Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Great vibes. At the first song I was ready to give it a 5. That song was the best though, with the rest of the album a little less fun. Favorites were Marcus Garvey and Jordan River.
3/19/26 - listened while driving. It was fine for a genre I don’t really enjoy. Middle of the road. Top Song - Slavery Days
Reggae. There's not a huge variety in the pacing or sound, so I didn't get into this that much. My memory of Bob Marley is that there is much more dynamism in his music, which I prefer.
Not a ton to say. Its just a solid reggae record. Im not huge into that scene but I loved ska growing up ,which today I guess is lame but It always was, but its like giving props to the older generation. Its just telling your grandma you love her. Or grandpa either way. Good record with good song, even if im not all the way in on it.
A masterclass in restraint and sonic warmth. At just 33 minutes, the album hits the "ideal" length for its hypnotic, repetitive structure, delivering deep bass and organic echoes without ever overstaying its welcome. It’s a high-quality atmospheric journey that proves sometimes less is more when it comes to maintaining a listener's engagement.
Good vibes
pleasant, soothing
Not into reggae much oops
This album felt so much longer than it actually is. It's well done but not for me.
Not my favorite style but well done
4/5
doesn't do much other than groove, but it does groove hard.
Always a bummer to hear 50 year old songs talking about how there’s too much pollution. Sorry it hasn’t gotten better! That said I enjoyed my time with this album. The vibe is easy-going as is typical for the genre. I’m probably not going to be back until the next time I’m on a beach though.
First reggae album of the project for me, and with that the first entire reggae album I've listened to. Ended up giving it a second listen with lyrics up to help give me some more context and got a lot more understanding of the message. When I've heard reggae in the past I really haven't gotten too deep into the the lyrics and it's always just come off as easy listening. That's largely still the case to me but it's good to be aware that the subject can be serious too. With that said, the music itself is enjoyable but not memorable to me personally. I do look forward to exploring a bit more in the genre going forward.
This album made my brain go yeeeeees, yeeeeees, yeeeeeeeeees.
Pretty enjoyable reggae album!
Good reggae album, though not a ton made it stand out from other reggae in my mind. Still good though
Solid reggae
impecable, buen disco. Ese sonido del reggae de los 70s es increíble.
Classic.
65
Magnificent, righteous Rastafari music - Preach, brother, preach!! Even better if enjoyed with the dubs - Garvey's Ghost.
I’m here for this.
very fun!!! love
Sorry didn’t listen, apart from a few seconds and it wasn’t my thing.
Very pleasant music
Could be the hardest album cover so far
Pretty solid album, but reggae just isn't my favorite genre. It was enjoyable though, at least for a while.
The deep, prominent bass grooves, the horns, the staccato rhythm guitar, the syncopated snare clicks - never fail to conjure the laid-back steady hazy reggae groove. This collection is consistently good all the way through.
3.5 rounded up to 4 by not being crap like the previous few.
The perfect sunny day walking round Notting Hill sounds of reggae 😎
Exceptional Reggae vibes. Live Good is tooo nice - can't wait to roll up to that on a nice spring day coming up.
Good
2.7 2x Bob Marley-esque and not super memorable.
Good. I like the flute if I recall right.
Another reggae album I found solid, even if I wouldn't say I'm a big fan of the genre. It was an enjoyable listen all the way through. My biggest criticism is that some of the songs sounded similar to me. At one point I thought I accidently hit replay on an earlier song, but it actually was a new one. Overall: 3.25/5
neat!
A total classic of the reggae genre. This album is up there with the greats of roots reggae. 5/5
It’s a good listen, and at times, Reggae is just what the doctor orders. End of the day, it all sounds about the same.
It sounded good 2
I'll be honest: my chances of ever going back to this are pretty low unless I have a reggae breakthrough, but this is pretty cool. More immediately accessible too.
Gear: Hifiman HE6se v2 SE Artwork: 😠🔪🇯🇲 Production: 😌👂🧈 Music: 🎺⛓️💥🙌 Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
allegro, bello, apprezzato. interessante il fatto che sia dedicato a un attivista del kenya
This is decent. I enjoy the music more so than the singing and lyrical content, Not because I am against the subject matter but because it is so limited that it becomes repetitive.
Listened to this a few times through and enjoyed it. Favorite tracks: Tradition
Very decent reggae album 3.2
3.5
Pretty good reggae album. I prefer UB40 and Marley so for but not bad at all. 3/5
Not a fan 2
bleh
Great reggae. Unfortunately, never heard this before.
I'm a big fan of Bob Marley, and even more so of Toots and the Maytals, so reggae from this era is always going to land well with me. That said, I definitely don't know enough about this scene, so I'm glad to see something like this come up to give me a nudge to dig a little further. This is top-notch roots reggae. Deeply politically charged, but wrapped in uplifting rhythms. Weird to say it, but a song called "Slavery Days" is an absolute tune. The groove pulls you in and the subject matter hits hard. That strange contrast of hardcore messages set to danceable rhythms somehow works really well. Proper, heavyweight reggae. Burning Spear are well and truly up there with Bob and Toots now.
Really great album, multiple lyrics about remembering tragedies and figures from the past, which is a lovely throughline.
I've been listening to a lot of Roots Reggae, which I think is one of the best genres of music ever basically. I also think that Reggae is one of those genres that has lost a lot of texture from the trade up to digital equipment... I kinda feel like there's gonna be a big roots revival in toronto in the next 5 years
Man, I can't believe I haven't heard this before. LOVE the vibe, and could possibly be a 5 in the future. 4.5/5
Nice reggae album.
Don’t know if I’ll be back but how can you not love that classic reggae sound? 3.5
Lyrics are pretty political but this is a really solid reggae record. I enjoyed
marcus garvey by burning spear not burning spear by marcus garvey
Nice album, I was not expecting what I heard based on the cover
Usually I'm a fan of genre mixing but some of the non-reggae elements on this record clash a bit. Still quite good.
Love some reggae and it was nice to hear some not from Bob Marley.
They're very good at what they do and it's very enjoyable.
Enjoyed this - I'm not a massive reggae fan but this was good.
Love the sound and the sentiments, but the lyrics and the music both tend to get stuck in a groove and the pace is relentlessly laid back.
pleasing reggae sound but songs were just too similar for me
Goeie maatschappelijke teksten, lekker ganja roken en dit album opzetten. Lekkere raggea
Enjoyed it
3.5/5
I had a hard time getting into this album. I will revisit it and see if it was just a busy week, but everything sounded the same.
Definitely a cool record with a cool thesis. Maybe this was the editors’ attempt to look less square… it’s hard for me to hear reggae as not so monotonous but it’s always an easy listen on the ears and I really like that this record was explicitly political. - Ruby Don’t know much about reggae but this was an enjoyable listen. I read the dub version of this album is called “Garvey’s Ghost,” which is the name of a Max Roach song on the album “Percussion Bittersweet.” I went and listened to that one after this. —Noah
Temp
2,9 Highlights: Marcus Garvey, The Invasion
Album reggae mid
This was enjoyable enough, but reggae is a genre that all starts to blend together for me after a couple songs.
Classic reggae here. Political in all the right ways. A vibe you can sell into. It’s constant thread of tempo and key throughout helps you tune out and enjoy, but is also fatiguing for active listening.
Lowkey all songs sounded the same but definitely a vibe
This was fun!
It got a bit samey. Not bad though.
j'ai ADORÉ vraiment c'est trop mon style
2.5
2.0
Enjoyable!
Really solid. Never heard a bad reggae album
Playful and political — love in Canada ❤️
Is it wrong to describe this as a 'fun' listen? Grooves are bouncy, vibe is enjoyable. It feels like there are deep political messages that i'm ignoring in favour of "bass good", but i'm ok with that. Perhaps it'll reveal itself over time? Probably a 3, but gets an extra point for not being more dull 70s rock.
Marcus Garvey is a very middle of the road reggae album. There is just not much i can really say about it's quality. I guess one interesting thing i can say about this is i thought that the album was called Burning Spear and the artist was called Marcus Garvey but when i did a bit more reading, it turned out that i got them mixed up. I think that is the most interesting thing about this album since musically and lyrically, it's just nothing special to me. There just really isn't anything here that this album does any differently than Bob Marley or his band, The Wailers do. I wouldn't say it was bad or intolerable just very forgettable is all. Best Song: Tradition Worst Song: Slavery Days
Amazing album signaling slavery, oppression, looting, colonization and explaining all the history the caribbean has had and how that invasion still haints us to this very day when colonizers stole our land and resources.
This album is sweet! I love it.
I like getting a new album from an artist with whom I'm otherwise largely unfamiliar. Burning Spear was new to me and I dis enjoy it. Music with a message - reggae isn't just fun party music evoking an island restaurant, although I'd venture a guess that most people who say they like reggae are only familiar with Bob Marley's greatest hits album from their college days. If that's the case, they need to listen to this and pay attention to the lyrics.
I find quite frequently reggae albums start off well but the sameness does wags over you after a while. Still decent 3.5*
Solid Rasta
Loved this
This album is sad reggae. Not just hopeful sad, but sad sad. Powerful lyrics and an important message carry this short album where sometimes the instrumentals fall a bit flat. 5.5/10
Day746 - good for them for making such angry protest songs sound so good. thirty four minutes was the perfect length
It's ok. Not a huge reggae fan but has a place and good to come across every so often.
The same song over and over ag5
Reggae isn’t really a genre that I gravitate towards so I was a little excited to have one come up from someone I had never heard about. For the most part I enjoyed it with Tradition being a highlight for me. Will I listen to it again… I think that is a strong maybe.
Fantastic reggae album that still sounds brilliant today. The dub album is also awesome
Don't hate it. Its pretty standard reggae but done well and jazzy too.
Eh. Reggae is cool but I couldn’t really handle this much activism in a single album.
Nice reggae. Mellowish...
I have never heard of this before so I am excited to listen to it. Reggae is also a genre I have been wanting to explore more so I hope I like it. I like track 1 a lot, I won't lie. Sometimes, reggae is hit or miss for me so I am optimistic that this one will hit (in a good way). I like track 2 a lot as well, I feel like in a lot of ways it is a textbook example of reggae music. Track 3 was also really good, I am liking this album a lot so far. Track 4 has been my favorite so far off the album. Track 5 and 6 were also good. Track 7 is another favorite so far off this album. Track 8 is my new favorite on this track. I like this one a lot and it sounds very different from the other tracks. I really like Burning Spears based on this album, I would listen to more of their music. The more I listen the better this song gets, wow. Overall, the album was really good. The only thing that is preventing me from giving it 5 stars is that I would not particularly listen to it again in full. 4.5 stars but I am rounding down to 4.
Chill reggae. Quite repetitive, but it's a good album.
3.8/5 Stars Top Songs: Marcus Garvey, The Invasion, Slavery Days
Decent listen.
Don't listen to much reggae but this is going on the list for a regular listen.
Not typically a fan of reggae, but for what it is, this is fine.
Really nice reggae. This is much heavier reggae than the Marley I've gotten so you probably have to be a fan of the genre to enjoy this. It has passion and a nice flow to it.
a cornerstone of the roots reggae movement. a haunting record which explores themes of faith, liberation, unity, and political consciousness. while it may not be the first reggae record i’d direct someone to listen to, it certainly captures the essence of the genre. a beautiful, deep record, steeped in faith, culture, and activism.
196/1001 :: Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ➖ Rating: 6 Listen before you die: Yes Unless I’m island time, multiple rum and cokes deep it’s rare that I’m gonna listen to an entire reggae album not named Bob Marley. I generally like my reggae in smaller doses like hanging out in the back half of a Bad Brains album. That said, this album was quite good and if you’re a reggae fan my guess is you’ll love this.
Very easy for me to listen to, though most certainly not on the same level as Legalize It or any of the Marley records on this list. 3.5/5
Nice
2 songs I liked were Marcus Garvey and Slavery days
I liked it. I don't really have a distinct ear for reggae, but it's a pleasant listen.
Buen reggae. El reggae bien dosificado nunca falla. Un par de temas hacia el final que están tremendos. Marcus Garvey un duro. Buena onda, buen disco.
A lot of skippable songs.. not for me
Ja-makin me crazy!!!
Generic reggae, hard to find but likeable
For a different person than me
My reggae of choice will always be dub but I’ve recently been expanding my roots collection. I’ve owned this album since well before this recent exploration, and there aren’t many I have discovered lately that can challenge Marcus Garvey in quality. I’ve also just learned that there is a dub version, so now I really need to hear that!
When did Bob Marley 2 drop?
Not for me, but fine for what it is
amazon did not have this particular album so i just listened to greatest hits. just don't love reggae
Pretty repetitive but still good. Doesn’t have shit on any Marley I’ve listened to though.
I don’t normally listen to reggae, but I really liked this album and could see myself listening to it more. I really loved the storytelling through the songs. It felt super meaningful and important to culture, and I love when music is able to portray those complex feelings.
mid
Marcus Garvey, the album title, was unknown to me. Now I know he was a Jamaican political activist in the early 1900s. Also, lots of references to Marcus Garvey on the album. This was an early reggae record - now it seems rather standard. Just barely good enough for three stars.
Marcus Garvey? Isn't that the new Timothée Chalamet flick? I guess it's good to hear a little non-Marley reggae. But I still don't have much to say about it. It's reggae! Sounds upbeat even though the lyrics are kind of a downer.
Good reggae
Nice listen, great energising reggae rhythm and words.
Paso
Giving it a 3.5
Not bad, easy to listen to, nice musical performance
This is a good one. I'd heard the title track in a compilation. Nice to hear the whole thing
Hardcore Roots Reggae. Brilliant.
Bassy
When I first saw this, my brain clocked it as the album titled "Burning Spear" by Marcus Garvey and I was stoked to give it a listen. Now, obviously I was a little wrong. But this was some good, rootsy reggae. Like something the Mayor of Portland would listen to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4KCB3-UZqM
White guy listening to a song where the chorus is "Do you remember the days of slavery?" This one has some of that variation that I feel like is lacking in the other reggage stuff I've listened to. My quest to like reggae continues... Favorite Tracks: Marcus Garvey, Red Gold & Green, Jordan River, Slavery Days
Very nice - grooving beats and strong message. A breakthrough in Reggae and influence on future generations. solid 3.
5.5/10
One of the greatest reggae albums ever made. In fact, just a bloody wonderful album.
i didn’t mind this
Sounds nice for a moment but it gets repetitive and stale without anything else to offer
Vibe o’clock. Love. Revisiting when it’s warm and I’m at the beach. Actual rating 4.5
Good, historically important, but not my thing.
Not really into reggae but it’s nice to get something different every once in a while. Enjoyed it
Simply not my kind of music. But it sounds like he knows what he's doing.
love the vibes :)
good enough, though i'm not much of a reggae fan.
This was fine.
To listen to this album, I read about Marcus Garvey (quite a long Wikipedia entry) and the connection between him and Rastafarianism. I think there's a lot of hidden meaning in this album, beyond just the surface lyrics. The music is fine, but not the best Rasta music I've heard, so this leads me to consider this is more of a political album than a musical album, and in that perspective, it comes across as accepting and supporting rather than pugilistic.
Very reggae, very chill, not really my kind of music but interesting
Great album love the harmonies, awesome lo-fi
Felt like I was listening to Blue Ark radio while I had this on durning my drive to work. Could explain why I felt inspired to run a few people over and steal someone else’s car.
OK. 2/5
A high three for us. We enjoyed this quite a bit.
I love reggae and I am aware of Burning Spear and I am now wondering why I’ve never really listened to them before now! Really liked it and I shall be checking out more of their albums.
Tsss, las meras rolitas para el chill
Liked this a lot
A bit of relief after Syd Barrett. Maybe I am voting this higher as it was more uplifting, nevertheless I enjoyed the album.
This is an excellent bit of reggae groove - what I needed.
good reggae. I don't typically like reggae
Checks of all the raggae/rastafari boxes you’d hope for in an album like this. Great use of the dub bass on almost every track. “The Invasion” is my pick from the album. The “wadada-ooooh-wadada” melody is super cool. Not much else to say, standard 3/5
I really liked the first song of this album. I just wish that they didn't keep repeating it over and over again.
Wah gwan e etc… Reggaezão raíz, pega firme. Uma coisa que curto nesses discos de reggae da década de 70 é que eles costumam apresentar um contraste interessante entre uma sonoridade “obscura” e simultaneamente animada. Só ouvir canções como “Jordan River” que você percebe, é algo típico do gênero. As harmonias aqui são satisfatórias. Instrumentalização agradável. Algumas faixas são mais cartunescas e acabam não me agradando completamente, mas isso obviamente vai do gosto de cada um e o que a pessoa procura nos ritmos de Reggae. Eu procuro melodias infectantes, e este disco certamente entrega isso. Não é minha voz favorita do gênero, mas não me desagradou. O baixo é maravilhoso. Disco lindo e que certamente eu rodaria bastante se o tivesse em minha coleção. 4/5
Can a record be both chill--soulful, singsong, rootsy- and intense--political, spiritual, striving? Answer: Burning Spear. I'm no reggae cognoscenti, but this sounded great.
I enjoyed it in an atmospheric way, and I appreciate its political assertiveness, but it didn’t make a big impression.
Fantastic. Not sure how I've missed this all these years, but great stuff.
Que ótimo álbum de reggae. Muito bem tocado. QoA Vesper.
I enjoyed this it felt a bit more varied than I expected.
groovy roots
good ol groove music, power 2 the people
6/10 It's very reggae, which is fine.
70’s political reggae well executed.
Sounding its age these days, but a strong album nonetheless.
Could not listen
Seems like a solid reggae record. The atmosphere of Folky fun and joviality is really nice. I like the voices and their expression and the seemingly improvised echos, fills and ad libs. There seems to be some good musicianship. In the brief time I've had with the record, I didn't notice anything to really blow me away - but I found it solid and satisfying.
Not my vibe. 2 stars, not bad but won’t listen again
Low-end three. Don’t have much to say here, it’s fine. Liked Old Marcus Garvey and Red, Gold and Green well enough
solid reggae album with good hits overall, found it a little repetitive but motifs and production were incredible.
Reggae. At least this wasn't all "we wanna smoke more pot and not get in trouble for it". But you had to really pay attention to get that. This isn't an album that you can listen to idly. It's good, but if you listen idly, it'll just sound like every other reggae album with the bouncy beat and the weak chord progression. My rating: 2/5 chain links
It seems to me that being really repetitive only works if your sound is in any way interesting.
Thats why I like this project. If nothing else it serves to widen an individuals musical horizons. If not for this list I never would have listened to this.
Zuhause, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Kann dem nicht viel abgewinnen.
A really solid reggae album—smooth and enjoyable all the way through. I’d never heard of Burning Spear before this, but I’m glad this one was on the list.
Some aight reggae sound stuff
Yeah that was great, well worth a listen even if it tends to sound a touch similar throughout
Pretty fun straightforward reggae album 3.7/5
Reggae at its finest. Such a nice surprise after a week in the depths of hell with 1/2 star albums.
Not really my taste in music. I've never heard of him before. Very pleasant songs
Tough to rate since I don’t typically listen to reggae. I enjoy the music. Mellow and relaxing however is all blends together for me. Nothing sets it apart.
= The Beatles
Nothing here that compelled me. Most reggae is totally interchangeable for me.
Total classic. I’ve had this album for years and never get tired of listening to it. Marcus Garvey, Slavery Days and Old Marcus Garvey are standout tracks
Reggae isn't my cup of ganga. I don't dislike it, don't love it either. This was fine.
I've heard of these guys, wasn't quite sure if it was the same as the reggae band and they are them.
Reggae is not really my thing. May have been a good reggae album for those who like it.
Righteous roots reggae
It sure is reggae
Skankin’
strong reggae entry, i liked all songs they were layered and passionate and everything blended really well
Marcus Garvey // Live Good // Red, Gold and Green //
This album feel lived-in and true. Makes my body move, and my mind to listen consciously. The conscience took me on a expand Wikipedia journey to read more of Marcus Garvey, which I felt enlightening. My earlier reggae listening have consisted of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Peps Persson. Burning Spear will certainly be added that limited, but my preferred reggae.
123 Con el Reggae no pasa mucho. Me gustan las introducciones de las canciones, pero una vez que cae al clásico beat ya no quiero escucharlo más.
Sometimes I think my ratings of these albums are entirely circumstantial, or based solely on how much each jibed with what I was doing when I decided to listen - a system that makes this more of a journaling project than one of musical expansion. Whatever. I'm not a huge reggae fan, but for some reason it's a pretty good soundtrack to waking up at 5am and washing the pile of dishes you left in your sink
This album reminds me of days sitting in some crappy basement in college listening to Burning Spear, drinking a Red Stripe and, though I wasn’t directly imbibing, I was always happy to make a run to the local Wendy’s within 20 minutes. I appreciated and respected roots reggae, though I would never claim to be an aficionado. What I Iiked about this album was the combination of rich Jamaican history and tying its roots back to the Pan African movement Garvey inspired back in the 1920s, and later turned into the Black Nationalism movement from the 1950-60s. I don’t know if I have a key track but I appreciated how the collective unit was almost its own concept album, moving from songs like Slavery Days to The Invasion to the religious-Rastafarian inspired songs like Jordan River and Red Gold & Green. From a historical, musical and cultural perspective, this is a great album.
Random thoughts: * I vaguely know about Burning Spear but if I heard Burning Spear before I can't recall definitively. * Wow! I really liked this one. I definitely want more of this. I'm always looking for more reggae as I just overall can't get enough and there is only so much Bob Marley to go around. * I'm going to add this one to my regular rotation. * This was definitely even more political than Marley. * I need to give this a few more lessons and keep enjoying.
curti muito esse reggae pode ser mto bom!
bem mais forte do que achei que seria acordei meio paia e ouvir tomando café foi bom, até. divertidim!!
Love this type of reggae. While not my favorite example, still darn good.
It's got a good flow to it but it gets a but repetive after awhile
Pretty good
reggae! Nice music, nothing stuck out to me
regi regi regi regi di uuf na sags mer
Reggae album with very pure, genre-specific sound. Interesting milestsone for roots reggae. For my personal taste, it's not suitable.
Fantastic
Great writing, fantastic production, solid vocals. Very very good
Upbeat reggae with excellent production and arrangements. This album expresses Marcus Garvey's "return-to-Africa" movement/ideology in a compelling and authentic way. I'd like to learn more about Garvey and the Jamaican history.
Inte särskilt spännande eller uppfinningsrik reggae. Saknar den nerv och de känslor som bra reggae har. Tråkigt, en tvåa
Jamaica Strong!!! A coincidence I got an album by a Jamaican artist during Hurricane Melissa? It was a short album and pretty enjoyful reggae. Probably some good lyrics here but I didn't pay much attention and isn't special outside of that.
3.5/5
The first track was good, something that reels you in and makes you know what to expect from the rest. Except for that I didn’t feel the intensity really stayed throughout, or the groove, and I think that reggae needs to have that grooviness or catchy riff to really engage. Sort of tailed off into another nothing album that flies by whilst you’re on the tube without even really having acknowledged you’ve managed to listen to the whole thing.
Really good reggae album.
I’ve never really been able to get into reggae, so I’m glad this project got me to listen to Burning Spear. Love the political lyrics and the music is great. Still not my thing but I see how great an example of the genre this is.
Highlight Song/s: Live Good and Jordan River This album is nothing too different from the reggae albums that I've heard before, though the main difference for me is 1. the voice of Burning Spear, his singing is quite good and that, 2. this is some very luscious-sounding reggae, the horns are just superb.
I'd probably love this album if I was more into reggae.
Good classic Reggae. Maybe a bit bland and samey but this music is more about vibe than anything and Burning Spear does it right
I can't be positive but I don't think I heard a single mention of smoking weed in this record, which is a new one for reggae music for me. On the contrary, it's all pretty revolutionary, and given the title it makes sense. I'm not a reggae connoisseur but I do enjoy it here and there and I liked this one.
Cool reggae album.
Ok reggae
It's nice, I guess. But nothing that will stick with me. Reggae that sounds like all other reggae I know.
Feels like kinda run of the mill reggae, the themes are on point, and brevity is the soul of wit. Just don't care for reggae generally
I enjoy Reggae when i listen to it, but never seek it out. Maybe because im white and live in a cold climate and the alien sunny sounds are a welcome break but not a regular place to retreat to. This was great without being Bob Marley.
A good album, I liked Marcus Garvey and Tradition the most.
Not made for me. And that is OK.
Nice to get a taste of some reggae beyond Bob Marley. Same chill sound, and the same strong cry for justice.
Difficult to do much that is distinctive within the restrictive reggae beats, but the sentiment and the horns are good.
3.5
Solid reggae. 3.5*
3.3 Probably one of the better Reggae albums on here, but still doesn't mean it's fantastic. Every song again sounds the same, but at half an hour it doesn't drag too long. Not much more to say about reggae
Pleasing sound, great voice but I'm just not a reggae fan.
20.10.25 # 23 Favourite Track: Tradition Rate: 5/10
The music itself seems secondary to the importance of the political message--and here the music itself is viscerally (and delightfully) engaging. While it doesn't reach the heights of, say, Marley, few things in the universe do. So just kick back, doob up, enjoy.
Great driving music and cool rhythms. Had a very calming vibe - after a while the songs didn’t sound too different from each other but I found it an easy listen.
Good as this is, I have a limited capacity for reggae. 3 is all I got.
I enjoyed this one. Fantastic rhythms and production. At first I wasn't sure about his voice, but it grew on me.
Impossible to stay still listening to this. Great vibe all the way from start to finish.
I usually don’t really listen to reggae, but this was a very cool album
Old Marcus Garvey
Used to love this album. Wanted to give it a 5. So unvarying.
Best: Tradition Worst: Give Me Liked songs: 8/10, 80% Solid 4 So chill it's hard to believe you're listening to a revolution call. My first experience with roots reggae and reggae in general, and it certainly did not disappoint. Everything from the album cover to the lyrics to the title begs you to learn more about the world around you, something I very much enjoy doing. The concept is structurally very well thought out, and the music, while often repetitive (sometimes to a fault), is interesting and fun. A very enjoyable and thought provoking listen.
Overall, not a very exciting album, but it's chill just leaving it in the background. Sometimes it has a little big of a reggae vibe to it and it's overall pretty alright.
Production was amazing, all the songs just sat perfectly into my brain and had a strong message. No particular bangers at such but still very listenable.
Reggae smooth and relaxed
This album like most reggae feels like it would benefit from being played on s sunny summer day. Unfortunately it’s a bleak October weekday, but the old school groove of the first few tracks is still infectious
I had never heard of this artist before, but as soon as the opening bars of track one began I knew I’d enjoy this. It really is hard to beat a bit of reggae, especially when it’s done well. For me, the first half of the album stands out more than the second, where I began to lose interest. And I don’t think any track is better than the opening one. However, this may be my most enjoyable listen from an artist I had never heard of before this project.
plenty of good stuff in isolation , but monotonous in an albums worth . 3.5
Decent reggae
An absolute classic album. If you are someone who thinks that reggae is something only for stoned undergrads who want to feel "irie", then sit back & let this gem work it's magic on you. Once you've digested this, take a listen to "Garvey's Ghost" the dub version.
kind of a vibe
I'm not sure how qualified I am to judge the quality of reggae music. After Bob Marley it kind of all starts to sound the same. But the message hear is a good one, and there weren't any songs I would say I didn't like. So 4.
2 reggae albums in a row, with this one obviously the better one
Good reggae album. Not exactly my jam, but I could definitely see the talent behind the messaging and music.
3.5. Fun album
I'm not a reggae fan, but I like this challenge and the fact that I have to listen outside my 'usual' playlists. Although relaxing and chill, I find reggae very repetitive and much like every other reggae track. An additional star for having one of the all-time great surnames.
I thought I didn't like reggae, but maybe I just don't really like Bob Marley? I enjoyed this one!
Really good jams
Something Tony would love! Laid back reggae, which all sounds the same. Although the lyrics felt very politically charged.
Even if like most reggae it tends to morph into one the further in you listen, I’m inclined to say that Marcus Garvey is worthy of its namesake. The title track especially, a true spectacle of what this genre can offer past ‘it all sounds the same’ territory. So part two of today’s reggae double bill is a large step-up from the first, but that’s probably because I’m not listening to more Marley, instead Winston Rodney delivers and delivers without compromise. It’s probably the best it can be to be honest. I have no comments to make on any improvements, fifty years removed and an ocean apart from where it really matters anyway. And when I say it ‘morphs into one’, I don’t mean that it bores. It instead builds and lulls, and that’s just fine. I feel this represents the genre better than anything I’ve heard from Marley. If I were to go out and buy a reggae record right now, it’d be this one without hesitation.
Good reggae
Enjoyed it, appreciated it, forgot it instantly. That's maybe more dismissive than I'd like to be, but it's an album that somehow feels even shorter than it is. When it grabs you, it grabs you nicely, but often it's just in the background.
Just ok, not much here. I miss the poetry of reggae...
Every track on this album, one of the all-time reggae records, bum-rushes the political system, an expected upshot of roots music, but Burning Spear offers his listener history lessons as well: 'They been talking about William Gordon / They been talking about Norman Washington Manley / Including Bustamente / No one remember old Marcus Garvey.' Suddenly, Jamaica is far more than the land that's exported reggae and ganja - it's a country w/ a story I'd like to read more about. Instrumentally, it's nothing special, tho the horns are a nice touch. What makes it stand out are Spear's vocals and the fact that he's a kind of Talmudic psalmist, intent on chanting more than singing, just as the music syncopates more than it melodizes. Great stuff.
An essential listen.
Was ok for the most part
Never really been into ravage particularly but can usually appreciate it for its place in music. I actually quite enjoyed this one as it flowed nicely and had a good sound.
Things I have learned from listening to this project: 1️⃣ I like Reggae 2️⃣ All Reggae sounds the same 3️⃣ I will always give Raggae albums 3 stars. I like this one although all the songs do sound the same. A solid 3 stars star⭐️⭐️⭐️
Well that was a rarity, a reggae album that didn’t repel me. I’m not 100% sure why, but the production and the wider diverse instrumentation including the brass definitely made it feel much a more complete sound compared to the awful Marley/Wailers stuff. The dub style bass was pretty also chill, and the more politicised messaging was more engaging (and Marcus Garvey, never read about him before, interesting chap).
I enjoyed this one a lot. I'd heard a scattering of Burning Spear tunes throughout my youth, it was nice to do a deeper dive. I could listen to this repeatedly. Reggae is often thought of as a 'happy' genre. Chill tunes for sitting in the Caribbean sun, but I find a lot of roots reggae has a surprisingly dark sound. A lot of reverb and pulsing bass give it a kind of spooky feel, and this is something Burning Spear excel at. Combined with the lyrics which often deal with matters of slavery, oppression, and social injustice, this album is like a toffee apple with a razor blade buried in it.
There was nothing extraordinary with this album. I've never had much interest in Reggae as a genre. This was fine. I don't know what else to say.
This was a reggae album. Nothing here to make me think it's seminal album that I need to have listened to, but it's a decent one.
2025-10-08: I listened to it with company, so I might have been less attentive and at the same time more positive due to the social interaction. At first I found the album soothing and captivating, enjoying how it felt as if it were driving home the value of simplicity and easygoingness (I have not listened much to this type of music). Once finished, some of the good feelings stayed, but it did leave me with an aftertaste of repetitiveness that I might have started feeling halfway through. Since it paired well with the setting I will be positive about it, but I am not sure how it will hold when listening to it more times.
Classic reggae. This album is quite repetitive, but strong songs and great to relax to. The lyrics are great as well. Low 4
Great album. Roots reggae in a minor key.
I didn't get this one, its charm was lost on me. At best pleasant and bland, at worst tedious and repetitive. Its a half hour record which felt like an hour. I suppose that its important social and political points, which are simply and strongly stated, are what make it such a powerful listen for others.
Burning Spear was a solid 3 for me too, I enjoy a bit of roots reggae but rarely love it
I've just started my journey with this album, which is the first full reggae album I've ever listened to, and I honestly enjoyed it. I listened to the music with the intent of understanding the lyrics, and I can feel the soul of each track, absorbing the profound history and message behind it all. This is one of the finest reggae albums I've heard.
Not heard this one before. Will listen again
Strong vibes from the first track-soulful lyrics reflective of African history. Great listen while baking on a Saturday morning
A good voice
Album qui peut être écouter en fond chez soit avec un rythme lent 3/5
Cool reggae I’d not heard before
Reggae has never really been my jam. It's perfectly pleasant to have on in the background, and it's a good vibe, but I was just so-so on it.
Gostei bastante, album gostoso de ouvir e a carga é explicita
Decent reggae album. Sometimes a bit repetitive lyrically though.
I liked this more than I thought I would. I mean I know that this could basically be a Bob Marley album, and I would guess that a lot of people would say that. But I think this is even more of a laid back vibe than Bob Marley. I really enjoyed it and though I don't think I would listen to this all the time, I might play it now and again if I came across the record in a shop. 3.75/5
It's just reggae innit. Not really my cup of tea, all sounds the same. But not unpleasant
Reggae is not my thing so this is hard to rate.
Peak 70's reggae