Customer Reviews

African Herbsman

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is absolutely the best thing you have ever heard. I originally bought the LP in London in 1985. Little did I know what I was getting. This is pure reggae. There are no fancy studio tricks, just pure virtuosity. Virtuosity of the soul, not the instrument. Sometimes I forget about this album for a while. Whenever it surfaces, I pop it in and every little t'ing gonna be alright.

For those of who started with Marley's albums on the Island label, you should know you're missing out if you don't have this album. Lee Perry (legendary producer) produced this album at the fabled Black Ark studios. This is what reggae sounded like before Marley achieved the world wide crossover success that made him a pop/rock/reggae star. If you like roots reggae, look no furher than this album.

Without a doubt, the best and most powerful point Marley had reached was in the late sixties/early seventies. Duppy Conquerer and African Herbsman are tremendous Marley songs

Some of the most beautiful reggae I have ever heard. I can't recommend it enough. Listen to the Wailers before Island Records cleaned up and rocked out Bob Marley's sound (i.e., no rock guitar solos). Listen to Lee Perry before he became too smoked out and his music got thick, repetitive, and slowed down (I like the "Heart of the Congos", but I prefer this).

There is a real vitality to this disc. Contains some of the best versions of Bob Marley classics: the versions of "Small Axe" and "Put it on" contained herein put the "Burnin" album to shame. The riddims are incredible, but so are the melodies. These are great songs that have more then one chord change, breaks, intros, etc. The songs also cover a full spectrum of organic human emotion: enlightenment, sadness, defiance, love, sex, happiness. The Wailers' harmonies never sounded better.

By the way, if you like what you hear, also check out "Soul Rebel" from Receiver Records (watch out because there are a few Bob Marley discs entitled "Soul Rebel"). Like this disc, it is also a pre-Island Wailers release with Lee Perry at the mantrols and contains a brillant vocal and dub of Peter Tosh's 400 years.

Does anyone know if there is anything else out there as good as this? I am interested in essential early reggae, rocksteady, and ska records but don't have boatloads of money to spend on cds. I bought the virgin guide to reggae, which is nice, but I was hoping that it might contain some lists (e.g., these are the 10 best rocksteady cds). Not having a bunch of money, I can't afford to play the hit and miss game.

This is the early Bob Marley, before he signed on with Chris Blackwell and Island Records. The sound is more basic, simple and raw. The title track is one of Marley's best. This disk also includes "Duppy Conqueror," "Small Axe," "Keep on Movin'," and a very early version of "Lively Up Yourself."