STAFF PICKS OF THE WEEK (KEITH)

Bob Marley - “African Herbsman” : I think the biggest crime done unto Marley is how much his early albums are overlooked. Early Wailers is his best in my opinion. You can hear the hunger as Bunny, Peter, and Bob feed off each other. They sound like a soul group with a reggae backing band, like a Miracles/Temptations but with a rebel fire in the lyrics. These recordings would be average demos if not for the genius, Lee Scratch Perry “The Upsetter”. Him and the backing band give the most rootsy sound between the percussion and organ with a bass underneath and beautiful melodies over top. I love how this era of reggae turns instruments that are normally melodic- like guitar and organ- into percussive instruments.

African Herbsman is my favorite compilation of early Wailers. “Small Axe” is in my top ten reggae songs ever. It can be taken as a rebel song but fun fact it was created as a diss track on the label “Big Tree Records”. Also my favorite lyrics “Whosoever digeth a pit shall fall in it”… Marley could use proverbs so eloquently- he could make me a God fearin’ man.

“Trenchtown Rock” is another Marley classic with one of his most quoted lines ever “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain”

The backing vocal on Duppy Conqueror put them in contention with Motown groups. I also love this era of Wailers because of Peter Tosh and Marley allowing him to take lead on songs like “400 Years”. I wish they all stayed together but their split gave us great records from Tosh and Bunny Wailer.

A great record for summertime or bringing warmth to the winter.