafari vol 1 weird thing my fried found for 50p in camden and it's truly ace
King Tubby - Essential Dub
King Tubby and Jah Lloyd - A Double Helping of...
Scientist - Rids the world of the curse of the evil vampire

Here's a version of my Top 20:

Tougher Than Tough: The Story of Jamaican Music (Mango)
Duke Reid's Treasure Chest: Treasure Isle Rocksteady (Heart Beat)
Jimmy Cliff, The Harder They Come (Mango)
Rockin' Steady: The Best of Desmond Dekker (Rhino)
Dr. Alimantado, Born For a Purpose (Green Sleeves)
Augustus Pablo, King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown (Shanachie)
Rudies All Round: Rude Boy Records 1966/1967 (Trojan)
Ska Boogie: Jamaican R&B, the Dawn of Ska (Sequel Records)
Club Ska '67 (Mango) (Guy Stevens liner notes!)
The Congos, The Heart of the Congos (Blood & Fire)
Toots & the Maytals, Funky Kingston (Mango)
Culture, Two Sevens Clash (Shananchie)
Randy's 17 North Parade: Clive Chin Productions (Pressure Sounds)
Dread Meets Punk Rockers Uptown (EMI)
The Heptones and Friends, Volumes 1 & 2 (Trojan)
The Birth of Ska (Trojan)
The Clash, Black Market Clash (Columbia)
Beenie Man, Art and Life (BP/Virgin)
The Cables, What Kind of World (Peckings Studio One)

Overstock.com is selling Keith Hudsons's 'Pick a Dub' for $5!
Anyone w/any interest in dub should be very pleased w/this album

Keith Hudson is my favourite reggae producer, so I second Oops's recommendation.

Virtually everyone's mentioned The Congos (who I haven't heard), so that may be the consensus choice. Can somebody tell me why it's so great?

I also like LKJ. There's an excellent 2CD anthology available called Independent Intavenshan which combines 'Forces Of Victory', 'LKJ In Dub' and 'Bass Culture'.

unfortunately, don't know enough about lee perry or toots besides best of comps.

Bob Marley - Natty Dread, Catch A Fire
The Harder They Come Soundtrack
Peter Tosh - Legalize It, Equal Rights
Black Uhuru - Sinsemilla

Then everything Vivian Jackson ever did. and Dr Alimintado.

Not fair! (neither is that Maytals I reckon), and Garvey's Ghost is pretty weak as a dub album.

Prince Far I - Heavy Manners
Culture - Two Sevens Clash
Lee Perry - Roast Fish Collie Weed and Corn Bread
Horace Andy - In the Light
Jimmy Cliff - The Harder they Come

(hey, anyone notice that the intro to song 10 on In the Light is totally hip hop-y?)

What about those Soul Jazz comps? Studio One, etc., anyone heard that stuff, I'm curious. Soul Jazz always does a nice job with packaging and details, not to mention some fine musical taste...

If not, then I'd go for "Survival". Obviously Bob Marley anyway. No one comes close.

Well, if I really wanted to piss the R&B people off I could have voted for whatever contained "Dreadlock Holiday" or "Haitian Divorce" :-)

An album is an album.

Also: nice to see Geir choosing my least favorite Marley album (Survival).

Unmentioned so far:
Augustus Pablo: Original Rockers
Augustus Pablo: East of the River Nile
Tapper Zukie: Man Ah Warrior
Tapper Zukie: Tapper Roots
Jah Lion: Colombia Colly
U-Roy: any compilation of his early stuff
and the undeservedly obscure (no one ever seems to mention it) British reggae classic Vivian Weathers: Bad Weathers

#1 IMHO!

Rasbawa from Benin has one of the best tunes I've ever heard, called "Pourquoi", which off the album "Aledjo". He was huge in Benin, but I don't know if he is distributed anywhere in Europe, because he certainly isn't in Canada.

Culture's "Cumbolo" is remarkable, as well as "Two Sevens clash".

Don Carlos' "Raving Tonight" is very chilled out

"African Herbsman" is still a favorite of mine

i got the bunny wailer album blackhearted man. its boring.

police and thieves only has one great song - the title track. the rest of it is a bit directionless. great cover though.

reggae albums apart from a few are quite hit and miss for me. id rather just have a compilation of the best singles from each year by and large.

I love reggae, but I don't think I've ever sat and listened to a whole album that wasn't a compilation.

Not really an albums genre. Johnny Clarke's "Rockers Time Now" is a good album.

"Not really an albums genre"

right, although i do like dub albums more than reggae albums. i wanna get a lot of the virgin front line albums but am wondering how good they will be now. but its hard to get all the singles and hits from each year as albums are easier to get than singles.

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t254/DJ-Dub_Roots/5009.jpg

http://www.elrockers.org/2/discography/records/bigimg/africa_dub_big.jpg

It's not the best album "of all time" - but Gorrilaz had a good and credible go at a dub album with 'Gorillaz vs. Space Monkeyz".

Can't pick a single "best" disc, but these days, it's between five: Cornell Campbell, I Shall Not Remove; The Congos, Heart Of The Congos; Horace Andy, Dance Hall Style; King Tubby, Dub Like Dirt; and Lee Perry, Ape-ology. Subject to change at any time, tho.

heart of the congos is properly overrated imo. its all a bit too one-note for me.

two sevens clash is definitely up there.

one-note in terms of the mood i mean.

Agreed on the Congos. I just don't hear it.
My favorite is still Funky Kingston, followed by Two Sevens Clash, African Herbsman, Early Recordings 1971-1979 (Itals), Marcus Garvey and yes, The Harder They Come soundtrack.

yeah me neither. seems too austere. top marks for consistency but its all too samey and doesnt sound as inspired as all the 'pet sounds of reggae' reviews make it out to be.

finally watched Rockers the other night, it's pretty dope. so amazing to see someone play drums in a movie and they're ACTUALLY PLAYING DRUMS.

I feel the same about "Marcus Garvey", I admire it but I don't play it much (xp)

... like "Pet Sounds"!

nice point Vicious Cop! Marcus Garvey is tremendous but not an everyday listen.
Black Uhuru-Anthem is probably my fave reggae record of the 1980's; LKJ - Tings an' Times my fave from the 1990's.
and did anybody mention King Kong Compilation? the second or third reggae record i ever bought is still up there with the harder they come, in my book

i play pet sounds quite a bit! marcus garvey is a great album (better than congos and the dub version is good too) but its not as immediately/obviously pleasurable in the way 2 sevens clash is.

so it's only a matter of time before Heart of Congos returns to being underrated.
I like Daniel, Esq's list.

Don't get the one note complaints about the Congos at all (Marcus Garvey I get a little more).

I'm not going to even pretend that I can choose one record, but the Congos are def. in my top ten.

Yeah each song on HOTC--bar maybe 1 or 2--has a distinct identity/personality in my mind. Maybe it's hard to get past the falsetto? I mean that seems like one of the few reggae albums where the "one note" criticism is least valid.

Augustus Pablo's King Tubby's Meets Rockers Uptown is probably my fave these days.

Yabby U, "King Tubby's Prophesy of Dub"

While both those are quite good albums, I tend to prefer reggae with vocals.

Yes, I was trying to avoid posting dub albums

Wayne Smith - Youthman Skanking

Hugh Mundell - Africa Must Be Free by 1983,
Jacob Miller - Who Say Jah No Dread,
Keith Hudson - Playing It Cool & Flesh of My Blood,
Barrington Levy - Englishman, Bounty Hunter, Shaolin Temple
Horace Andy - Dance Hall Style
Lacksley Castell - Morning Glory
Hugh Mundell/Lacksley Castell - Jah Fire
Linval Thompson - Rocking Vibration

Those are all albums i love from start to finish. Classics in my world.

i like heart of the congos, war ina babylon, two sevens clash, and black uhuru's showcase

Flesh Of My Blood is one of those records that the reputation of kind of overstated it's greatness. It's a good record, but it's not the best Hudson record by a long shot and aside from his poor vocals it's no where near as oddball as people make it sound.

i love Hudson's vocals though. I agree the reputation was offputting. When it was first repressed I passed on it but have grown to love it in the last year.

I very nearly put Entering the Dragon and Class & Subject in my list too. :)

Maybe I should have said unusual rather than poor. They are def. an acquired taste. I tend to think they work better on the dub records (Brand, Nuh Skin Up) then on the originals.

Keith Hudson's vocals are the reggae equivalent to Vini Reilly or Shaun Ryder for me. It's usually something i wouldn't enjoy but the feel of the music and the honesty in the vocals really hit with me.

Anyway that's a good list. Mine would probably look like this (picking actual albums or collection released at the time and focusing mostly on the seventies):

Barrington Levy Shaolin Temple
Big Youth Screaming Target
Burning Spear Social Living
Dennis Brown Wolves & Leopards
Dr. Alimantado Best Dressed Chicken In Town
Gregory Isaacs Extra-Classic
Johnny Osbourne Truths And Rights
Mighty Diamonds Right Time
The Congos Heart of the Congos
The Gladiators Trenchtown Mix Up

just put on Trenchtown Mix Up after reading your list. that is a great album. i haven't listened to it nearly enough.

Big Youth Screaming Target

oh yeah good one!

This thread is reminding me I need to get more Barrington Levy. haha I think what initially made me averse to him was, before I even heard his singing, seeing a photo of him wearing a Dr Seuss hat.
Trenchtown Mix-Up would be in my revised Top 5. Albert Griffiths doesn't have as good of a voice technically as some others, but he's still such a great singer.
Ctrl+F "Justin Hinds"=text not found :(((

I had a Barrington Levy Best Of for a while and only liked a few tracks for some reason. His output from 79-82 or so with Junjo/Roots Radics/Scientist is all strong. I'm glad i took the time to go back and investigate full albums instead of writing him off on a weak Best Of collection.

Top 5 not mentioned yet
1. Twinkie Bros - Countrymen
2. Justin Hinds - Travel With Love
3. Bim Sherman - Tribulation (comp, so cheating here a bit)
4. The Royals - Pick Up the Pieces
5. Israel Vibration - The Same Song

Bim Sherman's totally cheating!

I love Pick Up The Pieces, but 1) as harmony groups go, they pale a touch compared to others on my list and b) I think the dub version to their best record is better than the vocal set (wholeheartedly recommend the awesome Pressure Sounds set with this as the centerpiece.)

This has been on my want list so so so long. :(

http://www.roots-archives.com/release/2134

Lots of great stuff not appearing here. No Sugar Minott. No Freddie McGregor. No Abyssinians. 1 Heptones and I-Roy mention.

Possibly controversial opinion: Cables >>> Carlton & the Shoes.

Been on mine forever, too, Alex.
See, that Royals dub set ("Dub Pieces", right) is okay, but everytime I hear a track from it I just want to hear the original. You're right, as a harmony group, there's many who are better. But I've always heard it more as a Roy Cousin's album. I usually skip the tracks where he doesn't sing lead.

"See, that Royals dub set ("Dub Pieces", right) is okay, but everytime I hear a track from it I just want to hear the original."

Really? But the dubs are so great! Also great Prince Far I and I-Roy bits on the CD, but I guess that shouldn't count since I guess they aren't on the original dub album.

https://ssl.kundenserver.de/enter-the-dragon.com/images/bobby%20bobylon.jpg

I love how I am now making this argument after giving dudes a hard time for picking vocal-less dub album just a second ago. That said there are quite a few vocals on these dubs.

xp I know! How does that record not get one mention!?!?

i saw a reissue of his the other day, i think on vp?

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51kjI35ixCL._SS500_.jpg

Sugar Minott - Ghetto-ology and the Wackies Dancehall Showcase 1/2 would be my favs but Sufferers Choice has Uptown Ghetto which I love.

Mr McGregor is a different record than Bobby Bobylon, isn't it? The latter is on Studio One, Heartbeat did a deluxe-y version a year or two ago.

my favourite reggae album isnt really an album though, its the first vol (though vol 2 would do fine too) of the hearbeat studio one comp.

Top ten comps off the top of my head:

Rebel Music
Best of Studio One
More Pressure
Open The Gate
Build The Ark
That Wailers Six CD Upsetters Box Set
VP Channel One Story 1 & 2
Recent Joe Gibbs 2 CD thing on VP seems pretty complete
Yabby U Jesus Dread
Sufferation

Actually I guess you could replace Sufferation with virtually any Niney comp. Rock On and Observer Station and Truth & Rights style are all excellent. He might be the most underrated roots producer (unlike like say Glen Brown who is so underrated, he's now kind of overrated.)

mr. mcgregor is a different album. just noting its reissue is all. also there's a new niney comp. and man do i want it

http://images.juno.co.uk/full/CS337910-01B-BIG.jpg

Have not seen anyone mention

Trinity - Shantytown Determination

Yeah I saw that. I guess that replaces the 3 Heartbeat CDs I've got heh.

Wish they'd re-release this Nighthawk comp, which I had on vinyl. It contains the awesome "Walk the Chalk Line" by the Wailing Souls, which I can't find anywhere else.
http://www.strictly-vibes.com/covers/V/VA_knottyVisions.jpg

funny that Niney comes up now. i had a friend over last night and was burning some music for him and he specifically asked for more of Niney. I gave him the Blood and Fire comp a while back that he listened to endlessly so i hooked him up with 3 more Niney comps. Rock On, Observer Station and Microphone Attack

I've been looking for Knotty Visions on mp3 for a whilte. I assume the license for the tracks reverted which is why Nighthawk hasn't done a CD version.

youre talking about the blood and fire comp on trojan right?

yeah, 2CD set on Trojan: http://roots-archives.com/release/4112

Jacob Miller - Who Say Jah No Dread

Excellent!

I love Who Say Jah No Dread but i'm having a harder time getting into his other solo albums.

Miller's kind of hit or miss. There's probably a comp out there that gathers most of his best stuff.

i think i remember 'tenement yard' being pretty good. 'who say jah no dread' is pretty much a compilation, not really a proper album anyway, but it's great start to finish

I thought Who Say was released originally in the 70s, but I guess not. Anyway I was thinking more of his non-Pablo productions.

I've tried the King Tubby In A Tenement Yard thing, Killer Miller, Killer Rides Again and I'm Just A Dread. I guess it's the Pablo production that i really love.

Hmmn you might try Wanted.

Or you might just want to give up hah.

I'm forced to draw the conclusion that I'm the only one on this thread who's heard Presenting Larry Marshall.

I've heard the big "hits" from it, but I've never heard the whole thing.

I've got that Larry Marshall on ceedee. I should re-listen, as maybe it should be in my top 100 - http://www.fastnbulbous.com/best_reggae.htm

No one mentioned my #5, 6 & 7:

Rico - Man From Wareika (Island) 76
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes - Jezebel (Island) 76
Cedric Im Brooks - The Light Of Saba (Total Sounds) 76

That's probably cuz two of those three records are unfindable. I mention Jezebel above. I also thought that Brooks record was a comp?

i only have larry marshall 'i admire you in dub'

Possibly controversial opinion: Cables >>> Carlton & the Shoes.

― Alex in SF, Tuesday, February 3, 2009 5:16 PM

why

Just slightly prefer the Cables album (or more accurately their singles) to Carltons. "What Kind Of World" is one of my favorite tracks and "Baby Why" isn't far behind. Don't get me wrong, they are both great.

Alex I noticed earlier you had Jezebel on your wantlist. Man From Wareika and Jezebel are available as Japanese imports. I got them from Dusty Groove. If they don't have them, you can get them on Amazon for around $19 plus shipping. They are two-fers with another album, totally worth it.

That's probably cuz two of those three records are unfindable. I mention Jezebel above. I also thought that Brooks record was a comp?

Oops just saw that. Jezebel is in stock, grab it now! They're out of Man From Wareika, but do have a used copy of Wareika Dub.

Honest Jon's has an awesome compilation that has most of Light Of Saba along with other stuff.

Don't get why Island doesn't reissue this stuff. Haven't Pressure Sounds/Blood & Fire demonstrated that their is still a market?

Maybe was a market is more accurate though at this point.

It's annoying, but the Island Japan issues look and sound great. I also have Heptones - Night Food/Party Time and Ijahman - Haile I Hymn from that series.

I am too cheap to head down this road.

here's some info about Wareika Dub, can't find the vocal version though: http://bit.ly/3Rfcr

Is there a vocal version? I thought it was a horn album.

Rico Rodriguez discography: http://www.geocities.com/braunovi/RodriguezRico/RicoD.htm?200725

i'm completely unfamiliar with it. trying to find it now. i assumed if it had a dub it must have had vocals. i have no idea though.

Actually no. The original has no vocals. It's an unusual situation where he thought it would be a good idea to do a dub version anyway. The Rockers version is different enough to be worth hearing, but not as essential as the original.

Listening to that IM Brooks comp right now. Forgot how utterly awesome it is.

Abyssianians Arise has to be on a top 10 best reggae albums list, doesn't it?

top 20

i'd put Satta Massagana in top 10 before Arise

There's at least 6 songs on Satta that I prefer to anything on Arise: the title song, Declaration of Rights, I and I, African Race, Leggo Beast, and Peculiar Number.

Satta Dub is good too.

Anyone heard of this anthology of Niney-produced stuff? It's on VP Records and it just hit eMusic, but I can't find much about it (aside from noting that the samples are awesome).

(Can't see the image that eman posted; not sure if he's talking about the same comp I am).

It's great (or at least the 90% of it that I have on other Niney comps are great.)

I like the Abyssinians, but Granny's right that Satta is a better album.

Thanks. Downloading now. (xp)

Was gonna download Muggers In The Street, by Junior Murvin, but the AMG review trashed it, giving me pause.

I've never heard that record, but that's prime Junjo/Roots Radics so I'll wager that the AMG reviewer is a moron.

"It's just a bummer and Murvin's falsetto voice is all about communicating frail hope and yearning for joy."

That said if you don't have a lot of Niney I would still download the VP comp over the Murvin album.

Oh, yeah. It's not either/or. I was actually going through the fastnbulbous reggae list posted upthread (good list, btw), and trying to spot stuff on eMusic that I didn't have. Junior Murvin's disc on the list isn't on eMusic, but this other disc popped up. Will investigate further. eMusic is like an endless well of good reggae discs.

http://static.boomkat.com/images/236451/333.jpg

Just slightly prefer the Cables album (or more accurately their singles) to Carltons. "What Kind Of World" is one of my favorite tracks and "Baby Why" isn't far behind. Don't get me wrong, they are both great.

― Alex in SF, Wednesday, February 18, 2009 5:54 PM

tracked down the cables album, its v. good but i still dig carlton and the shoes album far more. there's a really dodgy looking reissue of love me forever in the vp store thats got extended mixes and bonus trax but i think it must be remastered too cuz it sounds incredible

does anyone have a quality version of carlton and the shoes "love me forever" lp to share? i've been looking for that == i only have a low-quality version sadly, and still the album is beautiful.

esp "never give your heart away"

i can put it on the noise board thread for those type of things

++

sweet. hopefully i can find that thread.

Great album - never heard it before.

Thanks for putting i up..but is there something wrong with track 4 'Love is All"? It's doesn't seem to play the full 3:33?

Here's another list that has some stuff I haven't heard - http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/best_albums-reggae.html

I'm in the middle of ripping my reggae section to flac. I just went through a bunch of CDrs that were kindly burned for me years ago of stuff that wasn't reissued on CD. It seems reissues have been slowing down, despite the fact that there's literally thousands of out-of-print gems still out there. I'm enjoying the deluxe remaster of Johnny Osbourne's Truths And Rights (1979) that came out last year.

er, any hints as to which noise board thread that is? feel like a doofus not knowing.

Leonardo

Hrm, which to get:

Joe Gibbs - Scorchers From The Mighty Two (17 North Parade/VP)

or

Niney The Observer - Roots With Quality (17 North Parade/VP)

Which producer do you prefer? Which do you have more stuff by?

I love 'em both -- I think I'll have to comb through my stuff to see which songs I have the most dupes of.

Niney is more extensively compiled probably (there are a bunch of really good Heartbeat comps and if IIRC there is a great deal of overlap between that and the VP comp.) And the Joe Gibbs thing does have some rarities which make it attractive. It's not like you can really go wrong.

I prefer Niney but they're both good collections.

Yeah I probably do too. "Weeping" might be the greatest song ever.

I sold some hip hop and soul at Dusty Groove today and ended up with over $100 credit, so I got both, woo hoo! Also got -

Cedric IM Brooks & the Divine Light - From Mento To Reggae To Third World Music (17 North Parade) 73
Joe Gibbs & The Professionals - African Dub Chapter Two (17 North Parade) 77
Zap Pow - Last War 72-80 (Trojan)

That's a good haul.

The peak of summer is a good time to get the woofers wubblin and pushing the soupy 98 degree air with some dub n' reggae. I did some catching up with the Scientist, and agree with an earlier post that Scientist Rids The World Of The Evil Curse Of The Vampires (1981) is amazing. His others in that era, like Heavyweight Dub Champion, Big Showdown, Meets The Space Invaders and Encounters Pac-Man aren't far behind.

A couple key reissues coming:

Augustus Pablo - This Is Augustus Pablo (17 North Parade) 73 Jul 25?
Impact All Stars - Java Java Java Java (17 North Parade) 73-74? Aug 19

Other new acquisitions:

Keith Hudson - Rasta Communication (Joint International/Greensleeves) 78
Tenor Saw - Fever (Blue Mountain/Sprint) 85
The Wailing Souls - Fire House Rock (Greensleeves) 81
Augustus Pablo - Original Rockers 1972-75 (Greensleeves)
Augustus Pablo - Ital Dub (Clock Tower/Get On Down) 74

I'm working on overcoming my prejudice against 80s reggae and explore some stuff. These are sitting in my Ernie B's cart awaiting trigger:

Augustus Pablo - Dubbing In A Africa 75
Culture - International Herb 79
Don Carlos - Day To Day Living 82
Freddie McGregor - Big Ship 82
Hugh Mundell - Mundell 82
Junior Reid - Boom Shack A Lack 85
The Meditations - No More Friend 83
Ras Michael - Love Thy Neighbour 79
The Wailing Souls - Face The Devil 79
Yellowman - Mr. Yellowman 82

Has Heart of the Congos been rereleased lately? If so, is it worth getting if I already have a version (Vicodisc I think)?

not seen any new versions of that.
i take it that the blood+fire edition with extra cd is now OOP ?

ive been really digging black uhuru's complete anthem sessions + dub factor

im gonna have to check out your list of 80s reggae, i love the 'tasteless' 80s production on black uhuru's stuff

Hugh Mundell - Mundell 82

this album's amazin

My list? I don't have much beyond what's already been mentioned here. These were added recently:

Justin Hinds & The Dominoes - Travel With Love (Nighthawk) 84
Junior Murvin - Muggers In The Street (Greensleeves) 84
Junior Murvin - Badman Possee (Dread At The Controls) 82

This will be added somewhere in top 150 -

John Holt - Police In Helicopter (Greensleeves) 82

Roots Archives seems to have run out of gas after 2008. It would be cool to keep this thread going by adding suggestions that haven't been mentioned yet. Good to know a significant number here don't think Legend is all one needs...

Java Java Java is supposed to be pretty great. One of the first dub albums IIRC.

I've yet to come across a Junjo Lawes/Roots Radics album that isn't worth having. Favorite as of now is prob Hugh Mundell - Mundell

I don't love Java Java Java. There are at least 6 Augustus Pablo albums that are better.

Yes, that Mundell album is great. Make sure you also have the Lacksley Castell albums Morning Glory and Princess Lady. Mundell and Castell split tracks on the Mundell album Jah Fire (though that isn't even credited on the album). The Sly & Robbie Dub Rockers Delight album is the dub companion to the Morning Glory album.

I have Morning Glory, but not Princess Lady. I'll check for it, thanks.

They've packaged 4 of Johnny Osbourne's albums (all Junjo productions iirc) together for cheap: Fally Lover, Water Pumping, Nightfall, and Never Stop Fighting.

Princess Lady isn't as good as Morning Glory but it's got some good songs.

Both Lacksley albums are on Spotify.

Lacksley Castell albums added to cart. Thanks! I don't see that Johnny Osbourne set anywhere...

ive been really digging black uhuru's complete anthem sessions

Which mix do you prefer? It seems the Allmusic review is referring to the UK Remix here, but maybe it's referring to original mix vs. U.S. remix?

...the mix on Anthem pales in comparison to the mix on the short-lived import version. By foregrounding the bass sound and emphasizing more time-honored instrumentation, the import's mix makes reggae powerhouses out of "Try It" and "Botanical Roots" and infuses the import single, "Party Next Door," with a truly infectious and danceable spirit.

Couple other 80's albums (well, one is a comp) I've been diggin lately:
Al Campbell - Mr. Lover's Rock
Ariwa 81 Sessions: In the Front Room

Those 4CD Reggae Legends things look pretty cool. Josey Wales and Sugar Minott ones sound particularly good.

Don't know if you're into still buying cd's, but I'm sure I got the Osbourne package through Ernie B's.

Travel With Love is one of my favorite albums

I'm pretty much not buying stuff these days (as much because of space constraints as money ones.)

I have a fully loaded Ernie B's cart right now and I'm up for adding the Osbourne package, but I can't find it.

Checked my order history, and I got it from Ernie's 11/1/10, so maybe they're out of it now. Paid $17.39.

Yeah it looks like they are only stocking 6 of the Reggae Legends sets now (Cocoa Tea, Dennis Brown, Frankie Paul, Gregory Isaacs, Josey Wales, Yellowman.)

Best of these 4CD things is definitely Dennis Brown at Joe Gibbs.

Followed closely by the Culture at Joe Gibbs thing which has the wacky order on Two Sevens Clash.

Which mix do you prefer?

i've spent the most time with the jamaican mixes, so those are definitely the most familiar

the UK remixes are pretty great, adding dubby elements to the pop without going all out dub

the US mix is definitely my least favorite.. i was stoked when i found the LP at my local record store and was taken aback by the mix. i might just need to spend more time with it though

I found someone who has Lacksley Castell's Princess Lady. Funny, the Rough Guide to Reggae is usually pretty good, but is totally missing Castell. With the other Castell album and the additions below, my cart has bloated to over $150, too much! I need to pare it down to at least 100, so if anyone is interesting in trading lossless, I have plenty of good stuff. I have the OOP Blood & Fire version of Heart Of The Congos, and the Japanese imports of the Justin Hinds, Ijahman and Rico. savand*at*fastnbulbous*dot*com.

Black Uhuru - Black Sounds Of Freedom + Dub + Love Crisis 77-81
Dennis Brown - At Joe Gibbs (Words Of Wisdom, Love's Gotta Hold On Me, Reflections)
Culture - At Joe Gibbs (Baldhead Bridge, More Culture, As Hard The Rest)
Ethiopians - Slave Call 78
Delroy Wilson - Go Away Dream 82

i'd ditch Princess Lady and give yourself time to fall for Morning Glory. You'll be able to get Princess Lady at a later date.

Anyone thinking of ordering the Dennis Brown, be aware that Reggae Legends set is an entirely different set of albums than At Joe Gibbs -- Nothing Like This, Rumours, Over Proof and Vision Of A Reggae King. I think those are all from the 90s? You can enlarge the photo of the tracklisting before ordering to be sure.

Yes, they aren't the same at all. Sorry if I confused anyone.

I'll order the Morning Glory for sure. But those who have something like, say, the Johnny Osbourne 4CD set that is no longer in stock, the OOP Travel With Love on CD/lossless, etc., I'd trade for 'em. Here's what I have.

Had no idea Travel With Love was OOP.

Yeah, $31+ on Amazon with shipping, used not much cheaper, so as good as OOP. I just have MP3s. Same with the 80s Junior Murvin.

Had no idea. Got it for $4 from Ernie's a couple of years back.

It's fucking criminal that I can find no copies of the Gladiators' "Trenchtown Mix Up" on vinyl anywhere on the internet, other than at ridiculously high prices.

this is still my number one at the moment.

http://dug-out.de/images/doxyz004a.jpg

but there are a LOT of reggae albums i haven't heard. so it might change someday.

I'm sure I've heard that before somewhere... Will have to have a look around my collection as it really rings a bell.

it's haunting. and hypnotic. essential.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb6VAZSMHNc

oh Ras Michael, yeah I have that cos you banged on about it a few months back. It is indeed a joy (although the tracks are VERY long). Have you heard Ras Michael & The Sons of Negus' "Rastafari" album? Also very lovely.

hope this is a good quality tube - i'm at work, so can't check:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ42tkAFu_g

Scott, you might also like Cedric IM Brooks & The Magical Light of Saba in this vein.

cedric brooks is amazing. love that stuff. i recently sold an original copy of this album. i wanted to keep it but i need to, like, eat and stuff.

http://www.popsike.eu/pix/20120417/280865306953.jpg

its basically the history of reggae that ends with long mystical freedom jam.

Have you both heard Count Ossie & the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari? Even longer songs including some spoken poems, but worth checking out if you like Ras Michael and Cedric Brooks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHER45e_4nY

I have a copy of a triple CD I bought years ago of that for about 6p (not joking, it was so cheap). The sound quality is atrocious but the music was great - jazz inflected nyabinghi jams and spoken word monologues IIRC.

lol, yeah my copy is in one of those first-generation double CD sets that are as wide as three jewelcases. And yes, you do RC.

just wonderful stuff. easy to become obsessed with it all.

brought this up on the reggae thread probably but still captivated by this 12 inch. THIS i had to keep when i got a nice copy. not an album, but it would be on any list i would make of fave jamaican records. must have played it 50 times when i got it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqbzrvWFWIc

kinda endless though when it comes to great reggae. ha! to put it mildly. i've been listening non-stop via what i get in at the store and i've barely scratched the surface.

and the hits just keep on coming. got a big stack of recent 45s in the other day and have had a ball listening. fave this week: unicorn & sajay - couchie tight (from 2005. don't even know who unicorn is...)

http://www.muzieklijstjes.nl/Tips/tootsMaytalsFunkyKingston.jpg
Still my favorite, 30 years after I first heard it. Probably in my all-time top five.

Haha, what happened there? Was supposed to be this:
http://www.recordrevolution.com/sites/default/files/album_covers/reggae_20.jpg

would have to pick a heptones album or singles comp but i don't know which one. how about every heptones album and singles comp from the 60's and 70's. that ought to cover it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxipmsfJMVs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PURSWR3iwbQ

https://rymimg.com/lk/o/l/3fc02cd0b1f4f70318c4bbf38adcf3fb/6132801.jpg

Bob Andy - The Music Inside Me (1976)
While one could argue that Bob Andy reached an early peak with the singles collected on Song Book (1970), it's not the whole story. His songwriting, vocals and melodies are just as strong on this album, but with the added benefit of a better, fuller sound. Similar to Justin Hinds who was also better known for his 60s work with the Dominoes, The Music Inside Me is a brilliant, underrated gem along the lines of Hinds' somewhat more celebrated Jezebel (1976). This is sorely in need of a proper reissue. All but three of the songs show up in the Retrospective collection, but the title track, "Make Mine Music" and "Feeling Soul" are killers, not fillers that deserve to be heard alongside his better known "Fire Burning." Also check out Lots of Love & I (1977).

A 1976 mix: https://open.spotify.com/user/1212496385/playlist/0Wlvk9tOshWjOl4hqoAo3H

huh dunno this one

Have been glad to see a number of the Trojan compis that came out around the milenium reappear over the last year. The 2cd sets are great.

Hm, have had "The Music Inside Me" for like 20 years, remember not thinking much to it; I'll give it another go. It'll have to go some to match "Song Book" though.

Marcus Garvey by Burning Spear has qualities that always made me stick tracks on tapes next to Miles Davis or Can.

%4-69 Was My Number Toots and the Maytals the Trojan 2cd overview of his stuff, first disc is ska and rocksteady 2nd is the 70s stuff. I think it has almost complete lps on there.

Lee perry Ape-ology has the jamaican Super-Ape and it's sequel and Roast Fish And Collie Weed plus some stray tracks
also Wonderman years, Dub Triptych, Dubstrumentals.

Augustus Pablo Original rockers

Flashing Echo the Trojan 2cd dub compi.

Culture 2 7s Clash had an anniversary remaster on Shanachie about 10 years ago which is great.

The Wailers Trenchtown Rock The trojan 2cd of all of the Lee Perry stuff 1st disc is the late 60s, 2nd is the 70s. I think this material has been released elsewhere under different titles. I do really like taht early stuff from the late 60s. I don't really listen to that much Bob Marley since I found his music too poppy, maybe it was watered down for the Interantional market,. Took me years to hear how much soul there was in his voice.

Heart of the Congos love the iridescent production.

several others that will probably come back to me later.

Yeah, a good summary of some of the best. Toots & the Maytals is the best. I remember that comp, and eventually I just got all his albums. I had to! I'm actually going to see him this summer at a reggae fest in Chicago. It's been 20 years, so will be good to see him before he croaks (as so many of that generation are doing with increasing frequency).

Some nice writing by Sean Murphy on five albums:

HalleluJAH: Heart of the Congos
http://www.popmatters.com/post/five-reggae-albums-you-cannot-live-without/

Part Two: Make a Joyful Noise Unto JAH: Culture’s International Herb
http://www.popmatters.com/post/five-reggae-albums-you-cannot-live-without1/

Go and Seek Your Rights: The Mighty Diamonds’ Right Time
http://www.popmatters.com/post/five-reggae-albums-you-cannot-live-without-part-three/

Walking the Streets of Glory: Israel Vibration’s The Same Song
http://www.popmatters.com/post/five-reggae-albums-you-cannot-live-without-part-four/

Party Music for the Apocalypse: Mikey Dread’s Beyond World War III
http://www.popmatters.com/post/five-reggae-albums-you-cannot-live-without-part-five/

Junior Delahaye - Showcase (1982)
And yet another release in the string of classic Wackies albums that have been (re)released by Berlin dub-techno duo Moritz Von Oswald and Mark Ernestus a.k.a. Rhythm & Sound, as part of their rerelease program of the complete Wackie's catalog. More on their own releases, whether technodub on Basic Channel or their Rhythm & Sound label and also on their classic Wackie's (re)releases can be found at the Basic Channel website. "Reggae" as the album is called on the sleeve a.k.a. "Showcase" as it is known as well and dubbed by Rhythm & Sound upon their Bullwackies reissue programme, by Junior Delahaye was originally released in 1982. "Love" is a fabulous self-penned track where Junior's falsetto in combination with the classic dubby Wackies riddims immediately brings to mind the best moments of the classic combination of Junior Murvin's voice over Lee 'Scratch' Perry produced riddims. And like every other track, this album is truly showcase style, thus followed directly by its dub version, and coming from Wackies that's a real treat. Next Junior, who also co-engineered the album alongside Lloyd 'Bullwackie' Barnes covers the 1971 Fuzz hit penned by their lead singer Seil Young "I Love You For All Seasons" in a much deeper voice that keeps floating on top of the dub mix in the second part of the track. The 'reggae-traditional' "Travelling Man" is preceded by the self-penned absolutely brilliant "All I Need Is Jah" on which the version part of the track gets a beautiful saxophone treatment by legendary Roland Alphonso, and another classic song versioned by more than a few reggae-icons gets the Junior Delahaye/Wackies treatment: Billy Stewart's "Sitting In The Park". This beautiful disc, that should be recommended to just every lover of roots, only has one weakness, as we have gotten used to bonus tracks even on regular releases, it clocks in at 35 minutes, and no matter how nice the ideas to release the another catalogue in 'original form' it's a bit short. I could stand more than an hour of this niceness, that is now cut short after the lovers tune "Movie Show" for which Junior Delahaye uses the most seductive lower ranges of his vocal register, before the final bars of its dub fade away.

am i weird for liking the heptones "party time" more than "heart of the congos"?

Not at all, I'm sure many people prefer the soulful, tuneful Heptones to the murk of the Congos. It's not a universal appeal, but the Congos just has a sort of mystical feel that's hard to nail down, and for me results in some rewarding repeated listening, both deep sessions on headphones, or just in the background. Kind of along the lines of what made Astral Weeks and Black Saint and the Sinner Lady favorites too.

Here's a dynamic list that evolves month to month:

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/jgnikkila/top_250_reggae_albums__according_to_ryms_heavy_reggae_heads_/

think i prefer police and thieves to both. heart of the congos is really frontloaded, iirc, but i should listen again.

or maybe it's just that it's impossible to top "open the gate", one of my top 5-10 reggae tunes

That Yabby You collection is monumental, and probably the straight up heaviest music I've ever heard. I passed up a decent vinyl copy a few years back and still sometimes wake in a cold sweat...

Funny that I have Jesus Dread disc1 playing right now.

Not quite sure about heaviest has had some reasonably heavy moments but there are much heavier things I've heard.

the recent Deeper Roots comps are where it's at re: Yabby You

Did anyone else pick up the 3 CD Yabby You Dread Prophecy set? It's really great, with 30 tracks you can't get anywhere else. Extensive liner notes, but stupidly it does not include the recording dates for the tracks! I know with all the ganja the exact dates of those records can be hazy, but the other comps managed it.

The RYM list I linked above is nice, but I wouldn't include comps. Conquering Lion at 16 sounds about right. Burning Spear's Social Living (Marcus' Children) -- be sure to get the Blood & Fire version with the two bonus tracks -- and Keith Hudson's Playing It Cool, Playing It Right usurp the usual choices of Marcus Garvey and Flesh of My Skin - Blood of My Blood. I pretty much agree with those choices. Speaking of Blood & Fire, I miss their deluxe treatments and attention to detail and art. Among many candidates, a nice two-fer of Horace Andy's Dance Hall Style and Exclusively would be great. They really belong together in a set, being the same session, but different approaches.

I have the Deeper Roots and Jesus Dread comps - had no idea there was 30 more tracks that's crazy

To be clear, it's 10 previously unreleased tracks and 30 tracks never previously on CD.

10 previously unreleased tracks are mostly variations of released tracks IIRC. Jesus Dread is better IMO.

Sure, Jesus Dread is more concentrated goodness. But it's missing a lot. I do wish they'd just release everything, but that just isn't being done with reggae artists, and is probably impossible for most due to the chaotic nature of varied long-gone labels and missing masters, etc.

Here's a summary of my past month's listening: http://fastnbulbous.com/choice-summer-choons-2016/

Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/1212496385/playlist/0FyhuiLuajEwSoYavrxmfw
All-Time Favorite Reggae Albums: http://fastnbulbous.com/reggae/
RYM list: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Fastnbulbous/all_time_favorite_reggae_albums/

nice, i will enjoy digging through that!

The albums I spotlighted are:

Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus – Dadawah, Peace & Love (Trojan/Dug Out, 1974)
Noel Ellis – Noel Ellis (Summer/In The Light, 1983)
Keith Hudson – Playing It Cool & Playing It Right (Joint/Basic Replay, 1981)
Bob Andy – The Music Inside Me (Jigsaw, 1976)
Horace Andy – Dance Hall Style/Exclusively (Wackie’s, 1982)
Junior Delahaye – Showcase (Wackie’s, 1982)
Alton Ellis – Many Moods Of Alton Ellis (Makasound, 1980)
Lacksley Castell – Morning Glory (Negus Roots, 1982)
Mikey Dread – World War III (Heartbeat/Dread at the Controls, 1980)
Linton Kwesi Johnson – Dread Beat An’ Blood (Frontline, 1978)
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Kaya (Tuff Gong/Island, 1978)
Third World – 96 Degrees in the Shade (Mango, 1977)
Ijahman – Haile I Hymn (Mango/Jahmani, 1978)
Pablo Gad – Hard Times (Form, 1980)
Steel Pulse – Handsworth Revolution (Island, 1978)
Leroy Brown – Prayer Of Peace (Color Barrier) (Makasound, 1976)
Althea & Donna – Uptown Top Ranking (Frontline/Virgin, 1978)
Peter Broggs – Rastafari Liveth (RAS, 1982)
Winston Jarrett – Wise Man (Tamoki Wambesi, 1979)

Can never have too much Bullwackie's.

Wayne Jarrett – Bubble Up (Showcase Vol. 1) (Wackie’s, 1982)
Love Joys – Lovers Rock (Reggae Style) (Wackie’s, 1982)
Love Joys – Reggae Vibes (Wackie's, 1981)

100% repping for Alton Ellis - Many Moods of https://www.discogs.com/Alton-Ellis-Many-Moods/release/2802422

I mean, look at the album credits:

Backing Vocals – The Heptones, Johnny Clarke
Bass – Boris Gardner*, Leroy Sibbles, Lloyd Parks
Drums – Carlton "Santa" Davis, Sly Dunbar
Guitar – Bingy Bunny, Bo-Peep*
Lead Guitar – Ranchie McLean*, Rick-a-Backa*
Organ – Ansel Collins, Winston Wright
Percussion – Alton Ellis, Bongo Hermann*, Skully*, Sticky*
Tenor Saxophone – Headley Bennett*
Trombone – Vin Gordon
Trumpet – Bobby Ellis

Contributing factors: I bought a sealed copy in DC last year and tonight decided to break the seal. The band sound so good on every track. Reminds me that Arise Black Man is an incredible compilation.

Bit of filler on the second side, so maybe not exactly what i'd put in a top 10 list or anything.

Heh, you're probably thinking about his cover of "Loving You." But yeah, it sounds great.

RIP Bunny Wailer at 73. He had suffered a few strokes in recent years.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Bunny_Wailer_is_dead

Oh man! This is very sad indeed. RIP Bunny

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYPEsP05VJc