Bob Marley - Chant Down Babylon

Island Def Jam Music Group: 1999

Posthumous albums from an artist's archives certainly were nothing new, but as Bob Marley's passing was almost two decades old by this point, I'm sure everything from his catalogue had been thoroughly unearthed. Heck, even the Remix Album had been done (thanks, Bill Laswell!), so what other avenue could be explored in further capitalizing on Marley's music? Like, it's such a shame he died so long ago, before he might have had a chance to collaborate with artists inspired by his words and works. If only we had the will, the ability, the technology, to make such a thing possible. Sadly, time travelling and necromancy remain elusive. Eh, there's another way, with studio recordings? What sorcery is this?

I can't remember if this was much of a thing yet – the 'duet' albums featuring 2Pac and Biggie certainly hadn't hit the market yet – but nor do I want to claim this was the first. I also can't recall if there was any controversy surrounding this, if cries of 'desecrating the dead' or whatever floated about. For sure those responsible for producing Chant Down Babylon did so with the Marley estate's blessing, sons Stephen and Damian on hand in the studio. While they may not have as big a profile as brother Ziggy, they still remain a prominent fixture in the reggae family's legacy. The project was in good hands, in other words, no scummy cash-grab vibes going on.

Intentions were positive then, but might the merging of classic reggae singing and (then) modern hip-hop still not work, Bob's voice merely tacked on while others got the spotlight? Considering I still have this CD, and quite often play it when I'm in the mood for some smooth Marely jams with a hip-hop edge, I'd say Chant Down Babylon pulled it off quite well indeed. Yeah, it's still mighty difficult ignoring the critical part of your brain reminding you that Bob isn't really singing in the studio with the likes of Eryakah Badu and Lauryn Hill, but boy they sure sound good together regardless.

Honestly, the only times things sound a little forced is when there's a rap involved. Marley will come in, singing a classic like Concrete Jungle or Survival with some beefier beats, then suddenly, here's Rakim or Chuck D dropping a few bars in support. It's not a deal breaker or anything, and some of these pairings are damn good (MC Lyte on Jammin'; Krayzie Bone on Rebel Music, though undoubtedly helped by his sing-rap style). Others though, don't work quite as well. Busta Rhymes in particular sounds strangely out of place, and having Aerosmith leads Steven Tyler and Joe Perry on this project is a real head-scratcher.

In the end though, Chant Down Babylon remains Bob Marley's show. Hearing him crooning along side Guru or The Roots on strong reggae-hop beats is just a tasty treat. Stick with the originals if you must, but this record is a worthy companion piece to his legacy.

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Legend

Tuff Gong: 1984

Speaking of reggae...

This is where that Peter Tosh fella' below got his start, even penning some of The Wailers' most memorable hits (Get Up, Stand Up, One Foundation) - I'm sure he also influenced many other political songs from the group that became reggae staples for years to come. But yes, the main star of the enterprise was Robert Nesta Marley, or simply Bob to white stoners the world over.

I guess the importance of this collective of reggae musicians cannot be overstated. There were other names and bands that had a greater hand in developing the sound, true, but none came within an earshot of breaking into American radio. Then all of a sudden, folks picked up on these quirky, rugged roots rhythms emanating from Jamaica, almost exclusively from a practically all-star cast calling themselves The Wailers, fronted by an incredibly magnetic singer with crazy dreadlocks. Why is he even wearing his hair like that? Because he's a Rastafarian? What's that? Goodness, what else is going on in Jamaica? It all sounds so, like, laid-back and fun, man. They also like smokin' grass too. Oh man, I'm totally gonna be Jamaican now, it's kinda like being a hippie, right?

So I don't know if that's really what '60s burnouts thought of reggae music, but seeing how it's affected the hippie culture since, it wouldn't surprise me. Kind of a moot point though, as one doesn’t have to be of the crusty persuasion to enjoy Bob Marley; hence his broad appeal. The knack for a hook, the charming melodies and vocalizations, the poignant messages, and, perhaps key, the comprehensible lyrics (ain’t no thick Jamaican accents here, my friends), they were the total package for global domination. Sadly, after a brilliant decade of music, Marley died of cancer at the start of the ‘80s. And while The Wailers still tour performing all their classic jams (woot, I even saw them at a nearby folk festival), they ceased writing new tunes.

Obviously, a greatest hits package followed, arriving in ’84 as Legend. It’s been the definitive Bob Marley & The Wailers collection ever since, seeing countless re-issues, re-masterings, and remix supplements. Every tune you know of the group is here - Buffalo Soldier, Jamming, Stir It Up, I Shot The Sheriff, etc. – though depending on the version you find, not always in its best iteration. For instance, the first runs of Legend featured a live recording of No Woman No Cry, which for my money is the best way to hear the tune (obviously, since I paid for it). Its seven minutes long, so plenty of extended jams go down, but for some stupid reason, it’s been excised from newer copies of the CD in favour of an edited cut. Poor form, made even worse by the same thing happening to my all-time favourite Marley tune, Exodus. Dammit, I don’t care if it’s remastered, you don’t edit that dubby masterpiece! Be wary of such shenanigans if you get Legend for yourself.

Bob Marley - Dreams Of Freedom: Ambient Translations Of Bob Marley In Dub

Axiom: 1997

Dreams Of Freedom was something of a stoner’s classic back at the turn of the century, many a pothead owning a burned CD containing tracks from this release cobbled from P2P search inquiries. Heck, I was such an individual, using AudioGalaxy to find more Bill Laswell and ‘ambient dub’ musics, only to discover tunes off here high in search results. It really is a can’t-miss idea: Bob Marley, dub remixes, and ambient textures; the prefect late-night, crash-and-spark album for ganja smokers.

This isn’t just a generic remix album either; rather, it’s a concept album, using classic Marley songs to create a journey of sorts. It helps that the driving force behind everything is Bill Laswell, thus maintaining a consistent tone throughout. There are a couple guest collaborations with Tetsu Inoue, but by and large, it’s Laswell’s show. And yes, his discography is incredibly hit-or-miss, but much of his Axiom output was class, and Dreams Of Freedom's no exception. He treats the source material with enough respect to let it shine through, while his deviations enhance the calming atmosphere.

The best way I can describe Dreams Of Freedom is “Marley In Space”, as Laswell makes ample use of his outworldly pads between the songs. Each segues into the next, as though drifting through alien landscapes before settling at a stage where another Marley song is being performed. Sitting nearby with his bass is Laswell, jamming away between the choruses as dub rhythms dance about. Come for the memorable melodies, stay for the spliffed-out music sessions.

So this is a nice little album, but an elephant doth dwell in the room; or rather, a Mr. Bob Marley is missing from it. Yes, his face is on the cover, that’s his name on the title, and these are songs that he wrote, but aside from Midnight Ravers at the end, he only sparingly crops up during choruses, if at all. Of course, this is because Dreams Of Freedom is a dub album, of the traditional sense. Dig into the works of the genre’s founders, and you’ll find many dub releases were just instrumentals of reggae singles; in fact, the whole notion behind dub music was giving the music itself freedom to breathe between the spaces. This album doesn’t hide the concept, explicitly stating these are ‘ambient dub translations’ right in the title. If you know dub music, the lack of ol’ Bob shouldn’t come as a surprise. Still, I maintain it’s kinda deceiving having a photo of someone known for his singing barely show up in the album proper.

I cannot deny the 'dub translations' scene being at times tedious, producers seldom adding much of note to the originals. And to be fair, Dreams Of Freedom falls in this category too. Fans of vintage Marley won't find anything new, and Laswell's style's long been 'like it or leave it'. Still, this album executes as expertly as one can hope, given the players involved. If anything, it's a great sleepy-time CD.