Legalize It

Somehow Legend got injected into my cultural awareness when I was 14 and I have a lot of fond memories of that album and reggae in general. I'll often turn on Reggae Classics on Spotify and play that for a couple of hours as good background music. When that is what you're in the mood for, the 'one note' feeling isn't really a bad thing. I liked this one, some good tracks beyond the obvious ones but I couldn't really find anything to latch on to. I'll probably revisit this one a few times, but (from my perspective, anyway) nothing terribly interesting or eye-opening here, just sort of follows the formula. 3.2

Reggae is very rarely awful to listen to, but I also find that it also often fails to really punch up into the highest heights. This album is fine, good perhaps, but I'm in no rush to listen to it again.

Not bad but not for me

My beautiful country has LEGALIZED IT.

Birds eat it Ants love it Fowls eat it Goats love to play with it I’ve never loved weed but the birds, ants, fowls, and goats have me thinking that I should give it another try.

Less repetitive than most reggae I’ve heard. Pretty good.

It was fine. I don't mind reggae, and this was perfectly bouncy and enjoyable to listen to, but it didn't really move me past the "it's fine" line. "Ketchy Shuby" was a bop, though.

6.0/10

A little on the nose...

70s reggae, very chill.

This album was such a breezy listen, but I also really respected the messaging the songs had in their writing. The sharper and angrier writing that tosh has while still making the songs have layers back vibes is very impressive. I respect it a lot as it was risk to leave the Wailers and approach a solo career being so outspoken. I appreciate it more than I love it, but still this was great.

Would have beena 4 but that last song.

I think that there is an album that defines the genre that well that it is enjoyable for everyone. For me this is the one for the reggae (or some sort of it). Still first half was unbearable but then I started to accept it and gave it another listen. Still don't like reggae though.

3.2 2x

A very easy listening album. I enjoyed it as much as a person who doesn't fancy reggae can.

Me gustó la vibra simpática que dejan algunas canciones.

ah bouncy reggae. i wanna play whack-a-mole. Music wise it’s not bad. I guess it’s a very decent reggae album. I would need to re-rate Bob Marley.

This was a nice reggae album! Super fun to have on in the background. I wouldn’t say reggae is a top genre for me, but I liked it.

Skön stil. Legalize it!

Legalize it already vad fan

Pleasant listen but on the bland side for the most part. A few standout out songs but a lot just blends together.

Classic reggae songs. Ça passe partout.

Peter Tosh was one of the founder members of the Wailers, and it’s no surprise that this solo album also features appearances from Bunny Livingstone and Al Anderson - reggae bands were more like informal get togethers in those days. The title track doesn’t skirt around where he stands on the subject of ganja - I was surprised to find out that it wasn’t legalised for personal use in Jamaica until fairly recently. I’m not entirely sure if claiming that it’s good for asthma and tuberculosis is 100% medically accurate advice, but I think we can let that one slide given the quality of the music backing this statement up. The rest of the album is similarly good ticking all of the familiar subjects for a 70s reggae album - perfect music for chilling out too!

Not quite yet legal in Jamaica, Peter. Sorry man. The former Wailer goes solo here in this reggae effort. As per the album title, pushing for the legalization of cannabis was a big driving factor here, but also in a boarder sense, the political landscape of Jamaica was another inspiration. I didn't find this album too memorable unfortunately, as I felt that it didn't really push any boundaries and sort of plays it safe. Hard to operate in the shadow of Bob Marley I guess.

I was vaguely aware of him before this so nice to get a deeper dive.

Reagan didn’t hear this one

Yeah yeah v nice hounds

I agree with the sentiment. As I’ve listened to more reggae I realize it really is the most okay genre for me. I’ve never loved it but I also have never hated it. Which probably means it’s great when you’re stoned

This is my first proper reggae album of the project *not* by Bob Marley. And while I don't know a ton about Peter Tosh, I do know that Legalize It is considered a classic reggae album, and the sound reflects that. This really feels like archetypal reggae, and I consider that a good thing. This has smooth vocal melodies, fluid grooves, and percussive guitar-work. And the lyrics about romance, politics and weed activism make perfect sense here. This album, for its focus on injustice manages to maintain a laid back, sunny vibe. And the experience of listening to this is just very positive. My favorite songs here are Legalize it, Burial, No Sympathy, and Igziabeher, but this is pretty consistent overall. I think I'm feeling a pretty strong 3 here.

The title track "Legalize It" is probably one of the better non-Bob-Marley reggae songs ever, but there are a few more on here that really sound great. I think by first impression / judging the book by it's cover, one could easily skip this album as another "the world needs more weed" reggae album, but it's definitely got more than that going on. I like how it takes some pop influence and steer ever slightly away from reggae tropes, like on "Why Must I Cry" which sounds like a beautiful mid tempo pop ballad that just happens to have reggae drumbeat and guitar parts and the rest is more pop-centric. Nice album.

Unlike most reggae albums, I didn't get bored listening to this, and I quite enjoyed the second half of that album. High 3

Never really listened to Reggae aside from Bob Marley playing in stores. This one grew on me by the end. Funnily enough, the opener and title track didn’t do anything for me but as the album opened up to more guitar-centric melodies, it started to hit.

6/10

I was going to say 2.5, round down. Till your well runs dry is a pretty solid song though - round up for that.

Ketchy shuby is a live changing song that has shaken the very foundations of what music is for me.

This is fairly enjoyable - didn't expect non-Bob Marley Wailers members on this!

Today’s album is fine, but nothing extraordinary and a bit repetitive. I’m not a connoisseur of Reggae in any way shape or form, but it always feels like a way to measure its greatest, *there’s Bob Marley, and then there’s everyone else.*

Adequate reggae album. Nothing really good or really bad.

Typical reggae album not much different than any other

ok

The album was very chill with laid back, slow paced reggae rhythm and grooves. Definitely not as strong as Bob Marley and the Wailers. I found it a little forgettable to be honest, so much so that I forgot to write my review this morning. But it’s all good, man.

Musically, it sounds like a Bob Marley album (which makes perfect sense based on Tosh’s involvement with the Wailers) but the lyrics and delivery are a far cry from the passion Bob Marley exuded. The groove of this album is very strong and is a great example of what Reggae music should sound like. Overall a really good product and a great listen.

Nice soulful reggae that lulls you with its rhythms and chills you out, while still holding lyrics with strong messages. Fun listen, especially the second half of the album. Brand New Second Hand is 🔥🔥🔥…. oooooo-oooooo-oooooo-oo!

Decent reggae, but not as good as Bob Marley.

But I never inhaled. 🤪

2.5 stars. Former Wailer with his debut solo album. Not the biggest reggae fan. Standouts are catchy "Ketchy Shuby" and "Till Your Well Runs Dry" as well as the activist title track that launched him to fame.

nice vibe

jah bless

Big throwback to playing a burned CD of this in high school. Burial is such a great track. I like the whimsy Tosh tracks less.

chill

Medlem i the Wailers tillsammans med Bobban. Det hörs. För hade nån spelat detta så hade jag gissat på Bob Marley. Aldrig hört om talas om Peter Tosh innan. Han blev tydligen skjuten i huvudet i en home invasion 1987. Trist. Musiken i sig är habil reagge. Svårt att göra det svinbra. Känns som man slår i tak tidigt och det ligger sällan på en "fyra/femma" i verkshöjd.

A classic reggae. Not meant for everyone. The later songs in the album were better than the first ones imo.

great if somewhat dated album. one of the true reggae artists of his yimec

2 is fantastic 4 incredible aswell. 5 beautiful indeed. 8 another highlight. The closer great also. What a lovely reggae record! Some great highlights but the entire listen is solid and fun. I think it's a 3 But a high 3, like 3.8

Kilka utworów, bardzo melodyjnych i chwytliwych (Ketchy Shuby) np. Ale ogólnie jest to kolejne generyczne reggae o legalizacji zioła. Nie wiem, czasem mam jakieś rozkminy, czemu wokół jednej używki narosła aż taka kulturowa obudowa. 6/10

Haha... weed album. If only I could've gotten this on April 20th. Or perhaps as album 420. Oh well. This album's good. Reggae isn't a genre that I go to very frequently, but I don't think I've ever hated a reggae album that I've gotten from this project. Legalize It (great album name btw) is no different. I don't see myself listening to this or its songs a ton in the future, but I did enjoy the time that I had with this album today. The reggae sound is here in full force. You can definitely tell that this guy was a former Wailer. I've seen some people say that this album is repetitive, but I didn't really get that. There's enough variety here. The writing is quite interesting. You'd think the weed thing would be more prominent on the album, but it's really only focused on in the first song. I do like that first song quite a bit, and I do agree with what he's saying. They really should legalize it at this point. It's literally less dangerous than alcohol. Anyways, the writing is mostly good. Legalize It is a good album. Not the best reggae album on the list, but still a solid experience nonetheless. High 3/5.

It probably sounds amazing if you are in the right "mood". It is good, great even, but also a bit samey.

Petes classic album spitting truth after truth

Sounds a bit tired now

Very samey, enjoyable though.

I'll put my own bias against Reggae out in the open here. I don't mind this at all, but it just doesn't elevate for me. 2.5/5

not what I expected to be honest. surprising in a good way

Yep, that sure was an album’s worth of reggae

Classic

This is ok. The back half of the album is more interesting than the first.

Smooth reggae album

I quit smoking zaza during this project, don’t tempt me man

Lame reggae

Weak Rasta

Músicas que o Gonça ouve fumando um. Arranjos maneiros e divertido num geral. Fav: No Sympathy e Igzibeher

This was okay. Songs were a bit repetitive.

Hadn't heard anything by Peter Tosh before - this was better than I expected, but still fundamentally unremarkable. Pleasant enough to listen to but nothing that stands out and makes you want to listen again.

Yup. It’s reggae.

decent

aardige reggae

Lwk hidden gem

7/10 - reggae to change things up, isn't the best I've heard but still good

I was fully expecting to write a review along the lines of ‘alright Peter, we get your point, cannabis should be legalised’, but outside of the first song, it’s hardly properly mentioned. Which is a fine thing, because I prefer a lot of the other songs here. If it wasn’t for tracks 7, 8 and less so 9, the former being particularly dross, this’d get a comfortable ‘fantastic’ 4 stars from me. Just see tracks one through six for that excellence. That excellence comes through best on the scene-setting title track, and each track after through to Igziabeher where each is better than the last. Tosh can create both undertones of helplessness and a resolving sense of joy in the same five minutes. As we knew, it’s not just music for sitting around smoking a spliff, it’s something to be marvelled at.

Very chill

I like this album. I own this album. Is it the greatest reggae album? No but it’s pretty darn good

Decent reggae album. My favourites were Why Must I Cry and Till Your Well Runs Dry.

Old school reggae. I didn’t recognize any of the songs but they were pretty good.

i don't usually like reggae but this is generally more enjoyable than some of the really famous [overplayed] examples. probably still at least 10 min more than i would prefer to listen for (2.5*)

Good

Groovy and fun but reggae is mostly just that for me really - doesn't have any more massive deeper impact. Song order: 5, 6, 8, 7, 9, 1, 4, 2, 3.

2.6 I'm really not a reggae fan, but as far as the genre goes it was alright. Literally every song is the same though. As always. But at least that one song isn't terrible. Someone explain it to me please.

titular track is a classic but the rest could be forgotten, nothing too inspirational

A nice vibe and well sung but reggae does have a tendency to sound very similar after a while

It's a pleasant listen. It's a good reggae album for sure. A few songs that I really liked, most of all Till Your Well Runs Dry.

This is fine, but there wasn't really anything that made me want to listen to it again. Legalize It certainly doesn't reach the heights of the Bob Marley or Burning Spear albums on this list.

it's gud reggae. His wikipedia page was interesting Will I listen to again: 34%

Probably deserves another listen, but I enjoyed it. Some really nice songs, but nothing blew me away. 3.5

Du bon vieux Reg; fait la job.

C'est pas Exodus mettons mais c'est pas pire.

Not very captivating reggae. Didn't dislike but couldn't really get into. 3/5

I have to admit, I like more melodic reggae music. Peter Tosh’s Stepping Razor is a prime example. This album washed over me with very little effect. I prefer his work with Bob Marley and The Wailers, which I find more interesting.

This was fine, I respect the message and it wasn't bad listening.

Pretty average reggae album. Favorite track: Legalize It

easy listening reggae with significant political notes

3/5

Nice background music

The title-track fulfills my concerns of another reggae-album with all sounding the same. But then it became an almost pleasant and diversified listen. Quite a positive surprise from the list. 2,5

Nice reggae album. Good vibes, although it all sounded similar to me. 3*

Reggae but not Bob Marley

Inoffensive reggae. Enjoyable

Enjoyed the warm, rootsy vibe, but not a full album repeat listen for me. Love and saved Igziabeher, though!

(I listened to the original Jamaican mix off the Legacy edition of this album. Differences: uhh, maybe a little more echo? Not much.) Decent album, classic title track. I ended up liking a lot of these tracks, but I'm writing this a few days after listening, and I could not tell you why I preferred those over the others. A good counterpoint to the Marley albums, but maybe not one I'll reach for too often.

marley lite

we get it bro, you vape

Enjoyed this while cooking with my son. Chill afternoon.

The man was on the right side of history. I liked this ok, though a lot of tracks felt like filler.

Sounded exactly as I expected it to sound. Not bad, but reggae complaining weed laws is just boring.

3/5

ok - nothing special

What a classic. Good album.

Pleasant enough Raggae chill with a great opening track. Enjoyed ‘Ingziabeher’ but just pipped by opener. At a bit of a loss of what to add to that really and maybe sums up the okayness of the album 🤷🏻‍♂️

Cool. Not anything revolutionary, including the message (which is very hippie-era coded), but nifty regardless. Legalize It is so darn catchy that you almost forget there are 9 other tracks on the album that need to be judged and held to the same standard. And unfortunately, some of them don't quite get there. While Ketchy Shuby is a pretty great track that's begging to be released as a single (those guitar tones are freakin radical, dude), the instrumental version tacked onto the end of the album is unnecessary. It's worse without the lead vocals, and having to listen to the same instrumental twice is more of a chore than it's worth. Burial and Why Must I Cry are two fairly unremarkable filler tracks that add essentially nothing to the then-oversaturated reggae market. Tosh had to be aware of this, having come directly from the Wailers' fame. But when the album hits, it hits hard. The title track is the strongest here by a wide margin. The backing vocals in the chorus are so smooth, so direct yet subtle. Despite having just two chords to its name, the song manages to be musically interesting. And of course, the message itself must've been pretty controversial, considering how the song was banned in Jamaica shortly after release. (Which only served to make it more popular. Whoops.) No Sympathy, repurposed from an earlier Wailers album, is another solid song. I appreciate the more interesting chords and fuller sound on this number. Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised) is also a standout, if only for sounding much darker and more foreboding than any of the others. One reviewer here claimed that all reggae songs sound the same. I'd like to point them to Igziabeher, along with half of Marley's material. This record has some issues, sure, but every song sounding identical is not one of them. 3/5 Key tracks: Legalize It, No Sympathy, Ketchy Shuby

Pretty chill classic reggae

Good solid reggae

6/10 Favorite: Why Must I Cry

Just a chill listen that kinda blends together. All the beats are very similar, but still fun. Smoke trees, baby! 3/5

For the most part, "it" is legalized. But you don't get a sense that Peter Tosh had anything to do with it. I don't know if it because his cause is not all that righteous, or that Peter Tosh never lived as if it were illegal, or any number of other reasons. All that aside, I enjoyed the album.

A political album for a message who's fight has since been mostly won. Otherwise yeah I dunno. It's a reggae album. It's peaceful enough. Pretty varied for a Reggae album. A shame he was murdered.

As a non-enjoyer of Reggea this was quite good. Variation, good song writing. Not just drifting on the music.

This is a solid album. The songs are good, catchy and memorable. Musicianship is on point. Probably my least favourite Peter Tosh album though. He certainly bettered it with Equal Rights, Bush Doctor and No Nuclear War, but Legalize It is worth the listen for sure. The whole weed thing is always immediately tired, whoever does it and in whatever medium. Get passed that and it’s very enjoyable.

This is only the second reggae album I've listened to, and I would say I enjoyed this more than the Wailers one. The funky rhythms will always endear me to the genre a little, and this record one was no exception. Very summery, very outspoken, very fun synths sprinkled here and there.

Easy listening and I really appreciate the elevated bass. Somewhat unremarkable but it's still quite enjoyable.

Very little reggae here - pretty odd, given its contribution to the innovative edge of contemporary British music - ska, trip hop, the interface with punk etc. Anyways. This one’s milquetoast, imho.

Nice Reggae tunes. Not a genre I'm as experienced with as I'd like to be, because this doesn't stand out for me from the Marley songs I'm used to hearing. Tosh was a Wailer, so I guess it makes sense their music would sound pretty similar. Chill listen either way.

Liked Legalize It. Good rhythms.

As someone who dislikes the majority of reggae, this was a real nice surprise. I was prepared to moan that this was the exact same beat on every single song – and of course it does have that persistent reggae beat – but this album feels WAY more varied than a lot of other reggae albums I’ve heard. The musicality of it is great, with tons of interesting sounds and varied instruments laid on top, and the songs are genuinely distinct from each other. It’s incredibly mellow (duh?) and I enjoyed listening to this one. 3.5 rounded down.

A really powerful call for systemic change long before a lot of this albums lyrical content was socially acceptable in the states at least. “Watcha Gonna Do” is probably the catchiest track to my ears, but I do think that focusing on how catchy these songs is kinda like missing the trees for the woods. “Why Must I Cry” is my favorite off this project. Tosh spills out such agonizing emotions with ease, one of the best things to come out of all reggae music. 3/5, powerful messaging

I powered through.

Not bad! I was a big Bob Marley fan, and really didn't listen to Peter Tosh. But it's got some good vibes going on, and he WAS at the beginning of the Wailers and wrote some of the biggest hits. So - relax and give it a listen.

If the website is to be believed, the book this site pulls from only has 10 Reggae albums. This is the first one that I’ve heard so far, and it’s pretty good. Nothing groundbreaking, it’s a whole album about smoking weed, but it doesn’t really need to be anything more than it is to be a good vibe that I’m pretty much always going to be in the mood to hear. Reggae music as a whole is generally always inoffensive on the ears and vibey, it’s just good and fun to listen to in most situations. While nothing here absolutely wowed me, I don’t think anything fell flat either. Not going to remember it all that much, but I would still return to it for sure. Favorite song on this one is “Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised)”. Also, the album art needs to be mentioned. Lmao, it's so good. Perfect encapsulation of what Reggae music is typically considered to be in a single image.

The Good: We’re going to legalize it! The Bad: Because if we don’t, we aren’t going to like this album… The Ugly: Even after having legalized it in many places, we still can’t give a (Peter) Tos(h) about it… During my college years there were people in my circle of friends who believed themselves to be Rastafarians, to the point where they had nappy hair, wore clothes made from hemp, played hacky-sack, and needless to say, smoked their clothes too. You knew that, if you’d visit their abode, you’d find a Jamaican flag, even, sometimes, you’d find the Etheopian one with the lion on it… I’d partake of the ganja once or twice, after all, I was in college… And you’d listen to Bob Marley and the Wailers, and you could check your list of things to do while in college. At parties, every now and again, someone would, inevitably, play a Bob Marley song or two, we all know which ones… Oddly enough, very few people played Peter Tosh’s album. Not that there is anything wrong with it, per say, just that it all just sounds the same, and we are familiar with Bob’s work, and his “greatest hits”. So, I’ve listened to this album, which I believe to be the fourth, and hopefully the last, of the reggae style, as I don’t believe I can listen to another one… Don’t know if I want to label this 2 or 3*… then again, for all the shit that is out there, let’s go down the middle.

That's not my taste in music - But ok

3.5/5

I might just not like reggae but nothing about this stood out to me

Cool record. Passed me by slightly first listen. From second listen I hear that there are some really funky sounds in there and some good soul like songwriting even if it does feel a little bit simplistic in parts

It’s nice to hear some reggae that’s not Bob on this list, and it was also funny to hear what Lonely Island was parodying in their song “Legalize It” from the Pop Star soundtrack. I didn’t realize it was joshing on a specific song! I think I liked the later half of the album a little more tbh - when he does the ballads and actually sings, it was surprisingly and genuinely nice. This is one of those albums that while I was listening to it, I wasn’t sure about, but I’ve thought about it since I listened to it yesterday.

I like reggae well enough. I don't seek it out on my own, but I don't dislike listening to it. Steel drums are cool. I like the almost lethargic groove. But a full album of reggae is too much reggae for me. It loses its appeal by the halfway mark.

Haven't heard of him before. Not bad though? Not my preferred cup of tea, but definitely not bad. Nothing really stuck out to me, unfortunately.

Do what he says!

A quiet and peaceful album that is not my cup of tea but was relaxing and pleasant enough to listen to for the experience

Sou um turista de reggae tal qual sou um turista de muitos outros gêneros. É um estilo que gosto, as vezes até bastante. Então oniciei esse álbum de maneira esperançosa, pronto para adicionar novas gemas deste ex-Wailer para minha coleção. Mas no geral, achei este disco um pouco anêmico. Tematicamente falando, ele já deixa um pouco a desejar. Atualmente não sou um grande consumidor da ganja, mas já fui universitário me graduando em História. Não preciso dizer mais nada. Mas cantar sobre legalização é algo que acho bem entediante. Musicalmente ele não me impressionou. Claro, é reggae, não espere progressões homéricas nem nada assim, mas mesmo dentro dos confins deste gênero achei o disco parado demais. Prefiro as faixas mais ativas. Gostei de No Sympathy, por exemplo. Reggae é reggae. Eu gosto, não tem muito erro. A instrumentalização e os vocais sempre me agradam. Difícil errar na fórmula. É de certo um gênero bem formulaico, por bem e por mal. No todo, esperava mais. Espero que a lista ofereça seleções melhores de reggae futuramente. Por ora, 3/5

ставлю три только за травку

Pretty nice Reggae Album. Need to be in a certain headspace to play it though.

May need to circle back to this one!

I'd have chosen the more politically strident and musically progressive Equal Rights which offers a more unique sound than Legalize It but, dubious medical claims aside, Tosh's debut solo record is still a solid roots reggae album from the genre's golden era. Tosh has a great vocal style: an immediately identifiable voice, cadence and phrasing paired with a charismatic delivery. The funky clavinet is amazing, the bass grooves deep as hell, the guitars are right in the pocket, really the whole band so dialed in it's joyous. A few corny keyboard sounds on a couple of tracks only slightly spoil the fun, and while warm and chill, the album lacks the driving energy and fierce urgency Tosh brings to his next one. Favorites: Brand New Second Hand, Burial, No Sympathy

With those Wailers roots, that fat tubby bass and reverbed crack of the snare behind Tosh's vocals and protest lyrics, Legalize It is as much the sound of reggae as Marley.

Debut solo album after being in The Wailers. Reggae. I don't mind a bit of Reggae. Very much, chill out kind of music. This album is suitably mellow. No single track stands out, nor is anything bad either. A very simple, solid, melodic Raggae album.

You had me at the Legalize It and the album cover. However, after a full listen this doesn't really stand out from other reggae albums from anyone not named Bob Marley on this list. High 3 though.

Reggae is not my genre of choice, but I do have love for the classics. 50 years later I wonder if Mr. Tosh would be happy with the current state of legalization. Title track is an anthem of the movement. Nothing terribly special; just straight and narrow reggae. Though I do like the effect on the backing vocals. Love the bright ELP-like synth lines and layered elements on Watcha Gonna Do. Backed up by No Sympathy featuring some fantastic guitar throughout and lovely warm production. Ketchy Shuby is a catchy little ditty. While I do sometimes felt like the reggae tropes wore on me the songwriting was generally solid and interesting. Vocals are quality throughout and the production has a warmth to it that is inviting. Not something I'd spin all the time, but good for certain moments. Solid to high 3 / 5.

This album could be a 4 if I had my piggies in the sand with a Red Stripe in my hand. I had neither of those things while listening to this.

Kept getting better and better as the tracks went on. Maybe it just put me in a better mood.

3.1/kind of based to include this but it's fine

This one goes beyond the standard reggae instrumentation in a way that is interesting. It also does a good job balancing political and non-political subject matter. Favorites were Legalize It, No Sympathy, and Why Must I Cry.

Decent but a bit same. Decent instrumentals and vocal work.

Not super into reggae in general but it was fine. Listenable and all.

Mostly liked it. Standout songs: Legalize it Whatcha Gonna Do Why must I cry

++: Burial, No Sympathy, Ketchy Shuby, Till Your Well Runs Dry +: Legalize It, What'cha Gonna Do?, Why Must I Cry, Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised), Brand New Second Hand 6,7/10

Reggae. Pretty decent.

Bomboclaaaat, it's oke, 3/5 sober, did not try to listen while high for higher grade

Favorite Track: Ketchy Shuby

Relaxed reggae hits. Decent- good background music but no big standouts

5/10…Reggae

burial

7/10. Some nice reggae about weed. How dope (pun intended). :)

you can legalize it, you can penalize it, but you can never jihnjowlize it

That certainly was a reggae album but not one I was all that interested in

Decent! Not my usual music of choice, but this I like. Good vibes, great rhythms, not as laid back as I anticipated? Production is really well-balanced too. Will revisit!

It was ok

The man that brought reggae to the world with Bob...he's a half step behind.

I dreaded this (see what I did there?) a bit. Reggae isn't my scene and tends to annoy me a bit after a relatively short time. This is fine, though, and would be absolutely grand as the soundtrack to a day at the beach with a cocktail or two and/or an ice bucket with a bunch of bottles of characterless beer.

Regardless of whether or not it has been legalized in your state, Peter Tosh has been doing his part and successfully has ensured it was advertised. Listened to this a few times today; really enjoyed the first two go arounds, but the third in headphones was less enjoyable. Otherwise competent.

Slettes ikke fælt. God vibe.

01) Legalize It - 8,0 02) Burial - 7,0 03) What'cha Gonna Do? - 7,0 04) No Symphaty - 7,0 05) Why Must I Cry - 7,0 06) Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised) - 6,5 07) Ketchy Shuby - 7,5 08) Till Your Well Runs Dry - 7,5 09) Brand New Second Hand - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,17 (72/100) Current ranking: 308/546

I actually enjoyed this! I think if it was a little more upbeat I would have liked it even more, but it’s calm energy was nice as well.

Repetitive? A little, but its a solid groove beloved by teenage stoners since it came out. Pair this with Black Sunday by Cypress Hill and you'll become radicalized against the War on Drugs in no time, let it in, boy! That's freedom calling! Let it in! Let it run! Let it run wild!

This is not an album to listen to when it's less than 50 degrees outside (F), which it is right now. This is an album that needs some sun, or at least warm weather. It's a good album, though! I don't think there's anything in particular that really stands out to me, but I'm not as familiar with reggae, so there could be something unique/interesting about this album, that I just wouldn't notice. A really good, high floor kind of album. Each song is worth listening to, no duds. Favorite Song(s): Ketchy Shuby

Meh. 3/5. Til your well runs dry was my favorite

Pretty alright reggae.

Perhaps the most outstanding thing on this reggae album is how the complex, intricate arrangements and the sharp, expert playing combine into a propulsive sound with a lot of character. Tosh is a confident, expressive singer, and this record contains some terrific songs ("No Sympathy", "Why Must I Try" and "Till Your Well Runs Dry"). On the downside, many of the other songs rely too much on repetitive structures, consigning them to the "also ran" category: for example, tracks like "Burial" and "Brand New Second Hand" are content to amble across a single loop of chords for their entire duration, dulling their impact. "Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised" and title track "Legalize It" reduce things down ever further, resulting in simplistic two-chord jams (with the former almost redeemed by an dramatic piano part and the latter containing dubious health claims about a certain controlled substance 😀).

The album that encourages you to smoke weed to help with your asthma! Well balanced project. Varied tempos, timbres, and instrumentation. Even some rock influence! Vocal performance is fine, but it doesn’t need to be more than that. Listened to: walking in Brooklyn. Favorite tracks: Whatcha Gonna Do, Igziabeher, Till Your Well Runs Dry

Perfectly fine reggae music

The music was pretty good. The lyrics were pretty bad.

Heavily comparing this to Exodus since we just listened through it. Maybe I’m misremembering but a lot more electric guitar than in exodus, in general I think I liked the music on this album more but thought the lyrics and content in general could leave something to be desired at times where Marley was writing more interesting songs. “Why Must I Cry” was the standout song for me and since Marley is on the writing credits that checks out. Overall a solid early reggae album.

Pleasant enough, same as all the reggae we have done.

I'm not a huge fan of reggae, always felt it was somewhat monotonous, but this one I liked, eventhough I had to listen to it a couple of times to get a feel for it. Besides the classic reggae vibe and songs, which were expected, what surprised me the most were elements from other genres. There were some nice, emotional, ballads, some great guitar solos and interesting melodies. Overall, the album offers a bit more instrumentally and stylistically than a standard reggae album, and that was the highlight for me. This mix of reggae and blues/rock was quite nice. Solid album, would listen to it again.

This was consistent and fairly enjoyable from start to finish, I’m just not that into reggae music. I dug a lot of the guitar parts and drum grooves though.

ambiguous what he wants legalised but he seems like a nice chap with soulful tunes

3.5

Ont est loin de Bob et des Wailers, mais des fois, un ptit reggae ça se prend bien

Just sounds like typical reggae.

Pretty cool to hear such a modern sound come out of the '70s. The singing is pretty good and the music is all together pleasing to the ear. It's largely similar sounding and repetitive, but I think that's a feature of reggae and not a bug.

3.5

Good album!

Pretty okay reggae. 3/5

Could have been recorded yesterday .. Legalize it. Love some good reggae. Kinda slowish.

Don’t really have too much to say about this one, I support the premise, and it was an easy listen, but it didn’t have a whole lot of substance to me personally. Favorite Track: Till Your Well Runs Dry

Enjoyable.

Late-1970s reggae is a golden microcosm of modern music. There are an astonishing number of good albums from 1975 to 1979. However, nothing from Bob Marley and/or the Wailers really excites me. This album in particular is very mid-level. The songwriting is okay but unexciting, with an emphasis on lightweight ballads. Tosh's voice is enjoyable, but there are very few moments of impressive expression. The music is very middling. I can't see any reasoning for including this album on this list, when you consider the masterpiece albums by the Congos, the Abyssinians, Junior Murvin, Burning Spear, Yabby You, and many others in this period. Max Romeo's album from the same year isn't my favourite, but is critically acclaimed and would have been a better pick. Hell, if you really want to stick with the Wailers, Bunny Wailer's Blackheart Man from the same year is significantly better, and again critically acclaimed. Nothing against this album, but it isn't even Peter Tosh's best album, let alone the best album of this period of reggae. 3*

3.5/5

I used to really dislike Reggae, but I'm warming up to it.

If you like this kind of music, you'll probably like this album.

74/1089 - The out of tune horns took me out of it a little. Otherwise, very straightforward reggae music.

You know it’s a three-star when you like it but absolutely can’t be bothered to write a review.

A bit hard to rate since I'm not very familiar with reggae. Obviously, I know about the genre, but I don't think I've e era heard a full reggae song before. And I'm not counting the UB40 album I had to listen, which is categorized as a fusion of other genres (and it was and awful experience), while this album feels like pure reggae. So, what do I think? After my first listen, I felt indifference, but in the second round, I left with a better impression. I don't think is incridebile, but at least it is enjoyable. It is very relaxing and at the tracks do offer some subtle changes which makes the experience more diverse. Besides, it my be a bit unfair from me to not bring up the theme of the album, but I was more focused on the instruments than the lyrics, and I didn't understand what he was saying anyway. In the end, I don't think I'll be returning to this album anytime soon, but I won't be regretting listening to this.

Thankfully the entire album wasn't weed themed. Once that first song was out of the way, I don't think he mentions it again, which was surprising given the album title and cover. Anyway, it's somewhat standard reggae. There was one song that stood out to me that had country sounding verses and switched back to reggae for the chorus. Overall, it was decent.

Good tunes, even without using pot...

OK man, but how do you REALLY feel about weed. Aside from the lyrical content which I bet rang a bell in the 70's, this album felt pretty "samey" and I can't make it stand out from others that I have heard in the genre. Mid but good? I would give it a 2.5 if I could. That said, legit legalize that shit. Canada has had legalized weed since 2018 (I think) and we are doing fine. Safe supply is nice. Not tying up cops with stupid catch and release protocols for possession of something so (relatively) benign is nice. Social norms otherwise remained basically status quo. The war on drugs was a misdirected fail from the start. Just move on already.

One of the Wailers!! I was excited to dive into this since I haven’t explored any of the other Wailers' solo work before — so Legalize It felt like a good place to start. Peter Tosh delivers a solid reggae sound — exactly what you’d expect. After the opening track, I wondered, Is this going to be an entire album about the legalization of weed? I get it, and he was probably right — but there’s more to this album than that. Tracks like Burial, Why Must I Cry, and No Sympathy offer heartfelt lyrics about love and heartache, adding real depth beyond the central theme. It’s a solid album — I’ll definitely play this again. Favourite song: No Sympathy — such a great tune. Least favourite: I couldn’t get into the title track at all. It is the weakest track on the album for sure. Album artwork: Alright, we get it — you like weed!

3/5, solid reggae album, but I prefer his stuff about equal rights more than legalizing weed

I'm probably a little guilty of letting this one flow over me a bit. It was okay I guess, but very much background music. I could imagine playing this round a campfire, but not so much on general rotation. Three stars for a pretty average album.

Not bad

Yup it’s reggae

Sounds like very comfy music at a bar I haven't been at too much.

Skanktastic 3.5

Reggae, nice.

Im not a big reggae fan so I flipped between thinking this album shows how much better bob Marley is and then how reggae is pretty samey anyway. Having finished the album, I think the best bob Marley stuff is a lot better than Peter and the standard stuff is very similar. Shows my ignorance that this is the only lens I could look at this album through I suppose, sorry Peter! I would definitely say that Bob's positive messages are a much better fit but on the flip side was nice to hear reggae with a slightly more straightforward approach. Not my favourite genre but listenable, 2.5.

An interesting album - I quite enjoyed Legalize It. I expected the rest of the tracks to be along the same lines, but there were some mellow, R&B songs mixed in. Not a patch on Bob, or Bunny Wailer, but nevertheless worth a listen. Till Your Well Runs Dry (the demo version) also stood out.

Pretty much a whole album about weed hey! Probably would've enjoyed this more as a teenager. It was good, but hard not to compare to Bob Marley. 3.5

I enjoyed this fairly well, good songs, I like finding new genres to listen to, I've only heard Bob Marley and the Wailers before this, although he is a member of that group, good to get more culture in the reggae scene.

After the first two tracks finished, I thought I'd be in for a long slog of samey, repetitive, boring, inoffensive reggae. They were pretty stereotypical reggae. What you'd think of when someone said reggae. But after the third and fourth track, the strangest thing happened. I started to enjoy it. I still maintain that overall, musically, reggae is pretty similar sounding. But tracks like 'No Sympathy' added a little bass line giving an extra bit of a push, 'Till Your Well Runs Dry' has elements of 70's soft rock and even has a pretty cool guitar solo, and 'Ketchy Shuby' is such an ear worm that you'll be singing the chorus to yourself for days after you hear it. Nothing groundbreaking, but a pretty enjoyable, harmless album, that I ended up liking more than I thought I would.

Kind of repetitive after a while but far from being bad.

Not bad. Good.

3.2

Give me a beach with some shade and a drink in my handdd. But this album was enjoyable even now in the winter. Nothing more than that in my opinion. Best songs: Igziabeher

Enjoyed that, some nice jumpy arrangements.

420 Blaze it

This is #day198 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... as someone who's not a huge fan of reggae (honestly, this challenge is probably the only reason I’d listen to so much of it), this album was a pretty enjoyable listen. Funny enough, I’m just now getting to know the members of the Wailers—I hadn’t heard of this guy before. I also realize how controversial and revolutionary this record must’ve been for its time. I mean, it’s 1976 and it’s called Legalize It. This is a well-deserved 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day199.

I appreciate the appearance of reggae on this list. This album is pretty good, but I wouldn't say great. The title track is the best of the album, but some of the other songs are forgettable. I would listen to it again.

Tone of many tracks sounded pretty similar. Unlikely to be in my top 500 albums

This was fine. Made me think of those cringey people who base their entire personality on smoking weed, but that’s not the album’s fault.

The claim that a bit of Rudy Doobliani will sort out your asthma is an interesting one. Overall some solid pleasant stuff. Simpsons: No (there is a scene where Chief Wiggum sings Jamming by BM and the Wailers, although Tosh had left the band by this point.

Legalise It is a good tune. It does all sound the same, but it's a nice vibe regardless.

I'm not a big reggae fan, so I'm unsure if it's good or bad, but it was fine to listen to.

I thought I'd either love this or hate this, turns out I was kind of indifferent. Legalize it? Yes, but don't play the song, it's a bit shite. I liked Ketchy Shuby though.

There are actually some pretty good songs here beyond the stereotypical title track. Till Your Well Runs Dry was the real surprise here. 3.5

It’s a smooth album, but strikes me as the caricature of a reggae album. I’m not so sure marijuana is good for asthma and tuberculosis. “Burial” is an amazing song and ranks up there with my favorite reggae tunes.

Pretty much what you would expect from one of the Wailers. Largely downtempo with a massive drum sound; the other instruments suffer a bit from the muddy production.

dope. pure dope.

Good reggae album, legalize it made me laugh

Chill but not lazy. The rhythm section keeps things moving, but it never feels rushed. Every track has a purpose. It’s the kind of thing you put on when you want to relax but still think.

A bit slower than I was expecting, but still good vocals from Tosh with great instrumental backing.

Perfectly acceptable album. Legalize It (the song) is the best one and obviously most well known but catchy enough to have in the rotation. Rest of the album pretty unremarkable but you could do far worse. Especially if I'm on a beach sipping on something.

Fine to listen to but I couldn’t be more neutral here.

Middle of the road again today — enjoyable but nothing too exciting. Reggae always good to nod ya head to

And just like that I am 16 again. Listening to this drives home how much weed is not at all a part of my life, and how much it used to be. It also made me miss pre-legalization/pre-vape weed culture. Weed was fun as the domain of tie dye beardy guys in headshots that smelled like Nah Champa. Corporatization and vape shop neon Rick and Morty killed weed dead. Anyway, I really liked Burial. That chorus is very nostalgically catchy. Igziabhier was a big high school song for me, and I still have a soft spot for it. When Your Well Runs Dry also stood out. The rest were solid. Album cover (W) (for weed)

Legalize it is possibly my least favorite song on this album, rough start Some lovely moments 3

Solid reggae

Solid start, but begins to sound samey by the end.

I’ve never smoked weed but that still ripped Best song: Legalize It

Typical pro-weed Reggae album. Definitely enjoyable listen.

Pretty solid for stoner music, why there was a Ketchy Shuby reprise also named Ketchy Shuby? What is Ketchy Shuby? What was the weed budget for this album? All questions that will never be answered. Regardless, pretty groovy, very diverse soundscape, enjoyable listen. Favourite Song - No Sympathy

I think this album best matches the vibes of the cover / name of it, it's just so smoooooth, Reggae has that just feeeels that come from the kinda swinging drums and beautiful vocals. I had to rate this album up a point on relisten because man is it just so well made. There's not a bad song on this whole album, just vibes, I think Maxi Priest is the reason why I'm a fan of this sorta style of stuff. Fav Song: No Sympathy

As a genre, I've never been that into Reggae music, and this album hasn't really changed my mind on that. I can appreciate the Album for its songwriting and as a good demonstration of the genre, but it's just not for me. Fave Songs - No Sympathy, Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised)

Good reggae album, just does with it does right. Probably would be so much better if I was high. Favourite song - Till Your Well Run Dry

straight vibesss 3.5

Yep, that's a reggae album. Can't say I'm impressed by any of the songs here, but I also don't dislike any of them either. And thankfully it's not too long. If I'm going to listen to reggae, I'd rather listen to Bob Marley.

It took almost 50 years after the release of this album before it was legalized where I live which is absolutely idiotic. I'm not much of an expert on reggae to say how deserved this placement here is, but I certainly enjoy it.

The thing about reggae is, a lot of the songs start to sound a little same-y. Bob Marley was great in varying up the feel of some of his songs, but that's why Marley was a genius. There were a few tracks that had some slight variations, like "Till Your Well Runs Dry" and "Burial" but then got to the same reggae feel. I will say, the lyrics though, that's where the songs really start to differ. From legalization of drugs ("Legalize It") to praise of Jah ("Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised)") to sex. When I heard "Ketch Shuby" I think of "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins, because the song has lyrics that are vague that people still argue about it today. But really, when you hear the lyrics with the music you can tell it's about sex, but not in a dirty way. It doesn't have the gravitas of Marley's work, but definitely has something to it: a light-heartedness, a goofiness. It still works pretty well. Was I immediately going to listen to it again? Not if I wanted to operate heavy machinery. Top tracks: "Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised)", "Brand New Second Hand", "Till Your Well Runs Dry"

This album is decent, but a little boring. Each song in itself feels repetitive - grab a beat, roll it over and over, and repeat the same lyrics at the same meter. The title track is a perfect example. It's not a bad song, but I probably didn't need the last minute and a half - felt like we'd already done that. If this track hadn't caused so much controversy and headlines, would we even get this album? Is this the best album, debut or otherwise, done by a Wailer not named Bob Marley? Again, it's fine and all, but doesn't feel like a must-listen to reggae album. Favorite tracks were probably Why Must I Cry, Till Your Well Runs Dry, and Brand New Second Hand.

Ух ну неплохо. Я бы сказала что альбом очень хз. Вообще мало что понравилось. Звучит обычно,но со своим шармом. Что-то конкретное сказать сложно

Exactly what you’d expect, but a bit better. This album would be pure vibes on a sunny day with a beer.

Groovy!

I have to be in the mood for this stuff and I guess I was! Overall a good album not too much to say on it. Brand New Second Hand was a favorite and a good way to close out the album.

Rasta eh? I don't mind the genre, but I would never seek it out. Pretty good, not bad

Good reggae. Not my favorite genre, but still a good time.

Not my jam particularly but it's well done

This has a pretty cool amount of variety for a reggae album. "Legalize It" and "Till Your Well Run Dry" (especially the guitar parts) were the highlights for me. 3.5

Pleasant but not for me

Reggae is easy to listen to. Not only that, it is kind of uplifting, even when the song is technically a downer. There is something about the rhythms and the tone that just relaxes the mind. Yet it comes at a cost. For me in general, and including Peter Tosh, very few reggae songs push my emotional buttons too much. There are rare exceptions, but none on this album for example. It remains childlike in my mind, fun and easy, but never really challenging. Anyway, it does not hurt the album or the genre to be as it is. At least it is not pretentious!

decent reggae

Good reggae music but not something I would seek out again.

It was a reggae album

Not a big fan of reggae or anything weed related, but this was chill and calming album. Hit well

Solid album.

Legalize it - Peter Tosh (1976) Kinda perfect to get this on a lazy friday. Not sure I would have enjoyed it if I was working a busy schedule. As I suspected for Reggae I started to find it getting pretty repetitive. I can't even call it frontloaded or anything, the quality is pretty consistent throughout. Said quality however is not something that meshed with me beyond a pretty basic enjoyment, not sure if I cold see this being regular listening material. I did get a bit excited when Johnny B Goode came on, only to realise that it wasn't in the album and Spotify was just shuffling into Tosh's other music. In the words of Snoop Dogg (Formerly Snoop Lion; Bob Marley Reincarnated) "I don't even like Reggae"

Reggae has a very high low point in quality. Even shit reggae is still tolerable. The cost of this is that at least to a white boy like me reggae just sorta sounds very samey. I enjoyed this album. I can’t imagine I will go back to it though

An extremely well made album that isn't my thing at all. 6/10

This album looks like a novelty album whose owners would enthusiastically show off to visitors either ironically or with an eye-watering level of sincerity. I generally tend to thing a lot of reggae sounds the same, and it tracks here considering this guy was a founding member of the Wailers. This album is enjoyable though, the title track drags on forever but is fun enough. This is not something I can see myself listening to routinely but it is an album I can totally see myself putting on during a long road trip and microsleeping into a tree at 120kmph. Highlights: Burial, Why Must I Cry, Till Your Well Runs Dry

It wasn't bad but I'm not a reggae fellow.

Solid album.

Ah a throwback to my reggae pothead days. There’s two songs on here that are notable and the rest kind of become background music. Most of it sounds pretty similar. His best work was with Bob but is still decent as a stand alone artist. 6/10

Great album, very chill vibe obviously. I have heard some of his songs but never the whole album. If you like reggae then you have probably heard of him and if not give it a listen. Definitely makes me want to smoke some ganja.

An all time classic reggae record. Always fun.

Don't know if this quite hit the mark the Wailers achieved. But pretty good

Best Song: Legalize It. I mean, what's not to love about a song so earnest? Worst Song: Ketchy Shuby. One of those highly repetitive songs that somehow always sounds like its own outro. Overall: I mean, it's fine. Not my genre, but not unpleasant. Fine background music for me.

I enjoyed this one and have even added it to my favourites on Tidal. Tracks are varied enough to retain interest and Tosh's vocal is clear so that you're not trying to figure out what he is singing as you have to do in many albums. Like the style, the voice, the songs and the playing.

Good album. Great vibe.

A really nice reggae album by one of the great names. Exactly as you'd expect it to sound, which is not bad.

I don't often listen to reggae, this was perfectly enjoyable though.

Reggae is not my jam, so I wouldn't venture to say what's good or bad, but these songs much have been influential because I recognize them.

Smooth, belle voix; le rythme des textes épouse bien celui du reggae sans que ça paraisse redondant

Fair play to him, it’s very listenable, but he’s no Bob Marley.

It's fine but I'd rather listen to it on a beach or a resort over a sterile office.

No sympathy is a great song, the rest is a good vibe but nothing special

I do like a bit of Reggae. This is pretty generic really and nothing special