REVIEW: Bob Marley and the Wailers, "Exodus [30th Anniversary Edition]"

Posted on May 11, 2007 by Skittle.
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Bob Marley - Exodus (30th Anniversary Edition) Artist: Bob Marley and the Wailers
Album: Exodus [30th Anniversary Edition]
Year: 1977/2007
Label: Tuff Gong
Score:

About to sneeze? On this date, twenty-six years ago, the world lost one of the greatest musicians of our century. About four years earlier, arguably his best album was released. In 1999, Rolling Stone magazine named the album the top “Album of the Century.” On May 14, it is being re-released as a special 30th Anniversary edition.

Back around 2002 I went through a big reggae phase, researching and listening to the genre like there was no other music around. I’m talking about good reggae, not this Sean Paul shit they label it now. Early reggae, back from before black music hit the downward spiral it careens down to this day. Back then is when I first got into the music of Bob Marley. His music earned nearly constant rotation in my CD player, I became fascinated with the man. His music was just so good. Like most great musicians, however, he had been dead since before I was even born. This didn’t stop me from thinking he was awesome though! The first Marley CD that I purchased was the “greatest hits” compilation that everyone and their mother owns, Legend, which houses the greatest of the great songs by Marley. An example of how good the album this review centers around, Exodus, is obvious by the fact that of the ten tracks on it, five made it on this career-spanning “best of” album. That’s half! How often do albums get half of their tracks on a later “hits” compilation?!

That ain't tobacco! The album fades in with a cool instrumental riff until Marley’s voice kicks in with the lyrics to “Natural Mystic.” The album picks up for the second track with “So Much Things to Say,” an upbeat song about… well… the whole revolution/the man keeps us down thing many of his songs cover. It’s a fun song though, with lots of “la la la”s. “Guiltiness” is nothing particularly special, though “The Heathen” is a nifty little song. Seeing as the album was originally released as an LP record it is in two parts, and the first half ends on the title track. “Exodus” is one of Marley’s greatest achievements, in my humble opinion. Unlike many of his songs, he and his band incorporated a bit of electronic distortion and the like. The lyrics are well written, the music is quite grooveable, and the message is clear.

Side two starts off with the fun track, “Jamming.” A song that makes you want to… well… dance around your room like a crazy person when no one’s watching. The next two tracks are odes to women. “Waiting in Vain” is about wanting a particular woman who is hesitant to be with him, and he is not fond of having to wait. Especially if she’s never going to budge. “Turn Your Lights Down Low,” however, is a song about him very clearly having a girl and about to do various things to her. It doesn’t delve into detail, but he makes it clear that he plans on giving her some “good, good lovin’.” Same girl? Different girl? Completely unrelated? That’s up to the listener. “Three Little Birds” is a cheerful, inspiring song that could snap even Britney Spears out of a self-destructing depression. The album comes to an end on the song “One Love/People Get Ready.” The song, a combination of a Marley composition and a cover of the song written by Curtis Mayfield over a decade earlier. The lyrics revolve around Marley’s belief in global unity, a goal that many have shared since. Though it has yet to happen.

Live at the Rainbow This 30th Anniversary release of the album includes a DVD of Marley and The Wailers’ 1977 performance at The Rainbow in London, England. This concert has been released on both VHS and DVD previously, so I was able to get a copy of it. The show is a well-recorded, energetic one with a talented band and a setlist full of some of Marley’s greatest songs…

Trenchtown Rock
Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)
I Shot The Sheriff
Rebel Music
Lively Up Yourself
Crazy Baldhead
War/No More Trouble
Heathen
No Woman, No Cry
Jamming
Get Up, Stand Up
Exodus

I’m not including the packaging or contents in my opinion. I’m assuming this release at least comes with a booklet full of info, seeing as it’s priced at $40 on Amazon.com. It’s a great album and a great concert, but that seems a bit pricey if you ask me. I’m rating the release a 4.5 out of 5 because of the fact that it’s truly one of the greatest albums ever, but it seems like they just slapped a DVD on there so that they could re-release it and triple the price. It would have been nice to include something else in addition to the concert DVD or maybe something that was new to fans, especially for that price tag. I don’t know… maybe I’m just greedy.

Edit: It appears this release is to be more revolutionary than expected. It’s to be released in a limited run of 4000 USB memory sticks painted red, green, and yellow; 2000 micro SD memory cards that can be slid into mp3 players and such; a 5000 item release of the CD+DVD version I reviewed; a standard CD in a nifty new hardback case; and an LP release. Found out via music-news.com.