Marcus Garvey

Peak 70's reggae

Standard reggae fare of the period, but pretty enjoyable. Lead vocalist has a nice delivery and strong voice. If you’re familiar with Bob Marley, this has the same vibe. Notable songs include Marcus Garvey, Slavery Days, Old Marcus Garvey, Tradition.

Turns out I really like reggae!

I like it, very much a coffee shop/small cafe kinda vibe. Good morning type music.

Surprising enjoyable. Maybe I needed a laid back album.

Reggae with politically charged themes. Not unlistenable but it’s dull and not particularly interesting for me.

Ágætis reggí til að hlusta á á sunnudegi

Reggí sem er allt eins? Kannski er djúpur texti þarna á bak við sem ég skil ekki en það verður þá bara að hafa það 🤔

Heard the first song I was really enjoying and turned out it had started playing suggested artists. Woops!

Pas mon style

Fun enough that I missed the lyrics (and political messages) the first time through. Is it not engrossing, or was I just not giving it the attention is deserves? Probably deserves 100% attentive listening.

It's a vibe

Cool reggae album. I was into it.

Africana beats to sooth the soul

Cool

Had a few good hooks but otherwise forgettable.

I can see and appreciate this other side of the 70s reggae scene. It's ok. Doesn't really speak to me. To me, middling and forgettable.

Cool sound but the first 4 songs sounded very similar so I quit on it

Very cool. I enjoyed this quite a bit.

A run of the mill reggae record. Nothing too special, but I did like a couple of tracks. Reggae is fairly repetitive, but that doesn’t mean the grooves aren’t enjoyable.

Had never heard of this band but love another reggae option aside from Marley

Standard reggae- good but nothing elevating it above the crowd

Reggae isn't really my thing. Struggle to see past the repetitive, slow, rolling rhythms. I find myself waiting patiently for the horns and occasional woodwind to spice things up. I mean I dont hate the album, its easy enough to listen to, just the grooves tend to blur together after a little while. The atmosphere is strong, and I respect the political and cultural weight behind the lyrics, but its not a record i would be rushing to spin again. Favourite track - Marcus Garvey or Old Marcus Garvey. 6.5/10

Sometimes on reggae I try to just listen to the instruments since the vocal style is so distinct that it pulls my focus. There's a lot going on here and it's an interesting album. Good to have on the list

The album art goes hard. This seems like a well made reggae album. Good voice, good production. I just haven't figured reggae out yet.

Saw the front cover, knowing nothing about Burning Spear and assumed this was some hardcore/punk stuff. I also assumed Marcus Garvey was the artist and Burning Spear was the album. Apologies to him as I hit play and discovered this was some pretty sunny reggae and I quite enjoyed it on what seemed like the last day of summer.

Downbeat and soulful. The artists really FEEL the music, but it doesn't transfer to me. This doesn't inspire me to nod, bob, or shake any part of my body, and it doesn't intellectually hold my interest.

Never heard of him. Really enjoyed this album

I kinda liked this taste of a simpler but also spicier time in my life when I was attending reggae festivals in the dead of summer, eating pot brownies handed to me from strangers, and following my boyfriend Todd around who was on paid disability from his construction job with an early prescription for medical marijuana for a "back injury." Whassup Todd, hope you're doing well.

Good flow of the album. Didn't particularly liked his voice on some tracks. The lyrics are deep and say something, but I had too look them up to understand them

Not my cup of tea. It's a short album too, so I didn't notice I reached the end of the album.

First time listening to a reggae album. Easy, lilting music belies harsh message about slavery, oppression and a longing for Africa. Sparse, repetitive lyrics made most songs like chants.

Reggae! Never heard this before, but it's got a good groove to it. This is reggae that feels definitively reggae, not too commercial, just sounding like itself. Themes of social injustice and spirituality weave throughout.

Love me some reggae. That second song was fire

This album is very obviously so pro-Jamaica in ways I really wish I knew. The lyrical matter sounds incredibly important but unfortunately I'm to ignorant to understand, but not that ignorant because I am a black man. The only reggae I truly know is Bob Marley, one of my favorite artists of all time, but this album sounds very similar and makes me more interested in more reggae especially if it sounds like this. Tradition is my fav song by far.

I enjoyed the reggae vibe - different to a lot of albums on here. Burning spear are clearly influencial with the world of reggae how ever I am not a reggae head. The songs were a liberals wet dream in singing along. I enjoyed the beats for a few songs - but found it tricky to do a whole album

Really enjoyed the vocals and the instrumentals, the horn sections were particularly great. Vocals at time give me Finley Quay vibes. The project is to the point which is a nice change from some of the albums. It’s nice to have on in the background, however listening to it makes me feel slightly uncomfortable, as if I’m a white private school boy with dread locks who shops for clothes at Oxfam, and whose sole personality trait is an extensive knowledge of weed.

One of the first reggae albums other than Bob Marley that I ever listened to. Still some bangers on here. Nice little hit of nostalgia from this one. 8/10

Haven't listened to much reggae so far in my life, but this album was decent. I love learning about historical events and figures through the medium of the album, especially when they're a blind spot to the eurocentric canon within academia. Musically the band was incredible. A very tight yet relaxed vibe. Pretty good

Cool

Favorite Track: The Invasion

Good

I'm a fan of 70s era reggae - this is a great one.

Nice reggae. Funky.

This is great. Full-throated and serious but not dour. The band is locked in and these grooves are tight. I don’t listen to a lot of reggae and I guess I’d say this seems a bit polished, but it seems like that wasn’t the bands decision. It’s too bad. I would’ve liked to hear their original vision.

Sucks

Like the lyrics, can’t stand the sound.

I’m into it!

I don't care for reggae, but for that genre this is pretty good.

My thoughts on this album are similar to Connected by the Stereo MCs. It was easy to listen to in the background. The simple lyrics and repetive nature made it difficult for me to want to keep my attention. I appreciated the sentiment behind many of the songs because I have a deep admiration for people using this art to convey a message that it’s important to them. This album is an interesting window to history, but musically, it’s not for me.

Do You Remember The Days Of Slavery? 1001 Albums Generator 96 (08/14/2025) Marcus Garvey is the third album by roots reggae artist Burning Spear, released in 1975. According to famous music reviewer Robert Christgau, it was the most African sounding and political album to be released in America at the time. I have not heard of Burning Spear before, but I do not claim to be knowledgeable about reggae. When I first saw the cover, I assumed that it was an album called Burning Spear by a guy named Marcus Garvey, but no. Reggae is a big musical blindspot for me that I often am not the biggest fan of, but I love exploring things outside my comfort zone on this list. The first two songs are great. The opening song, which is the title track, named after Rastafarian prophet Marcus Garvey, is one of the most upbeat on the album. I love the inclusion of organs in the texture. The second song, Slavery Days, is much more fun than its title and lyrical contents would imply. Musically, this is probably my favorite. Jordan River is also a really good one, and almost has a Latin sounding flair in the intro that is really interesting. However, to be completely transparent, reggae is just not for me. I can appreciate what Burning Spear are doing, and I have no doubt that they are doing it very well (and making scathing cultural/political commentary to boot), but I just have a hard time with the genre in general. I just find it kind of boring compositionally. I love all the different layers; guitar, steel drum, horns, bass, and (often group) vocals are a great combination of sounds. However, none of the actual songwriting really does it for me, even on the songs that I like more. This makes the album a bit difficult for me to enjoy. Marcus Garvey is a good reggae album, but personal bias and enjoyment are all I judge these albums on, and by that metric, I can't give it above a 2/5. Favs: Marcus Garvey Slavery Days Jordan River Least Fav: Live Good

He was one of the greatest human beings of all time. Why do the good seem to die young?

Roots reggae at its finest. Incredible song structure and addictive grooves

It’s not bad but it’s also very repetitive. Not much catchiness or hooks. I probably won’t remember any of the songs. I’ve listened to most of the album twice now. I can’t imagine ever wanting to put this on my turntable.

The good and bad of reggae: the "sameness" of each song is both relaxing and tedious.

Don't want to be overly critical here, but just not interested in listening to Reggae.

This was great. I know a huge part of reggae is the lyrics. I definitely tuned into a handful of the lyrics and they were powerful but unfortunately since I listen to these while I work, I wasn't able to tune into them all. I also don't know enough about reggae to know how this ties into the bigger picture of the genre and influence. Overall it was quite enjoyable.

This is sick. I'm a huge fan of reggae and all that it represents. I love the social and historical lyrical elements to this. This definitely paved the way for artists like Bob Marley.

I have now found my most hated music genre. I am now officially biased against reggae music. I'm sure its political or something but like its the same backing track with different vocals for every song.

Whole album's a vibe. Not particularly memorable but enjoyable.

This is super creative and hella based. Bro is just casually dissing slavery, climate change, and a bunch of socials issues while dropping this sick Jamaican beat. Its a piece of art, I love it. Also, Canada mentioned. Favourite Song: Jordan River Honourable Mention: Resting Place

Haven’t listened to a lot of Reggae but this was interesting. A solid 3 but didn’t go beyond that for me

This is a good album. I’m not a reggae guy. I can listen to it. It’s great background music. But it does not have the same impact on me musically that punk and metal do. Also politically charged music. The emotion does not come across the same way. This album is really good even though it’s not for me.

Nice reggae vibes. I love reggae in how laid back it seems on the surface but how deep the lyrics cut, making these seemingly chill songs so much deeper and meaningful.

Dig these reggae vibes. Great horns and guitar work. Vocals are strong and soulful. Yes, man!

No matter what reggae music is playing, it's always a vibe, but sometimes it's easy for it to blend into the background (for me, not saying this in general). This album deserves all the attention one can give it, there's so much great storytelling around Jamaican culture and history and philosophy. It just really showcases the beauty and depth of reggae, and of Jamaica itself.

Marcus Garvey Mon. Reggae.

This album is the type of thing I was hoping to get out of this whole project. I've never listened to reggae music much, certainly never an album all the way through, so was really eager to jump into this one. It was great! Listened to it twice through today and vibed with it the whole time. Don't have much to say about it, being unfamiliar with the genre, but I certainly enjoyed it and will throw it on for easy listening in the future.

Un ascolto divertente, ma ha confermato il mio pregiudizio per il quale il raggae in linea di massimo è tutto un "more of the same". Da ascoltare a piccole dosi

Yessss. So so so good. A lot of this is already on heavy rotation for lazy weekend morning jams.

Raw but deep and solid.

Cool old school reggae album. Not quite a 4 star for me, but certainly better than 3.

Worse reggae I suppose

enjoyable listen.

Not my jam. Not bad, but no particular standouts for me.

3.4

Cool reggae album

muy bueno, perfecto para consumir estupefacientes

Think this is my first reggae album to review. Pretty nice, but nothing standout.

The album was boring. There was too much bass and it knocked by subwoofer off my table. Maybe I should adjust my settingd.

5/5. A powerful yet simple record of political importance, as is all art at the end of the day. This album still has relevance today, unfortunately as the themes and messages have not been solved, and will most likely never be solved as long as human beings exist. The songs are so smooth and groovy, you get lost in the rhythm and let it take you away, but then brought back through the lyrics, like a meditative trance. There was a part of me that expected a flaw somewhere but it's only a perfect album from what I remember. Each song stands on its own and yet flows as a full album without overstaying its welcome. Another hit from a genre I always avoided, glad to be finding these albums out. Best Song: Marcus Garvey, Jordan River, Slavery Days, Old Marcus Garvey

This was dope. Immaculate vibes to work to on this hot, sunny August afternoon. Gonna have to incorporate a bit more reggae into my listening schedule based on how pleasant this was! 4/5

Nice reggae. Not my absolute favorite but very nice to listen to and seemingly political though ill have to listen more! 3.7

I like reggae, but for me it is best experienced live. I happen to like this quite a bit but I could only imagine how much more transcendent it would be in person. So, as music I would rate it high, but as an album not as much.

Me ha costado un mundo empatizar con este disco, siento que para ser del 75 y de jamaica suena super bien, pero no es lo mío hoy. medio aburrido 2/5

REGAAAEEE!!! That was freakin awesome mah bruhder! BOM BO CLAAAAT!

I enjoyed this, and I'm not all that familiar with the band, though I know they are a favorite of my wife and a few of my friends.

Reggae, altijd leuk. Het bereikt zonder Bob niet de allergrootste hoogten, maar dat mag de pret niet al te veel drukken. Verder worden we er zo'n vijftig keer toe aangezet om de slavernij te gedenken, dus doen we dat maar.

Marcus ging vanaf het genre-dragende eiland in zee met Island Records. De maatschappij die (zo lees ik) ome Bob en anderen al aan internationaal succes had geholpen. Marcus had volgens de maatschappij ook wel die potentie, wellicht omdat een deel van de band gedeeld werd met Bob. Maar als Marcus dit ook wilde, moest het wel wat gematigder. Wij broze blanken kunnen niet tegen die dreigende teksten (die op het eiland blijkbaar doodnormaal zijn). Maar dat kan niet! Zomaar zijn teksten toegankelijk maken... Marcus was woedend! Mooi natuurlijk dat je achter je muziek en teksten staat en niet met de meute mee wil. Maar Marcus, wat had je dan gedacht? Zo'n label dat zich richt op internationaal succes? Ja, die zullen jouw muziek meer commercieel maken. Hoef je niet in mee te gaan, maar je kon het van tevoren wel verwachten. Als dat je al boos maakt, dan snap ik de behoefte aan censuur wel... Daarnaast, wij broze blanken zullen nauwelijks naar jouw teksten luisteren. Eerlijk is eerlijk, ik weet niet eens welke versie ik nu heb geluisterd. Je hebt namelijk de definitie van een vergeetbare 3 geleverd. Ik heb het twee keer geprobeerd te luisteren, maar het zakt heel snel weg. Mijn gedachten dwalen af en ik weet na afloop niets meer over de muziek te melden. Vandaar dus mijn focus op de achtergrond.

Ik ben niet bekend genoeg met reggae om alle nuances te kunnen horen. Reggae klinkt voor mij altijd redelijk hetzelfde. Het ritme hier is geen uitzondering op de reggae die we kennen. Het wordt wat aangevuld met rustige blazers. De teksten schijnen nogal activistisch te zijn, maar ik luister zoals gewoonlijk amper teksten. Het klinkt een beetje als eilandgenoten Bob Marley en Peter Tosh, maar het mist de hitjes. Ik heb er zelfs UB40-vibes bij, van die debuutplaat die we niet lang geleden te horen kregen. Ik vind het niet vervelend om te luisteren, maar zin in reggae heb ik verder zelden. En als ik zoiets opzet, dan zet ik toch gewoon een van die Bob Marley albums op met hitjes. Ik werd door mijn Brabantse luistergenoot nog wel gemotiveerd om die dub-versie ook even mee te pakken, omdat die een stuk interessanter zou zijn. Het is wel iets anders, in die zin kun je wel goed horen dat er dus verschillende reggae is. Het doet me nog steeds niet van mijn stoel opveren. Reggae kabbelt zoals gewoonlijk rustig voort op de achtergrond. Maar ik mis er ook totaal niks aan, als ik niet van dit album had geweten. Het kabbelt dan ook ergens tussen de 2 en de vergeetbare 3 in. Omdat ik er geen hekel of ergernis aan heb, rond ik het naar boven af.

I’m not a fan of reggae, and that colors this review. On first listen I found this repetitive and boring, but on subsequent listens it clicks, and the hypnotic nature of the grooves coupled with the incendiary lyrics make their mark. Add in the subtle touches such as the flute in “Give Deep” and it becomes slyly captivating. It’s never going to be my thing, and it's unlikely this will be on regular rotation, but full respect for moving my opinion on a genre I’m not fond of just a little bit.

I like Reggae, but honestly I don't know enough to give any kind of analysis. I know some of it sucks. I know this does much better than not suck. Four stars for some super reggae!

Decent reggae, still not my thing.

oh reggae, but not vibing with the melody

Solid reggae album

Penis stinging while I pee call that burning spear

Average reggae

Skulle gjerne ha hørt originalen.

Really happy to have a good roots reggae album instead of the typical British trash on here

Liked this more than I thought I would. Good songs.

First time hearing it, will be the last time intentionally listening to it. Not that it was necessarily bad it’s just not at all what I like to listen to.

марь иванна - итс э намбава ванна

Good lyrics and message cool music but not for me

this was fine but i also have no desire to listen to another reggae album any time soon would be a total banger of a listen with a mai tai though

Nice to have a reggae album on a Monday morning.

will this convince me to start listening to reggae on the regular? probably not BUT i did enjoy this thoroughly

Very enjoyable, interesting and groovy

The prominent bass is very nice here. I very much enjoy when bass isn't buried in the mix

Consensus mid

A fine ragga album

No es malo. Muy repetitivo se hace aburrido.

one thing this experience taught me is that i like reggae a lot, at least the 70's ones i had listened to so far. a shame it's a genre labeled as music for stoned people and not widespread in mainstream as much as it deserved. this is top tier no skip

Oldschool reggae, lidt for baggrundsagtigt, men fine nok vibez

roots reggae

I've never been the biggest reggae fan overall, this album was fine, nothing wrong with it muscially.

I am not the biggest Reggae fan, but this is fine. Mid 3.

Good, not my favourite genre but the title track was a standout moment. Good on a sunny day.

All sound the same and little melody

★★½

Well, I’m not a reggae person at all, and most of it is annoying as hell, but this album was not too bad for what it is. I can definitely see that it was probably ahead of its time.

Nice reggae music. Better than expected

3/5

6/10…Reggae

yeah well it's a Reggae album. i like them but the mostly sound the same to me :D

Good vibes

Reggae is by no means my favourite but this was a strong entry as a genre I don't love goes - I think largely because it is very brief so doesn't overstay it's welcome.

3.5 stars. Early reggae with heavy Jamaican culturally-relevant lyrics. Standout is "Slavery Days", "Old Marcus Garvey" is good too.

I don’t know much about reggae beyond having heard a few Bob Marley songs. Never heard of Burning Spear. This was really well done. It has a very chill, relaxing sound, but the lyrics are hard hitting and emotional. It makes for an interesting contrast. 4

I liked it but it didn't go hard enough for me. I think it felt like a sanitised version. But saying that the song Marcus Garvey is one of his top listened songs for a reason.

This morning the mighty generator gifted me with yet another very good reggae album, more or less, this one is a little more rock steady (a successor of Ska) which I tend to prefer than the more laid back let's smoke ganja stuff that gained popularity in the states (UK too but they were more into it already by the time us yanks embraced reggae SHOCKING I know...) in the mid 1970s or there abouts. Marcus Garvey might be the best reggae album on the list so far. To my ears reggae (Ska & Rocksteady) tend to sound the same but there is something different here what that is I can't pinpoint but I like it! The production is flawless BTW by a gent named Lawrence Lindo THIS is how to produce an album, seriously flawless. OK I guess I'll stop writing now. I need more coffee and both my huge goldfish & chihuahua are giving me the 'I'm hungry!' eyes. Of Note: The album is named after the Jamaican National Hero and Rastafari movement prophet Marcus Garvey.

Jah!

its just reggae dont except more 3.35

10cc were half right. I don’t like reggae, because reggae is shit.

Real solid album. Nothing stood out, but on the contrary the whole album blended into a subtle reggae soundscape. Was sad when it was over.

I really haven't listened to much reggae beyond the obvious choices like Bob Marley or Toots and the Maytals. Honestly, this album by Burning Spear is as good as any Bob Marley record I've listened to and I'd definitely give it another listen in the future when I'm in the mood for some reggae.

No i co ja mam z tym zrobić? Kolejny album gdzieś pomiędzy 4 a 5. Każde reggae jest do siebie podobne, ale przynajmniej nie jest to kolejny Bob Marley. Mam wrażenie jest bardziej edgy niż Bob. Doceniam to i dam 6.5/10 równane w górę.

this is fine i guess but reggae just isnt for me, man

Kinda forgettable. 2/5

Good.

Meh. Not bad, but reggae gets pretty tiresome fairly quickly - two chords on the off beat over and over ad naseum.

-Live Good -Give Me -Tradition -Jordan river

A great reggea album. Even though I like to listen to reggea from time to time, I wasn't familiar with Burning Spear. That has now changed. I even liked the dub version of the album, Garvey's Ghost, better. 4/5

Brilliant, loved this. Going to try get my hands on the original Jamaican recordings if I can find them.

Reggae is really hit or miss for me, and I really need to be in the mood for it...Usually. I wasn't super excited when this album came up, but I like to give all albums a chance. I'm so glad I did, it really hit the spot. The music, vibe and his voice are perfect, loved it.

Reggae moeten we allemaal goed en heel relaxed vinden, maar je komt er zo toch wel een beetje achter dat het wel heel erg veel van hetzelfde is wanneer de bekendere hitjes (die niet voor niks hitjes zijn geworden) achterwege blijven. Het is geen rot-album waar je jezelf lomp doorheen moet zien te banen, maar dit is echt compleet vergeetbaar. Ik geef 2 sterren. Die dub waar ze het over hebben in de Wiki (Garvey's Ghost) staat ook op Spotify. Die heb dus naderhand ook nog even aangezet als bonushuiswerk en die vind ik echt vele malen interessanter om aan te hebben staan. Veel relaxter, betere percussie, sowieso wat meer sfeer, een leukere stereo-mix. Die had 4 sterren gekregen.

“Who was Marcus Garvey?” was my first question. And after I’d found out, the next was “did I miss a reference to him in ‘BlacKkKlansman’?” Yes, I did. This record – as well as providing a much-needed history lesson on an influential, albeit slightly outre thinker in the domain of racial politics – has some of the most buzzing dub bass I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy. It’s a total feast of low end frequencies; whole songs, and often very enjoyable ones, hung off the robust framework of a rumbling bass note. Mercifully, this album is far more than “one note”. It’s a thought-provoking, Wikipedia-visit-inspiring collection of songs that advances its perspective with ruthless conviction and artistic vision.

quite repetitive to me but ultimately fine

This was a solid reggae album imo. Not always my favorite genre but it's a unique sound and I enjoy the often-political lyrics. Most of these songs felt very similar and if I quit actively paying attention to what I'm hearing, they all blend together into a big soup. I listened to this album like 2.5 times and this happened every time lol. it's probably 3.5 stars but i'll round up since it was only about a half-hour. favorites: marcus garvey, slavery days, tradition

3.5

Proper old school reggae Sadly every track sounds the same Gave up half way through

Good Reggae

Liked -2

A comfy listen, the cover looks rougher than it sounds.

Alright reggae. Not my style but no complaints

I am always surprised there haven't been more iconic reggae artists. You ask the average person to name a reggae musician other than Bob Marley and they might name Peter Tosh. If it wasn't picked as my daily album I would have still been in the dark about Burning Spear. Marcus Garvey is a fantastic album and a wonderful representation of the genre. The cover art is wonderful and thought provoking. Great pick for today.

Nice reggae 7/10

Beau, senti et apaisant, malgré la teneur politique que je ne suis pas équipée pour capter à 100%, mais que je ressens

Reggae is not really a favorite genre of mine. By the time the third song comes around I'm ready to move on. It is too repetitive and the songs all start sounding the same. I guess this was OK. 2.5/5

Good reggae

Мне понравилось. Ямайский теплый вайб, заедающее регги, спокойствие, чилл.

This is probably a great reggae album. I am a little close-minded/don't listen to any reggae so this sounds just like all the other reggae I've ever heard. Enjoyable but sort of blends into each other. Sitting at a 3 right now, I'm gonna try to listen to it again and see if I change my mind.

Raggae always lands with me. For it being such a simple genre, I just absolutely love it. Fat bass and tight b hole drums gets me going. I was unfamiliar with Burning Spear's game. Glad I got introduced. Burning Spear sounds like something Dan Bilzerian has caught at some point in his life. Marcus Garvey, Tradition, and Jordan River are great songs Decent 4

Forgot I listened to this. Enjoyed it i guess, Marcus Garvey was a fraud tho

chilled

Регги как регги. Всегда одинаковое

Good reggae album.

fine Album but very repetetive soundwise instrumentally

beautiful vibes throughout the album, i found this very very nice to study with :) not a single bad track on this lovely reggae album. hearing that there is a Jamaican version however makes me wanna listen to that version too.

An ordinary reggae album, it seriously almost all sounds the same. Though I appreciate reggae so it was a nice listen.

Nothing better than a Reggae album on a Saturday morning to start a long holiday weekend. Musically it is always a good vibe for me. Rhythmically it's impossible to sit still while listening. Check out Dub Side of the Moon by Easy Star All-Stars for some killer reggae that's less socio-political lyrically or something by Mutabaruka if you want a bit more. I really dig the bass, I feel like my life would be better if I made the effort to learn how to play reggae music on bass. On my third listen now and will probably dive into the rest of the catalog.

Interesting reggae album. Not as unique as ub40, though. I think this is a general classic though so understood importance.

I nice surprise …. But after a short time they all sounded the same ….

A gentle, soothing revolution. Grooving me into a shut down of oppresion. Lovely background music. 4/5

Nice roots reggae. Wouldn’t call it mind blowing but I’m not an expert at the genre. Willing to assume notability for three stars.

I’ve never really listened to a reggae album but this one was very powerful and a great listen. I enjoyed it! Favorite track - Marcus Garvey 7/10

Great

I’m not a huge reggae fan, but I appreciate the artistry. I was struck by how horn heavy many of these songs are. I liked that very much.

I loved these vibes. Sunny day, important messages but such beautiful harmony and brilliant musicianship. What my day needed.

I loved it. It's on a par with anything Bob Marley & The Wailers created. Maybe it helped that I listened to it on the warmest day of the year, with the sun shining etc. Several incredibly good tracks, no weak ones. I had to re-listen straight after the first run through.

Love the rhythms

partial to this album from back in the day

Pass the bifter…

aika natsa albumi huhhuh 5

Got another “never say never” moment. I went in to this with a bad attitude toward reggae. Too same-y, too dependent on an overly similar sound between songs and bands. Well, Burning Spear is a template for good reason. The sound (mixing? production?) is superb, the vibes immaculate. I don’t want to throw it on every day, but glad to have this spear in my quiver (don’t hate me.)

Enjoyable album, not many remarkable songs.

5/10

I dig it.

Bien! Se acordaron que existen otros géneros aparte del rock, y otros países además de UK y USA! No es mi género pero lo encontré sólido y conciso. Nota: 3.1

Won't listen again. 3 stars for that. Another star for being righteous.

I have not heard much of ragae in my life up to this point (haven’t even listened to a single album by Bob Marley, for example) and I tend to listen to new genres by putting them as background music while I do something else (as a first, second listen, afterwards I pay my full attention to the albums). I still listen to it and its songs but can also put my attention elsewhere. I’ve done this to many albums which I now love and have done this with Marcus Garvey as well. Because of this I have not payed attention to the lyrics too much and most likely misted many ideas. I really liked the title track and it got me excited to listen to the rest. I feel like if I am in the mood for ragae that this would be an album I would definitely come back to. Nonetheless, for my first listen, I was glad that it was about 30 minutes, as I would’ve found 40 or more to be fatiguing.

Hardcore political roots reggae with heart and soul for days, weeks and months. The lyrics are incredibly cutting. If you were able to shut them out you'd be forgiven for thinking this was all just vintage sunshiney horns and a skanking backbone punctuated with sharp, no-nonsense drum taps. And it is that, but there is also a heap of anti-colonial, anti-slavery rheteric making it something far more substantial. It's a five.

Det är reggae 101. Det saknas väl dock nån hit tycker jag. Eller flera. Det är ju skönt gung. Men det "händer" inget mer. Behagligt men inte mer.

Börjar bra och fortsätter så rakt igenom (även om Marcus Garvey är bästa låten). Solid reggae och härlig lyssning!

I do enjoy a good reggae album, and this IS a good reggae album. Not an outstandingly great one, but good. A solud 3.5 star one.

Rating: 6/10 Enjoyable reggae album with some nice rhythms, mostly forgettable though.

An indisputably classic reggae album you need to hear.

If I had a nickel for every time in the past week that the generator gave me a reggae album that got remixed to avoid scaring white people, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice.

Such a chilled vibe and I'm looking forward to listening to it again some time

picks: marcus garvey, slavery days

3/5 started off as a 4 then got a bit samey, I have no outright hate for it though

Awright wots this then Reggae! Oh this is not my wheelhouse let's see what happens. Yeah this was decent? I can tell it's good reggae probably but idk anything about reggae I don't have much to say

4/23/25. Solid reggae right here, it's a reminder on how much I don't know about the genre. This album may inspire me to explore more; enjoyed that this wasn't the stereotypical "up-strum" reggae that's engrained in my head.

I've never really listened to reggae/roots music but this was such a great vibe.

Rock solid and steady

A must for any serious reggae collection. Old school perfection.

Didn't hate it, didn't like it

Having never heard of Burning Spear, I must say his music is great. I enjoyed the Rastafarian sounds of this reggae album along with the social statements and history lesson. I did not know who Marcus Garvey is so it was an interesting read on a somewhat controversial person. I am not sure why this album is a 1001 must hear album. Perhaps this was the start of true reggae as it expanded during the late 70s and early 80s into a more mainstream audience. Nevertheless I did enjoy it. Favorite songs include “Live Good”, “The Invasion”, “Tradition”, and “Jordan River”. Overall a good album but I wonder if this version I’m listening to is the more palatable version that the record label created?

Not a fan of Marcus Garvey (the person), though I understand his status in Jamaican culture. I am, however, a fan of Burning Spear (the living legend). Enjoyed the album throughout. Best tracks (imo) are near the end - "Jordan River", "Red Green & Gold"

I would like to say, my tastes can be pretty eclectic, but I have to be completely honest, I do not listen to Reggae. I understand the cultural significance of the genre, and the political and historical messages, but it has never really been my thing. Maybe it has to do with when I hear that constant 4/4 time signature in every song, I begin to tune out. The end of the album was the best part for me as we get a little more variety with songs like Tradition, Jordan River, and Red Gold and Green.

not my favorite but nevertheless glad i listened!

This brother was singing about slavery and I’m over jigging my heart away, I think I’ve lost the plot… Phenomenal album, I will definitely give this one another spin!

Good reggae

Would rather listen to chalk on a blackboard.

Unknown band for me. I like reggae so I liked this album. If it was Bob Marley, I would of said I loved it!

Reggae is great but what makes it a genre is also limiting, which leads to a lot of bad/boring reggae. For me, this falls into that category. Some of the best reggae is raw, funky and soulful (Toots) and then there's Marley who does that and also writes great songs. This album lacks creativity in song writing and boring instrumentation. Interesting reading about Marcus Garvey though.

Wow, a reggae album that I didnt hate 😂 Although Im not a huge rootsy guy (and im not the target audience if there was one), Im a sucker for spacey grooves and fun textures and there are a ton here. The album features some horns, flutes and soft voices that dont bore me. Its got what I want for this genre. And somehow, I got through this twice without feeling like I need to bounce onto something else. Favorites: Live Good Tradition (loved the weird sounds on this)

I'm not really a reggae guy - more of a me problem. Also didn't give this as close of a listen as it might deserve. Someone else tell me if I'm missing something!

Pretty solid reggae album!

Cool vibe. Different to what I’d usually listen to. New perspective. Smooth vocals and funky instrumentals. Upbeat, with powerful lyrics.

Of all the Reggae albums ever recorded, this sounds like most of them.

3 minutes of raggae is fun. 30 minutes of it is rough.

I've seen Burning Spear live and listened to a few of his albums. This being my first play through I listened to it twice. It's really good. It lays out the stories and you feel them. It's one of those albums that feels like if more people heard we might get some self reflection and change. This one will stick with you.

Marcus Garvey is a brilliant album and an essential gem of 1970s reggae. As a longtime fan of the era, I had this record on repeat all day—easily spinning it four or five times without ever tiring of it. The tracks are powerful and purposeful, combining uplifting rhythms with a deep sense of righteous anger and spiritual conviction. Burning Spear’s sound is distinctive, and their storytelling is rich with history, identity, and resistance. Favourite Tracks: “Marcus Garvey” and “Slavery Days” stand out as unforgettable—both sonically and lyrically impactful. Least Favourite: Honestly, there isn’t a weak moment on the album Album Artwork: The cover has a strong presence—simple, iconic, and fitting for the message within

...

Quite enjoyable

Sounds like every reggae ever

When I finally go on my reggae/dub discovery, I'll make sure to add this album to the list. But as it stands, it's one of the better reggae albums I've heard, but don't know enough to tell you if it's good or bad.

Reggae-ish

Reggae feel

preparazione oatmeal approved

Beautiful reggae

I love when reggae musicians really get into the political and social injustices that are still going on in this world in 2025 let alone 50 years earlier in 1975 and even well before that. So for the social message, this album gets a 4.5/5, for the music sice, this album gets a 2.25/5, and mainly because there's nothing really special with the music, it's just the same jamming guitar riff over and over with similar lyrics. So putting the 2 together, we have 6.75/10, which roughly translates to 3/5 stars on this scale. Good album, just not one I ever need to hear again on a monthly basis. Maybe once a year?

I really need to listen to more reggae that isn't just Bob Marley.. Favorite track: Tradition 3.5/5

01) Marcus Garvey - 7,0 02) Slavery Days - 7,0 03) The Invasion - 6,5 04) Live Good - 7,0 05) Give Me - 6,5 06) Old Marcus Garvey - 7,0 07) Tradition - 6,5 08) Jordan River - 6,5 09) Red, Gold & Green - 6,5 10) Resting Place - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,70 (67/100) Current ranking: 347/502

Knew nothing about this and really enjoyed it. Very cool, very slick playing throughout.

marcus garvey- 6 slavery days- 5 the invasion- 5 live good- 5 give me- 5 old marcus garvey- 5 tradition- 5 jordan river- 5 red gold and green- 5 resting place- 5

Raw roots reggae with awareness. It’s politically, socially, historically, and spiritually conscious. It maintains a laid back feel while speaking these truths with a contained anger and sadness, but also a forward hopefulness. It’s not a good album for the background; its value is in processing the words, feeing the emotion, and catching the rhythm and clever deviations. Some powerful songs but those that are less engaging lose my attention and then things start to blur and blend together.

Could be my favorite reggae non-Marley reggae album. What a voice and what a vibe

Første var en banger men så ble det litt kjedelig. Satser på at det vokser på meg så legger til litt godvilje

Kul plate dette. Men ikke dreven nok i reggae til å vite om dette er en 2 eller 5. Så solid 3 fra meg.

A band who dares to ask the question, “what if someone else besides Bob Marley made reggae music?”

Sounds like reggae to me. A couple of more interesting songs after the mid-way point, but overall this was just an OK listening experience.

I don't love any single song but I like the overall mood of the whole record. Cool.

Ok reggae. Felt much longer than it really was. 2.5/5

Thoughts before listening: Reggae artist that often gets cited as one of the best of the genre. I admittedly don't know much about reggae outside of Bob Marley, but I do enjoy the genre. I am excited to have a reason to listen to this album. Review: This is an undeniably great sound. Reggae tends to get a little same sounding and this is no different. Its a darker album than what I am used to hearing from reggae artists, and there aren't a lot of sunny vibes that you would expect. I found that nothing really overly stood out to me, but its certainly not a bad album. 3-stars

Reggae music

Nothing special, and I don’t remember the days of slavery.

Super solid reggae album

I just don't like reggae

Reggae is reggae

Perfect! Relaxing!

Overall: 6/10 This reggae album started off incredibly strong for me. I was really loving the political nature of the lyrics and the (obviously) chilled out atmosphere. Then the songs started to blend together and I admittedly got a little bored. Still, it was nice listening to some reggae not made by Bob Marley. Fav Song: Marcus Garvey Least Fav Song: Red, Gold and Green

3.5/5. This was just fine, in a good way. Some decent reggae that I have not heard before.

Not a bad way to spend 40 minutes, but I don’t think I need to do it again. I realize that Reggae is really just like two chords of MUSIC. It's really about the message. The grooves are solid, the voice is commanding, the message is serious. It’s militant, but smooth. I respect it, but it didn’t grab me. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Marcus Garvey - Tradition

No dynamice changes, the same two chord progression over an over again appears to make up Reagge. Not for me. Mabey okay as background music in some venue.

Definitely misread the artist/album thinking Marcus Garvey was the name of the artist only then to google that he was a famous political activist in Jamaica. Oof... felt like I should've known that lol Anyway, I usually enjoy listening to reggae. This album seems to draw on a lot of Jamaican culture and history. All in all this was a good, not great album. It felt like the songs all carried the same vibe and theme, so nothing really stood out to me. Good listen though. 3 stars.

This is some very bright and often great reggae. Openers Marcus Garvey and Slavery Days do a great job of setting the atmosphere. The former has some tasty organ and guitar work. Give Me is a standout for me with the slick guitar work. Also really enjoy Tradition. I found this to be a really fine album. Not the *best* reggae I've ever heard, but the elements all click nicely. Strong 3 in my book.

This album is reggae. That's my whole takeaway.

Pretty standard Reggae. This is as 3 of an album as possilbe

Classic reggae album. Nothing spectacular or very different with it for me but good listening.

Really thought there were genres of music I would never like, but since starting this album a day have been surprised at how much I am enjoying reggae.

Pleasant tunes helping me relax on train :)

Just some regular reggae, but I like how I hear some flutes in a song or two, to add variation. 2.5

It’s difficult to remember Marcus Garvey when you’ve never erd of im. Listened to this album and the dub version Garvey’s Ghost (which I liked better, instrumental versions an improvement over lyrical ones in most cases.) Listen to both versions of Red, Gold And Green (best song) and you’ll hear what I mean. The albums are too brass heavy for me, but all good. (3.2*s)

Classic album, very pure and powerful, Burning Spear's voice is unmatched. Have listened to this a ton over the years, always good. There's a time and place for it. 3.15.

More Reggae from the list...I like this genre but it is all the same. Give me Marely or some newer stuff with some hip-hop or electronica influence over the old classics. A lot of political/social injustice during this era (and prior) for Jamaicans and that is the main subject matter on "Marcus Garvey." Rodney teams up with some Wailers and let's his voice be heard. The back-up music is good, standard reggae so it's not that I can't vibe but I wasn't gripped either. This is not your go to album while blending up some frozen cocktail by the beach. I guess it has its place later in the evening when you are winding down on that same very beach and it's fire-talk time. For the ride in to work though...1.65.

Felt like some pretty run of the mill reggae. It wasn't bad but it also wasn't great either. Not sure there was anything special about it in any way. Felt like something that I could play in the background of any cantina in an island nation and I wouldn't have noticed it at all. 1.26 stars

klassista musiikkia. Chat ei ymmärrä klassisen musiikin monimutkaisuutta. Suurin osa chatista viettää päivänsä roskapostilla "Kappas" ja niin edelleen, minä opiskelen musiikin teoriaa sekä Bachin ja Mozartin teoksia. Tämänkaltaisia ​​musiikillisia mestariteoksia ei ole helppo ymmärtää keskivertoihmiselle, ja se on varmasti parempi kuin chattailevat. Tuntoteot hereillä: tuli ja teurastus! Keihäs ravistellaan, kilpi halkeaa, miekkapäivä, punainen päivä, ennen kuin aurinko nousee! live good

Listen man, I appreciate that reggae is an important genre for Jamaica, but I’m so bored listening to this.

I really think you can’t go far wrong with reggae, and it seems like the older it is, the better. I wouldn’t say this is quite on par with Bob Marley, but it isn’t far off. Just the whole vibe of the sound is so happy feeling, even when the lyrics might get a little darker. I believe this album is about one of the big people in the Rastafarian movement. I’ll admit I’m not the most knowledgeable person about that, so I’m not sure on the lyrical content, but the music sounded really good. So there’s that.

Great album. Would love to hear the original mixes too. The production of these 70s reggae records is something to behold. So rich, warm and focused.

A very engaging introduction to reggae for me. Highlights are "Marcus Garvey," "Old Marcus Garvey" "Live Good" and "Resting Place." This record sounds great, with a funky blues vibe full of protest songs. There was a bit of sonic sameness on here for me, but overall very good record I enjoyed.

Surprising and I really liked it.

Running out of ways to say "eh, this was fine."

Heavy, heavy stuff on here. Overall I really enjoy this, I'm not the biggest Reggae fan but this is superb Best Song: Marcus Garvey Rating: 7.0/10 3 Stars

This was pretty good, I can only compare to Bob Marley with my limited raggae listening but it was overall pretty good, I'd go with a 3 I think.

Everything you want out of Reggae and more. I'd really only ever heard the Marleys' Reggae before this. This album is much more direct in it political messages than Bob Marley's. It's a lot harder to gloss over the political messaging when it's not couched in the somewhat thinly-veiled metaphors Bob Marley tended to use. Listeners who don't want any politics in their music would be best served to stay away. Which would be a shame, because musically and lyrically, this album is brilliant. Maybe listening to this in Iowa during a week-long bout of sub-zero temperatures colors my opinion a bit, but I loved this album. 5 stars.

Fun reggae. Did not know about Burning Spear before this. Definitely worth another listen, great background music for working.

Not a big reggae person but this album was a great history lesson and I love the political and social undertones

I love the political side of reggae and feel it oft gets overlooked for it's easier to digest vibes-ier brother. No holding back, shout out to Mr. Garvey, this album says so much for its time of release and is filled with passion

Some of the horns also sounded a bit... "canned" to me. It was very... samey. It's a problem with reggae. The songs (for me, at least) have very similar tempos, so they start to sound pretty much all the same. There's not a lot of variety, so after a while, I get bored with it. Marley does a great job with this, and varies up stuff a lot. But Burning Spear? Not so much. NEXT.

I don't know why, but I enjoyed this album a fair bit. I read that the producers got ahold of this album and made it more white-appealing, which I think means give it the same beat over and over that a white guy like me can rock to without difficulty. Which is a shame because it seems like the it would've sounded a lot different song to song if Burning Spear got to do what he wanted. I couldn't find the Jamaican mix. Despite the repetitive sound, his lyrics and vocals are what stuck with me. Especially toward the end of songs, I found myself hanging off his word. That was the case on Marcus Garvey and Old Marcus Garvey, Slavery Days, Jordan River, and Resting Place. Maybe I'm being overly influenced by the start and end to the album, which I really enjoyed, but I give it a nod above average.

I find it funny that reggae is listed as one of my favorite genres on the 1001 right now. It's definitely not, but the whopping THREE reggae albums I've reviewed I liked (two Bob Marley + one Peter Tosh). The one thing that surprised me about Bob Marley (and less so Peter Tosh) was the surprising variety of styles, even if everything was based on the same reggae beat (particularly Marley's Exodus, which blew me away). I like this one, but it suffers from the problem I expected from reggae albums - same same throughout. I like the same same - it's nice and chill, and the musicianship is excellent. But I think if I'm going to want a reggae fix I'm going to stick to Bob Marley.

Good, fun reggae so far.

I couldn’t understand hardly anything he said. Not for me

Solid. Love the album art.

It was good, wasn't too long.

I feel like I should be on 1960s mustang on the beach of Havana, but I’m on the bus waiting for traffic lights

I like reggae… I just thought this one was lackluster. OK for background music.

Bit of a marmite record this - I liked bits of it but overall left me feeling a bit alienated

can't get into reggae at all.

Was alright

This album deals with some heavy issues to an nice groove. Very important album, also a good listen!

Great

Definitely never heard of this before. But it sounds awesome. A bit of reggae! Oooh the flute in Live Good is pretty! I really enjoyed this album. Solid 4 stars!!

Very very good! Not quite as catchy as Bob or Toots but its right there.

Not bad for reggae.

His voice is really great. This isn’t chill music. This is music to get across his message. Also had to read the Wikipedia page for Marcus Garvey. Shit is wild. I like this. Favorite songs were Marcus Garvey, Slavery Days, Give Me, and Tradition.

This album is cool, but I'm also not very good at distinguishing between different reggae albums in terms of their influence on the genre. That makes it tough for me to say much about it, but it's an enjoyable listen overall 3/5

I'm not huge on reggae. At all. This was okay. High 2s