Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Like most reggae, it's fine but mostly just boring
-I may be biased because I’ve come to really enjoy reggae and it’s hard to envision a “bad” reggae album, but I thought this was super good -Winston Rodney has a phenomenal voice, there was something very haunting about it which made the overt sociopolitical messaging even more poignant -Favorites are Marcus Garvey, Old Marcus Garvey, and Tradition
Well performed, recorded, and engineered reggae/dub but by the time I reached the halfway mark of the album the song arrangements were so similar that the album began to sound monotonous and repetitive. No favorites.
Yeah this is good reggae
Good, solid, classic Reggae.
3.5/5
Fav: Live Good Least Fav: The Invasion Nice bit of reggae, not much else to say
Decent, nothing too bad nothing too good. 3 stars
I really need to listen to more reggae. This is heavy roots music with deliberate, slow tempos, three part harmonies, deep bass and excellent production, although apparently Winston Rodney aka Burning Spear (although they were a group at this point) hated the mix that Island Records did. The lyrics are political and spiritual, centring on the Rastafarian aims and ideals. The music is hypnotic and somewhat soothing while the lyrics carry that implied threat, Revolution.
This is pretty good reggae, but.....it's reggae. 🤷♂️
Not sure if I listened to the label produced version or the OG of this one. Either way I was less than into this. Felt very bland and the groove just wasn’t there.
This was quite pleasant, but not ground-breaking in any shape or form. I can imagine playing this while sitting around a campfire, cracking open a beer and smoking a joint or three. It's not an album I would seek out to replay though, so it gets three stars from me.
give me a beer and a sunny day
4/10 reggae is not my thing. I don't hate it, just can't get into it. 1-21-2025
A huge band makes a huge sound and Burning Spear's is uncompromising, A packed horn section brings big bright energy and melodic counterpoint, backup singers deepend the vocals with close harmonies and ad lib flourishes, the drums and percussion are perfectly in the pocket, the guitars add more rhythm with upstroke chords and tight little lines in the high end, the keys are there for more funk in the mid range, and the bass is unstoppable - propulsive and deep, thudding into off beats, swining in anticipation around the rest. Burning Spear's vocals emerge from this mass, weaving in and out, interacting with the rhythms and riffs, stepping back to shout from the pockets, percussively rapping out a line with the drums, rising up to float above for a wail.
Great record, Marley-esque, political and tight.
Solid Regge. Don't have much more to say. 7/10
Whatever you could wish from reggae music, this album has it all: a deep soulful sound, great vocals, powerful lyrics and - perhaps most importantly - some absolute banger flute parts.
Sounded like summertime. Would listen again for sure.
I enjoyed this. Great catchy songs. Would listen again
Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey Really smooth and groovy reggae music to listen! Most of the songs here are consistent in terms of quality, and considering that it's quite short in terms of time (33 minutes), it's enjoyable all throughout. Overall, this album is good! 1.- Marcus Garvey = 9/10 2.- Slavery Days = 8/10 3.- The Invasion = 7/10 4.- Live Good = 8/10 5.- Give Me = 8/10 6.- Old Marcus Garvey = 7/10 7.- Tradition = 7/10 8.- Jordan River = 8/10 9.- Red, Gold & Green = 9/10 10.- Resting Place = 8/10 FINAL SCORE: 7.9/10
Oh this works. This works on so many levels. The groove is sublime, it just sends you to another place, first hearing today was sitting in rush hour traffic and me and my passengers just escaped the daily grind. Then you can zone into the passionate (don't think anger is the right word) of the lyrics and their delivery. Knew of Burning Spear from the little pics they used to put on Island records but never really taken opportunity to explore, that ends today. After some (for my tastes) dross over the last few days on here that was making me consider quitting this is a palette cleanser.
Rather cool album, but as with most reggae, most of the songs blend into each other. It’s not an advantage for the album that it’s winter, dark, cold and lots of snow
While I had a copy and frequently have listened to this album, I had never bothered to read about Marcus Garvey which reframes the exact context of the album beyond just its sound (which is technically brilliant). It certainly aligns as a very cohesive idea around the philosophy of black power and the nationalism of Jamaica from a collection of songs. I was lucky to see Burning Spear in 2022 in the front on Rodney's recent tour after he broke his touring hiatus of so many years. This album is well known and loved by reggae enthusiasts worldwide.
Borrrrring ... I was hopeful that I could make it through such a short album. I think my interest faded by the time I hit Live Good. I've got such a low tolerance for reggae ... it makes me feel like I'm getting stoned and skipping class. Dude, wake up, life is for living!
As reggae goes, it’s fine? Nothing seems to rise to anywhere near Marley-level, which is probably an unfair standard to be compared against? I’m more interested in the Marcus Garvey aspect of things. I knew the general outline of the Marcus Garvey story, but this album gave me a nice provocation to learn more. A pan-Africanist, Back-to-Africa supporter who never actually traveled to Africa? A black nationalist meeting with the KKK to discuss their shared belief in segregation? The self-described “first fascist?” Garvey gets a lot of credit for engendering self-respect, pride, and self-reliance, and building a movement of black nationalism. But it’s kind of wild that there are many who revere him to this day in his native Jamaica and beyond. He was racist and anti-Semitic, seemed to have a romanticized and mistaken impression of what Africa was actually like, and possessed many character flaws that alienated him from other African American leadership. But to Burning Spear, Garvey was a prophet, and thus he laments Garvey fading into obscurity. Perhaps Garvey is best remembered not as a prophet but solely as a cautionary tale about ignorance, intolerance, and hubris.
Pleasant for a couple minutes but I’m not stoned on a Caribbean island, so I’m out on this album and reggae in general.
Absolutely love this. Great horn lines!
#464. I mean, it's reggae, it's all basically the same, and not very good. 2/5: meh Song added to playlist: Marcus Garvey I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
I kinda dig the darker sounding Reggae. Very emotional album, and I'm here for it.
Eh. Reggae is fine. This particular reggae wasn’t jiving with me.
6.5/10. It's a decent reggae album. It's not my vibe, but it's cool! :)
very chill vibes, think it is a good summer listen, kind of made me feel sleepy/syrup-y
So much sound I associate with Reggae, feels quintessential to the genre
"Marcus Garvey" is the third album by Jamaican roots reggae singer-songwriter, vocalist and musician Burning Spear (Winston Rodney). The album was named after the Jamaican National Hero and Rastafari movement prophet. The album was produced by Lawrence Lindo (Jack Ruby) who realized the original Jamaican mix was too threatening and remixed it in a more palatable form for international audiences. This enraged Burning Spear. The lyrics speak to the struggles and aspirations of the African diaspora. The backing band was named the Black Disciples and were musicians from the Soul Syndicate and the Wailers. Critics cite this album as a critical recording in roots reggae. The self-titled "Marcus Spear" opens the album. Horns, an organ and a prominent reggae beat deliver the music. Burning Spear's vocals are soulful and sad as stresses that Marcus Garvey's words have come to pass with no food to eat and money to spend. More glorious horns are featured in "Slavery Days." The reggae beat is slower. Nice harmony vocals. The theme of the song is obvious from its title. An interesting bossa nova beat and jazzy introduces the song "Jordan River" before it settles into a harder reggae beat. The electric guitar is more prevalent in the mix. Is it about freedom? Deliverance? Maybe but most likely, judgment as the first lyrics state "No wicked shall enter this-a river." The album closes with "Resting Place." Multipe guitars. Burning Spear is searching for his resting place but can't find it due pollution and the hot sun. There's a deep and soulful feel to this album due the horn-heavy music and topics sung about in the lyrics. Burning Spear covers serious subjects including slavery, injustice, Marcus Garvey, freedom, judgment and struggles to find his home. I would have really liked to hear the Jamaican mix; I don't know if that would mean deeper and more specific lyrics or different music or both. Musically, the mix I heard was very clean. The music has a chill vibe with the consistent reggae beats. The beats do change speeds. The lead instruments change too with guitars, horns and even a flute. Overall, this is a very good album and a definite recommendation.
Album 646 of 1001 Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey (1975) Rating : 3.5 / 5 More good reggae I wasn't familiar with. Good listen. Lyrics probably need another going over.
Enjoyed the
I vibed to this
I think I like reggae influenced music more than pure reggae (though I can't think of any examples offhand). I feel kind of bad for giving Bob Marley's Exodus a 2. It certainly belongs on the list, but I didn't love it. (It's so hard to rate things when you don't like them but can recognize why they're great.) That's the only reggae album I have to compare this to, and I have to say I liked this a bit more. I even listened a second time to see if it would grow on me, but I still feel mostly lukewarm. I'm going with a light 3.
First track is cool. Not something I’d listen to or even come across if not for this. Tradition sounds like they had fun performing. Good, laid back sound. Nothing standing out as a track I might go back to, outside of the title track, Marcus Garvey.
04/01/24 Reggae isn't for me and this was just boring.
Top tier reggae, so much anger bubbling under those vibes.
Standard reggae with a heavier focus on liberation lyrics. I thought it was a fine, easy listen like all reggae is. But nothing about this album connected with me in a deeper way, so it felt more forgettable than I would have hoped
A decent listen, wasn't blown away by it either
My knowledge of reggae is minimal at best but I really liked this one. Ended up listening to it twice in a row
A good album for a sleepy Sunday morning. 3 stars or C+.
December 29th, 2024 HL: the title track, “The Invasion”, “Live Good”, “Jordan River” The amount of mental somersaults I need to remind myself this is not an album called Burning Spear by Marcus Garvey I still don’t have a ton of experience with reggae, and I’m not going to get it with the remainder of this list; sorta like yesterday’s album, this is a really consistent album rooted in spiritual music. I’m guessing the sunny brass & flute are what makes this the international version for “white” consumption, as per the book’s mention of studio interference. Can’t really find the original, and without it for reference I don’t have much objection to how this version sounds. Paired this with the Maytals’ Funky Kingston, another 70’s reggae album, for a little extra immersion. It’s interesting how it & Marcus Garvey show very different sides of the genre; celebration & positivity in the face of current issues with the former, and indignation and fury at said issues with the latter.
islands raining down
It worked for stereotypical reggae background music
I was keen to receive the social justice messages but after the first few tracks, I couldn’t sustain my interest and the remaining songs were relegated to background music.
Quite political record to say the least. Still groovey though! 'Marcus Gravey' was a very catchy song that stood out, but the rest feels a bit like quite staple Reggae? Or it is just me who has mostly heard Reggae from '75 who thinks it's a bit ordinary? Nothing wrong with that, just an observation. Anyway, I enjoy myself some good reggae from time to time so this was a nice session! Nothing that to me that really warrants any higher rating than strong 3.
It's reggae and I'm not really a fan of reggae. This didn't do anything to change my opinion of it. It's fine, the first track was even good. But the longer the album went on the more I thought it dragged. I think this is more an effect that I'm not too big of a fan of the genre than anything else. Still "Marcus Garvey" was a bop. Strong 2.
This is solid reggae with an awesome activist lens. Something about it just feels a little off, but I still enjoyed the album. This is definitely a gem that I never would have listened to without this website. Best Songs: Marcus Garvey, Slavery Days, Jordan River, Red Gold And Green Worst Songs: Give Me, Tradition
I think I need to return to this sometime. I liked it but it was not at all what I was expecting. I’ve never been that big of a fan of reggae but this hit different. 3.5/5
Groovy [2]
Delightful. Strong throughout. I think I remember seeing flyers on telephone poles for Burning Spear concerts when I was in high school.
Good stuff! Maybe not great stuff but really good. Over the last year or so I’ve really come around on reggae, and this is a prime example of good reggae, though I tend to prefer the dubbier echoey stuff.
It’s been awhile since I’ve had to listen to one on YouTube. I’m glad I listened to this. I really liked the song Tradition and the album peaked for me right around there. I also like the horns throughout. It didn’t all add up to more than a 3, but that’s OK. I’d probably even snag this if I ever saw it in a record store. For the vibes.
It's pleasant enough. I like the brass, and I like the little whistle / woodwind thing they're peppering in there. However, all reggae is the fucking same! It's the exact same beat on every song. It is so, so limited as a genre that I can't get excited about it. 2.5 rounded down.
Dug this considerably whilst watering the plants at night. Good vibey vibes
Ok, but not my style
Reggae is shite
Thoroughly enjoyed it - sounds incredible, it's fun but still gives you something to think about. One of the best reggae albums I've heard and certainly the best one in this list so far...
Even if I don’t look at the historical significance, this albums slaps. With the (probably remaster) I listened to, every instrument was clean, punchy just how a perfect raggae album would sound. This might even be better than Exodus. Gotta give both a re-listen
not really my thing but pretty good as it goes
Was worried it was more mid 70s rock and roll. Its really cool, grooves are on point. Political message is quite well integrated. There is not really anything bad, other than the short length. Favorite songs: Marcus Garvey, Slavery Days, The invasion, Tradition, Jordan river. Overall around 8/10
Good, strong political reggae. What’s not to like.
Pretty decent classic reggae - not a band I've heard much of before, but I'll probably come back to this?
A good, straightforward reggae album. Nothing mind blowing, but a nice chill album to listen to.
Outstanding!
Sure, kinda Bob Marley vibes. I can dig it.
This is from the Wikipedia article: "Ed Ward in a 1976 review in Rolling Stone felt that the music was rootsy and compelling, but that it wouldn't be understood by American audiences, and that the lead song about Marcus Garvey wouldn't make sense to anyone who didn't know Jamaican culture." TRY TO FUCKING LEARN about it then. This is a nearly perfect Reggae album. The grooves, the themes, Burning Spear's voice - perfect in their imperfection. A textbook, go learn about why Marcus Garvey is important, go learn about Jamaica, go learn about Rastafarianism. Reggae is like Gospel. The passion of roots reggae lies in the combination of spirituality and social consciousness. It's pretty inspiring to think that after centuries of victimization and exploitation, which continues in Jamaica to this day, Rastas want to rise above. I would love to hear the original mix, but it appears to only be legendary or lost?
At some point the songs are the same track with a different lyric, but it could be just me that I don't appreciate the genre
A little too slow for me, not bad but just not my thing
Can't say I'm a huge reggae fan. It was fine I guess
I wish I knew more about Jamaica, because I think that would help flesh out the album for me. But, its a good listen!
Reggae
Great, for Reggae. It's meaningful and intricate music that takes a lot of talent to play. This album is fantastic, but no matter how good reggae is, I just can't listen to it for more than two songs.
Enjoyed it a lot particularly the title track
Generally not a genre I love but this feels like a strong showing.
Reggae! I’ve always loved reggae even though the beat remains the same. Looked up Burning Spear and Marcus Garvey. I’d heard the name of the latter, good to read the Hx of the PanAfrican movement. 4/5
I really like discovering other reggae not from Bob Marley
Honestly, it's not a bad reggae album; I prefer this to Bob Marley.
i like it! i like reggae a lot actually, i just never listen to it on my own cos i don’t know much about it at all…but i almost always enjoy it when it’s being played in my vicinity (i.e. when my dad listens to it, which he did all the time when i was a kid). there’s something about the particular cadence of reggae that really scratches something in my brain… fav tracks: jordan river
I enjoyed this! I had a heightened listening experience because I told two middle-aged white men at the co-op that this was my album today and they got soooo excited saying how it was such a classic and started singing "do you remember the days of slavery" so by comparison this album sounded much better than that. and also it was just good in general.
Starts off phenomenally, then cools down about halfway through. Would love to love this record but the songs are much too samey to enjoy throughout the short album. Not bad though
1. marcuz - 1.5 2. zlavery - 1.5 3. invazion - 1.5 4. good - 1.5 5. give me - 1 6. garvey - 1.5 7. tradition - 1.5 8. jordan - 1.5 9. green - 2 10. rezting - 2
An interesting slice of history, both Rasta and Marcus Garvey. Enjoyable music accompanies the social commentary.
Near perfect, it would seem, with reggae paradox – sociopolitical awareness and rage combined with just about pleasingest and easiest-to-hear beats ever recorded – in full effect. E.g., "Slavery Days" is compelling and enjoyable, even if considerably haunting. The flute on "Live Good" is most effective. And "River Jordan" is strong. Every reggae record on this list makes one wonder why one ever listens to anything else and if next listening project needs to be best 1000+ reggae discs ever. And of course one will need a quite good history of reggae, too.
My favorite non Marley Reggae album that I have ever listened to. Some very cool tracks and overall solid "take a hit of this man" vibe. Tackles concepts of Jamaica and reeks of Kingston
7/10 Simple but good. Pure roots reggae Vibes obviously immaculate. The band is excellent: drims, bass, brass stood out in particular Vocals delivered extremely well but not necessarily complex Best: Tradition
There are some stand out grooves on this for sure. Solid album and a nice listen. Like most reggae, I generally appreciate it more in smaller blocks splashed into a mix vs full albums. 3.5/5
I’d always known about Burning Spear, but never really experienced the music outside of a few tracks here and there. This is a solid album that deserves to be in the same conversation with Marley, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, etc.
Really enjoyed this. But if I’m being honest, for me it’s pretty indistinguishable from most non-Marley reggae. True rasta boyz will prob hate that comment.
Man, I didn’t realize reggae is a whole genre…I just thought it was how we described Bob Marley’s music. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I kid…I kid…yeah, this was a chill listen.
Always fun to discover another solid reggae album. Enjoyed this one and plan to dig into his catalog a bit more. Doesn’t wise to 4* level but close. 3.5/5
É um bom album de reggae, mas nenhuma música me chamou muito a atenção. Gostei de Tradition.
Não sou muito chegada a reggae porque acho bem repetitivo, e esse album comprova mais uma vez meu ponto... Jordan river é a que ficou mais na minha cabeça. No entanto, tem umas letras bem boas sobre liberdade e a luta do povo jamaicano.
Good roots reggae
Even though I will probably not listen to this again, it was worth a listen for the additional exposure to reggae and the political/social commentary.
Not my thing but sounds like a decent reggae record
I just got back from Jamaica so the timing is perfect. Interesting to be able to be able to visualize the country that inspired the music as I listen. A short listen that keeps you interested with stories and rhythm.
Solid reggae album. No songs really stuck out to me in particular but still enjoyable enough.
Very chill Reggae record with themes around political/social movements. I’m not that big into Reggae, but if you’re a fan of the genre, you’ll probably enjoy it. Favorite track: Live Good
An interesting reggae album with punchy and important topics covered
I know this album is supposed to be important in reggae history, but I just couldn’t get into it. The songs all blend together, and the vocals started to grate on me pretty quickly. There’s not much here that stands out, and it honestly felt like a chore to get through the whole thing.
I appreciated the cool reggae drums and bass, but the songs were very one-note for me and it took a lot to get through them all. Just not the right flavor for me, I guess. Two stars.
This is how I felt as well, once was enough for me : “ I appreciated the cool reggae drums and bass, but the songs were very one-note for me and it took a lot to get through them all. Just not the right flavor for me, I guess. ”
One can't hear a single wrong note here – so seems perfect, though one must admit to not being afficianado enough to appreciate all the nuances. Still, great, pleasure to hear and it might actually be that there are 1,000 reggae albums one should hear before one dies.
Eh, I think it got to sound a little bit samey? That could just be me though.
I don’t really like or get reggae and this was surprisingly good for reggae insofar as I actually listened to it. It’s fine
I knew I was in for a treat when I immediately recognized "Marcus Garvey" as being sampled by Mos Def for "Do It Now". The rest of the album held up with a vibe that is infectious.
Solid reggae album. No complaints. Standouts: Marcus Garvey, Tradition, and Jordan River.
I'm not super keen on reggae in general, but this was pretty decent. I liked the front half of the album more than the latter half, but maybe that's because I can only take so much reggae in one go. Maybe I'll have a listen to the dub version of the album at some point.
Not my favorite honestly.
As this began, it was decent music (I do like me some Reggae). Then it got into me later, until Johnny B Goode came on and I realized Alexa moved on to Peter Tosh. Lesson: I dig Tosh much more than Burning Spear.
Haven't heard this before. Really impressed by this. One of the most consistent and interesting reggae albums I've heard.
Really good actually. Reggae is not one of my more explored genres, but this was nice.
One of the things I like about this project is hearing protest and political music from artists I've never heard of. It's a really cool look into history. I'm not really into reggae, but this was decent.
Interesting protest album. A quote from the wikipedia page was interesting to me as well "...made a deal to release it internationally, but believed the original Jamaican mix of the album to be too threatening, or at least too commercially unviable, for white audiences and therefore remixed it into what they considered a more palatable form, outraging him."
Really nice songs and easy to listen. Very relaxing vibe.
Dope album. I don't listen to much reggae but it's always funky as hell.
Don't like reggae but this was alright
Marcus Garvey - Burning Spear (1975) Raízes Primeiro reggae da lista e já vem um álbum cheio de simbolismo, tratando de assuntos contemporâneos, mesmo sendo dos anos 70, definitivamente atual na temática. Não sou muito de ouvir esse estilo musical, mas tem seu valor pelos motivos já citados. Melhores músicas: Marcus Garvey, Slavery Days, Jordan River, Red, Gold & Green. Piores músicas: 3.5/5
Reggae really isn't my "thing" but quite enjoyed a lot of this, easy to listen to not I always find it a bit samey though...
reggae .. und dann immer wieder etwa gleich.
❤️
Burning Spear es una figura del Reggae que no ha dejado de publicar álbumes y girar desde sus inicios allá por finales de los 60. En Jamaica es una institución, lo mismo que para los amantes del reggae. Para el resto de los oyentes, se trata de una figura básica pero que no tiene el gancho de leyendas como Bob Marely, Peter Tosh o Jimmy Cliff. Este álbum, con el tema titular dedicado al activista Marcus Garvey, discurre en clave reggae-soul, muy disfrutable. Se nota la influencia de gente como Curtis Mayfield. 1975 es el año de discos como: Down by the Jetty de Dr. Feelgood, debut de AC/DC, Physical Graffiti de Led Zeppelin, Wish you were here de Pink Floyd, That's the Way of the World de Earth, Wind and Fire, Young Americans de D. Bowie, Dressed to Kill de kiss, Rubycon de Tangerine Dream, ABBA de ABBA, Diamonds & Rust de Joan Baez, Zuma y Tonight's the Night de Neil Young, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy de Elton John, Main Coruse de Bee Gees, KC and the Sunshine Band de KC and the Sunshine Band, Born to run de B. Springsteen, Love to Love You Baby de Donna Summer, Another Green World de Brian Eno, Ommadawn de Mike Oldfield, Radio-Activity de Kraftwerk, Horses de Patti Smith, A Night at the Opera de Queen, Crisis? What Crisis? de Supertramp, el directo de Bob Marley...
Certainly one of the best artist (artists at this point) and one of the best albums by Burning Spear. There's a seriousness but still gentleness to the music here, helped by an incredible backing band consisting of some or the best players or instruments in reggae. I personally prefer the first album a lot more but you can't go wrong with this masterpiece.
If you like Bob, you’ll probably like this. 4.5 rounding up for Reggae love.
No one remembers old Marcus Garvey, let alone his ghost. Burning Spear (killer name!) titling his album after one of the foremost leaders in African nationalism of his day was a bold gesture and it laid the groundwork that holds this album together. Its release was rather timely, given the explosion in reggae music in the mid-1970s, ensuring that Burning Spear would obtain a place in Jamaican music history that he still occupies to this day. Favorites: Marcus Garvey, Slavery Days, The Invasion, Give Me, Old Marcus Garvey, Jordan River, Red, Gold & Green.
That was a really solid album! Really solid reggae! Politically loaded as most reggae is. Way ahead of its time considering it came out in '75. I enjoyed it so much, that I listened to more Burning Spear stuff after finishing the album. Favourite songs: Marcus Garvey, Old Marcus Garvey, Slavery Days, Jordan River, "Red, Gold and Green", Give Me, Resting Place Least favourite songs: Tradition 5/5
May become a 5 in time
Insidiously insipid
There's a lot to unpack here, and I'm not the person to do that. I found myself moving to the music, but the politics of Marcus Garvey and rastafari in general is really off putting in a lot of their stances.
I had mixed feelings towards this album. The style was quite good and songs were ok. But the tracks get monotonous towards the end. I've never heard of Burning Spear before. Another interesting listening experience. I'll give "Marcus Garvey" 3 stars.
Pretty lame. Reggae is not really my thing and this was not IMO a good example
2.5
Good but I tend to get bored with reggae. Sometimes it’s too repetitive and I stop paying attention.
It’s ok. But the entire album sounds the same. Got tired of it.
Excellent listen. Message, Sound. this had it all
it was good - kind of repetitive
great! sad it got remixed to be more 'palatable' though 3-3.5/5
Hiába van rasztahajam, azért ez nem az én világom. Viszont kellemes volt, simán el tudtam hallgatni, és meglepődve konstatáltam, hogy zeneileg egy kicsit magasabb szintűbb reggae a szokásosnál. Szóval összességében: noice.
korrekt album volt, a slavery days meg a jordan river ment is a listámba, de olyan nagyon nem mozgatott meg.
Thought I could go back and rate the others, guess not. Anyways I can’t really remember this one but I remember enjoying it. Gotta be 3/5, right?
Not as good as UB40 😬
Not unpleasant but not to my liking.
rasta "heaven"? 2 stars maybe.
Title song is amazing. This album has just a nice warmth to it.
Did not listen
Enjoyed this, will definitely be listening again
Burning Spear is on fire
low 3- objectively good, not what I’d choose
Didn't know what to expect (seems to be a running theme...) Quite good Would listen again
Somehow wasn't familiar with this brand. Titular track is a belter. Rest of the album a little weaker but enjoyable none the less.
Like a lot of reggae it balance good vibes with heavy political themes and topics. Always a fun listen
One of the better Reggae albums we have listened to on this list so far. Enjoyed it quite a bit. 3.5/5
Probably to my detriment and loss I do not have a lot of reggae in my collection. Run of the mill popular albums yes but none of the deeper stuff I always promised myself to investigate. Will probably never get around to it now so signpost’s like this are a welcome advantage of this list. That said, whilst time spent listening to this album was pleasant enough I found nothing in it to convince me to return to it. 2.5/3 5/9/24
A catchy, fun reggae tune to jam to while cruising around the city, and since I'm white, I can't even relate to Slavery Days, but damn, it was fun anyway. Favorite Track: "Slavery Days".
I'm not averse to a bit of reggie if done well, and this was. Yes it contains a message but it wasn't overpowering. And the tracker stand alone. Yes I would consider buying it to complete a multi buy offer, but I probably wouldn't go looking for it specifically. But still worth a 3.
2 things: Once I realised the artist wasn't Marcus Garvey, I felt a bit happier for some reason, i did think it was a bit arrogant writing a song about one's self in the 3rd person. The other thing was I felt the same outrage that the musicians felt when listening to this travesty of a 'more palatable' version. God knows how bad the original was, or was it better? 0 stars.
I haven't gotten a reggae album this good in a while. Political as ever but catchy as hell, there weren't too many boring spots on this album. Marcus garvey and red, gold, and green were my favs. Also I listened to the first half of this while high as shit riding in a car on a summer night so the lasting memory attached to this album automatically makes it a 5. I am beginning to internalize that reddit post I talked about a while ago regarding how lists like these don't allow for each album to fully stick. Like this would be a soft 4 if I was sober and listening to it in my house in the middle of the day.
Excellent album. The dub version of this album (Garveys Ghost) is in my top 20 albums of all time
Bouncy fun roots.
This is good. It's a tight 10 tracks of quality reggae. There's a dub version of the music on this album - Garvey's Ghost, which I prefer to the slicker version on this release, it would have been interesting to have that with the vocals from this album.
This just makes you feel good. Brings you back up
I couldn't find this particular album. Unsure which is the artist and which is the lbum title. But I listened to other stuff and its just run of the mil reggae.
Absolutely love this!
Amazing
This is not my genre. I did not actively dislike it. So that's a compliment and a sign for it's quality.
I don't really have enough knowledge of reggae to compare this to anything. Sounds like reggae to me?
Usually don’t listen to reggae to it’s hard to rate since I don’t have anything to compare to, but I can definitely see myself listening to this again!
We finally got a reggae album! This was new to me and I enjoyed it. I thought the instrumentals were good and the atmosphere was interesting at times. The vocals aren't my favorite but that's really my only major criticism. The album is politically charged but is contrasted by the tame instrumentals.
Not super familiar with reggae, but I thought this album was great. The chill, smooth instrumentals let the political messaging of his lyrics take center stage.
Smooth, groovy reggae with a politically charged spirit. It’s a pleasant listen all around
Normally my favourite genre, this didn’t quite do it for me like I hoped it would. I did get to learn about Marcus Garvey though…
Came in a similar time to two Bob Marley albums, enjoyed this less than them. Some interest things going on lyrically that make it more interesting than the instrumentation though. 2.5
Excellent album. Influenced a lot of post pop artists, specifically Finley Quaye.
Slow brooding, slowed down Bob Marley like delivery. It’s calming background music. Choice Cut: Jordan River
Great reggae album. Burning Spear is amazing and this is one of if not his best works. Just saw him live recently and he is as lively as ever. 4/5 Will listen again
Blame it on my ignorance, but I'm having a hard time to differentiate good reggae from bad reggae. I think it was good, probably a classic because it's so politically charged.
I'm really not a fan of reggae, but it's a really well made album.
Political roots reggae is at its best here with some seriously awesome brass arrangements. It was my first time with Burning Spear and it was a very pleasant listen.
5/5 Amazing grooves with brilliant vocals and lyrics. Just an almost flawless album, which just happens to be fantastically enjoyable. Marcus Garvey 5/5 (FAV) Slavery Days 5/5 The Invasion 5/5 Live Good 5/5 Give Me 5/5 Old Marcus Garvey 5/5 Tradition 5/5 (LEAST FAV) Jordan River 5/5 Red, Gold And Green 5/5 Resting Place 5/5
Totally unfamiliar with Burning Spear, and actually pretty unfamiliar when it comes to reggae in the first place--except for the world hits by Bob and Peter. Which basically made this an interesting surprise. Don't consider me a reggae convert; O won't start smoking the ganja, dreadlocks in the hair, convert to rastafarianism, or become a huge fan of the colors red, green and yellow. But I'll play this album again, and sway side to side, and maybe start reading a little more about the political messages hidden within.
Not too bad, some interesting music.
Not feeling it, album was below average at best
Its reggae and very political reggae at that, but a) I don't really care for the genre and b) I don't have the cultural context to understand the album. It sounds fine but I suspect it was put on this list due to the deeper meaning and I can't connect with that.
Yep. Reggae. Anyway.
I am a bit embarrassed to say that my only familiarity with Burning Spear prior to listening to this was from Sinéad O'Connor‘s “Throw Down Your Arms” (but not that embarrassed because it’s actually a pretty awesome album). But I am really glad to have heard this. Totally solid roots reggae. Very cool.
I liked it.
Raggae not really my thing, but it was okay.
Hmm asså helt okej album, hände inte så mycket Bästa låt: Marcus Garvey
This was great - and set the mood for my whole day. After the album was done, it played a ton of old Reggae and Ska.
Something different. Good!
I like my reggae albums like I like my thrillers: political and to the point.
Burning Spear’s politically charged roots reggae feels almost like a manifest at times. Backed by the impressive Black Disciples, Marcus Garvey is a reggae album not to miss. With a runtime of just over half an hour it still manages to contain a few songs, that doesn’t quite hold up to the rest of the track list - it’s nevertheless an intriguing listen if you’re into the 70’s reggae scene.
This was the first reggae album to appear on here for me and I can never say no to some good reggae. It was very listenable, well-produced and respectful of my time. It also carried some important and heartfelt messages which I appreciate. I can see why some people may find it repetitive or samey, but honestly its <40 minutes so I'd say its worthy of one's time.
This is Rastafarian magic. Uplifting, meaningful, thoughtful.
Very pleasant to listen to. The juxtaposition of the song titles and the vibes is quite dissonant. I'm not the most lyrics-first guy, and I feel like that probably limits my true appreciation for this album. It sounds very good. If I were a better person I might read the lyrics and true to understand the message of this album more.
So I liked this album more on the 2nd time through. The songwriting was OK but not up to my favorite Reggae. I felt as if there was a lot of similar sounding stuff but less so as I listened more which is a sign of a good album. The production was smooth and tight with the backing vocals and horns all driven by a dominant bass. I really liked the use of the flute. The lyrics are powerful as much as I heard.
Good solid reggae
Good album. Had not heard much Burning Spear, but will definitely seek out more.
Very good. Tight playing and a lovely sprinkling of flute.Favourite tracks Marcus Garvey, Live Good, and Tradition.
Really enjoyed this one. Incredible bass.
4/5
Super solid album. 3.5
For a genre that so often loses me because the music and instrumentation is exactly the same for an entire album, this was pleasantly surprising and varied.
Eh. This got old quickly.
not the vibe for the hottest, meltingiest day of the week. time could not move slower.
The overview for this album says that the record company really watered down the sound to make it more "palatable" to the listening audience, which makes me really want to hear what the original versions sounded like. Although I did enjoy this so maybe I'm the watered-down listening audience.
Excellent. I'm probably biased because I love reggae and it's 30 degrees celsius where I am now, so the album sounded even better. Now to track down the original release.
Lepsze niż się spodziewałem. Dobre rege które nie jest marlejami więc dodatkowy plus. 4/5
3.5
There isn't a single bad track, but there aren't any particular standouts either. It's just a happy, groovy time without much musical substance. Most of the meat seems to be in the lyrics, but even those are executed a bit clumsily. I'm not a fan of the vocals - the enunciation is hard to make out at times, and it's almost too reggae-ish - but it could definitely be worse. The guitars and percussion are fun and catchy. I think the positives of this album were articulated best by another reviewer. It's clear that Burning Spear's message is very specific those who were raised on Jamaican culture and politics, and I doubt I'll ever be able to fully appreciate the ideas laid out here. There are definitely those who get a lot more out of the content of the lyrics than I ever could. The lyrics do have a haunting quality to them (though I feel they could be more elegant), and there's a certain melancholy present. Maybe if I dug a little deeper, I'd uncover the full darkness and beauty of this album. For now though, Marcus Garvey is just another average reggae album. Feelgood, lighthearted, bluesy, with some political undertones. But nothing particularly revolutionary. 3/5 Key tracks: Marcus Garvey, Slavery Days, Tradition
Actually thought this was pretty good. Honestly very different to what I was expecting from the cover - and I got the album title and band name mixed up lol Would love to hear the dub version of this.
1975 reggae. Just don’t see when I’d listen to it.
I liked this one. Reggae but not annoying.
Groovy reggae album, with good lyrics and really great production work. Another very good Island records album.
First off, why is this album so goddamned hard to find to listen to? Aside from that, I enjoyed "Marcus Garvey." I'm not a huge Reggae fan, but this leans much more towards rocksteady and ska; I would compare it favorably to Maytalls more than Marley or Tosh. I realize it's an album named after an important figure in Rastafari, but the subject does wear thin after a while, especially given how... not great the real dude was.
Typical reggae sounds. Reminds me of my Childhood - my mom was huge into reggae (still is I think) so I recommended this to her too. It’s very relaxing but reggae is rarely my go-to - still, i found the music enjoyable and weirdly nostalgic despite never hearing it before.
Not sure I like reggae now after that
Проблема с регги для меня в том, что все песни звучат абсолютно одинаково. Мне нравится этот глубокий дабовый бас. Ритм по классике приятный. Но всё одно. И этот альбом не исключение. Лучшая песня - Marcus Garvey.
I just can’t get into reggae. I’ll be happy when I don’t need to try anymore.
Very good reggae
Excellent reggae roots
Never listened to much reggae and this is new to me but it’s great! Will be listening to this again (and again!)
Reggae. Bastante rollo y monótono. Un 2.
Masso
Would I listen to it again: yes Is it a no-skip album: yes Do I like it: yes
I'm usually not a Reggae person, but this one annoyed me even more than Bob Marley.
Enjoyable
Favourite song - Tradition
A rich sound that sounds great in my car! Great voice and clearly important issues addressed. Not sure I will listen again - but I loved the feeling in this music.
Roots! Political, spiritual, the voice of the oppressed. Love his voice, I think Finley Quaye does too. Serious content and yet the sound of this album is really chilled, so deep, such a cool groove. Play loud and feel it!!
Bro just spoke facts over the most GNARLY reggae beats for half an hour. Jokes aside, this is excellent. Really no point in the tracklist that I wanted to turn off, and that is a great album to me. The incredible bass and tune of the opener is a highlight for me, but this energy persists throughout without being overbearing. Would have loved to have seen this live in its prime 😆
Top tier. Every track is good, great instrumentation, and what a voice! I can’t think of a flaw so has to be 5. Immaculate vibes. Favourite track: Live Good
Never really got into reggae music, but I can definitely hear the appeal. Kudos to this one for being rooted in societal issues related to racism and discrimination.
solid old school reggae album
Du bon reggae. j'ai trouvé que ça partait en force mais à la longue ça devenait un peu redondant. Un bon album qui s'écoute du début à la fin, mais rien d'incroyable. 6.5/10
reggae is an under-represented genre on this project, and i was delighted to see this album by burning spear. i was more delighted with my listening experience! marcus garvey is a chill album that makes a statement. it's deceiving! you're enchanted by the easy tone and the lovely flute, but burning spear talks about marcus garvey and laments on slavery and the lost of his tradition. the final song, which was originally omitted, touches on environmental issues and jamaica. considering we now know about countries usually part of the global north impacted climate change more than former colonized lands, burning spear was incredibly ahead of his time.
I'm not too much of a reggae person, but if I were going to listen to it, this would be a fantastic option. It is interesting to hear reggae music and associate it so easily with beaches and chilling out and relaxation, and yet, the lyrics found here are anything but relaxing and light-hearted. Taking some time to read about Marcus Garvey, who the album is named after, tells you all you need to know about what kind of album this is, despite how "beachy" it might sound. An informative and significant inclusion, even if it isn't exactly in my wheelhouse!
Ok luv burning spear
I enjoyed, old marcus garvey was 5/5 absolute banger
Not a Reggae fan, but this was an easy listen. 3/5
I'm gradually coming to believe that reggae is, compared to most genres I've heard from this list, not super worthwhile. It's shocking how little variety there is within and among the reggae albums I've heard. Sure, one track might sound chill and pleasant enough. But then you get 12 more indistinguishable tracks that are all chill and "pleasant enough" in the exact same way. In that way, these reggae artists are one-trick ponies. Listening to this album makes me feel like I have been on an remote island vacation for far too long and am starting to go crazy. Most tracks are repetitive with little dynamics. The musicians have few tricks up their sleeves. The guitarist will listlessly strum the same one or two chords for an entire track. Simplistic drum beat, with an occasional stereotypical reggae drum fill which just serves as a reminder of how cliche the album is. The brass sections can be a nice touch when they occur but they don't change the fact that the songwriting is flat. Very little emotional impact, since they all sound like they're just smoking pot around a bonfire on the beach. I feel like I've been sitting in a peace pipe circle for hours and somehow nobody around me is getting tired of the fact that it's just going on and on and on.
Up to listening to this, my exposure to reggae was limited only to Bob Marley. This feels very different, and I like listening to a different side of the genre.
Great reggae record
Timeless militant reggae. I had never heard of Marcus Garvey and his work with UNIA. So it was a good listen and a history lesson.
It was fine.
First reggae album to hit on the list so far? Enjoyed listening to it outside on the hot day we had yesterday.
what a fresh of breath air. never heard or even heard of this guy before. he does look a little familiar, so maybe in some fever dream in the 90s, or maybe i'm just an unmitigated racist.
Perfect 90 degree day music.
Oh yea baby. I feel like there is so much of context that I just dont have to dissect this album, apart from just jamming to the roots ryddums.
Decent roots album
Yes! At last some reggae. (I mean that isn't Bob Marley) Really enjoyable rootsy reggae with a polished sound.
Havent listened to a lot of reggae but this is very good
I have to be in real mood for reggae. I've heard a lot of it when I was younger and it kinda scared me. Gets boring really quick. Wasn't different with this one. 2.5/5.
chill vibes
This whole album is fantastic. Not just perfect reggae, but perfect music. Really lovely, energetic and enjoyable. Not a damn thing wrong with this record.
Awesome. Chill.
Loves: Marcus Garvey Old Marcus Garvey Jordan River Red, Gold and Green Notes: The historical recollections through storytelling are what made this album for me. Some songs really hit, but I haven’t smoked enough of this bowl to completely get into all of them. I did end up looking up Marcus Garvey and learning some stuff, which I think may have been the intension. Oh, and I’m able to feel his emotions through his vocals on Jordan River.
I feel like I should enjoy this more than I do but it just washes over me.
A solid listen, no real ear worms tbh. I guess I’m more of a Toots and the Maytals enthusiast.
Mellow and powerful and scathing and soothing and light and heavy all in turns. Many levels to enjoy this on and you could just have it on in the background all day.
Good, upbeat, fun.
Very fine music with a great Rasta attitude.
It was good.
DNF. I really have no time for this. What I did hear was uninspirational reggae with tiresome lyrics.
Listened to this while playing Black Sonata. I won! This was a weird album to listen to while playing a game about Shakespeare. I remember visiting Hawaii as a child and riding in the car with my parents as they drove around the island. We listened to a reggae station on the radio, and I thought to my self after a while that "all these songs sound the same!" I know now as an adult that this is not true. While this still wasn't my favorite album, I definitely enjoyed it!
Nice, groovy, jazz? , Carribbean, a slay
Some good quality reggae
Good old school reggae with sincere meaningful lyrics
Early in the Reggae days.... 3.5
Reggae greatness. A nice addition to the pantheon of the golden age of reggae.
Already love Marcus Garvey. This whole album is fantastic. Not just perfect reggae, but perfect music. Really lovely, energetic and enjoyable. Not a damn thing wrong with this record.
You can hear the roots that will become reggae music.
Nice one! Reggae when it is best
Ok reggae album, nothing blew my mind. 2*
Reggae music just won't ever mean that much to me.
Very cool
2.5.
most of the songs sounded a little same-y, but it was an enjoyable listen nonetheless 3.5
I don't listen to much reggae. This was alright, the lyrics helped the music being pretty repetitive.
nothing like some good old fashioned reggae to get the blood pumping.
Rule #7: No Reggae
pretty good
Wasn't ready for reggae, I feel like there have been quite a few recently. It's good, but for me each song sounded similar and blended into the next.
A solid reggae album. Good stuff.
Quoi de mieux qu’un petit reggae relax en pleine fin de session pour se déplier les articulations
Wow, back to back reggae. This is the second day in a row where I got a reggae album, and this one has some seriously big shoes to fill coming off of a Bob Marley album. I feel like I gotta preface this again by saying I'm still extremely new to reggae as a genre. My only experience to reggae is the occasional Bob Marley song in popular media. My thoughts on the album are simple: It's pretty good. The lyrics have some serious emotion behind them and the instrumental is smooth. The problem is I just felt like there weren't many stand out tracks, not to say any were bad. 6/10 Would I listen again? Eh maybe if I'm in a serious reggae mood.
Really enjoyable listen, and I'm really not into reggae.
The reggae beat gets old after a few songs as does the constant oppression style lyrics. I'm just not into this artist or his music. 1/5
This is like the soundtrack of my childhood
really nice and fresh
Pretty good reggae with terrible out of tune horns
reggae not so moving
5 stars
"Marcus Garvey" by Burning Spear is a seminal reggae album that embodies the spirit of Rastafarianism and African pride. Released in 1975, the album features powerful vocals from Winston Rodney, aka Burning Spear, backed by tight rhythms and uplifting melodies. The title track, "Marcus Garvey," is a standout, paying tribute to the Jamaican political leader and Pan-Africanist. Other tracks like "Slavery Days" and "The Invasion" carry potent messages of liberation and resistance. While "Marcus Garvey" is celebrated for its cultural significance and musical quality, some listeners may find its repetitive rhythms and vocal delivery to be somewhat monotonous. Despite this, the album remains a cornerstone of roots reggae and a testament to Burning Spear's enduring influence in the genre.