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In 1999 Time magazine called this the best album of the 20th century. Although I wouldn’t go quite that far, Exodus is one of the century’s most influential musical works. Before Bob Marley and The Wailers hit the scene international or world music was a virtually ignored market. The closest thing in popular music was perhaps Harry Belafonte. Words like ganja, spleef, and Rastarians were unknown in American society. By the time Exodus was released in 1977 Marley had already had an impact on Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, and new comers The Police. A combination of Jamaican and African folk, rock rhythms, and what would eventually be called ska, reggae took the musical world by storm. Musicians like Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff also owe much to Marley, since he was the most influential of any in the genre. The album stayed on the UK charts for 56 straight weeks. Marley’s Rastaman Vibration had cracked the US charts the previous year, giving Americans their introduction. Most of Exodus was made in London after Marley and wife, Rita, had fled to the UK after an assassination attempt in Jamaica. All of Marley’s work was an homage to alternative politics, religion, and lifestyle. One of the stand-out tracks on Exodus is it’s title tune. A seven minute anthem to the Rasta movement (of Jah People). This album also has the original "One Love/People Get Ready" song that is as popular as ever. "Three Little Birds" is a powerful, upbeat melody; Marley makes you believe that everything really will be alright. The classic, "Jamming" is exactly that, it’s rhythmic content is not to be missed. "Waiting In Vain" is one of the most heartfelt love songs ever written. "Turn Your Lights Down Low" is a dead-on island folk tune. The digitally re-mastered version of Exodus contains two previously unreleased tracks and, of course, sounds better. Marley died in a Miami hospital in May of 1981, at the age of 36, from a football injury to his toe that led to cancer. I’ve included a link below to the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, Jamaica. The Travel Channel’s Ian Wright once did a piece on the museum. He said it was a little creepy, which is unusual since Wright stays in some pretty horrible places sometimes. I’ve also listed below a great Marley link resource from the Bob Marley Foundation. The Bob Marley site is an excellent place to hear music, view pictures, and get all the info you could ever need. Bob Marley remains a legend in the musical and mystical world to this day. The Wailers have played several times in our area at Club Amnesia (formerly The R&R Preserve) in Utica. They put on a great show and are certainly worth a road trip, its a show that you would not usually get to see in such a venue. This is a definitive recording, if you already own it listen again and remember what a great piece of work it is. If you don’t own it, you need to...it’s that important. |
Regressive Music Review