Customer Reviews

Deeper Roots: Best of the Meditations

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

 

 

Reggae fans do not let the review by "Harper" mislead you! "Weak songwriting"? Anyone who says that about a Meditations album obviously doesn't have a clue about reggae or music in general. Sorry to sound harsh, but it's the plain truth.
If you like Roots Reggae, look no further! This is a fantastic collection of classic Meditations music. As mentioned, the title "Deeper Roots" says it all! I got my copy a little over a year after it's release and still listen to it regularly. A definite must have for any roots reggae collection! Enjoy!

if you want to get a feel of what the music was like, what it had to say, then this is some of what you should be listening to. if you heard bob and peter and bunny, then this is the kind of sound that grew from and inspired them. this is the music that grew out of the work of dodd and the mighty sparrow. it is by no means perfect as say, ella or billie or basie, but it has all the power of them. this is probably some of what bob listened to on the steps of his house each morning as he took breaks between composing and matching chords with his acoustic guitar. what more need be said?

Looking for real reggae? Look no further than this disc, which contains some of the best roots and harmony reggae you'll find anywhere. Much deeper and much better than the shorter "Greatest Hits" on Shanachie, this disc from Heartbeat is without any weak tracks. Every song is a killer and proof positive that The Meditations are one of the greatest reggae vocal groups of all-time, ranking right up there with The Melodians, The Heptones, Culture and The Mighty Diamonds.

Heartbeat's packaging is great as well, and includes informative liner notes which explain how great of an influence The Meditations were on Bob Marley. The sound is superior. Production credits include the great Lee Perry on songs like "No Peace."

This disc will have you singing all day, and it will do wonders for your religious spirits as well. My reggae cds are pretty large in number, but this one stays in the cd changer an awful lot. A must-have for any reggae collection.

Bob Marley's favorite band? Yup...The Meditations were that and for good reason. Classic roots style from one of the premier harmony trios. Good collection of their classics, and a good place to start. 4 Stars.

Loses a Star because it doesn't include the stellar 'Standing On The Corner' from the Greatest Hits collection. Also check out the reissue of Guidance.

I bought this album on the strength of the two reviews above. I respect the opinions of the reviewers above, but in my opinion the songwriting is really weak.

The songs are extremely repetitive and simple - and not in a pleasing way. Unlike some classic dub, where some the groove can become hypnotic through repetition, the focus of this work is largely harmony based, and the simple lyrics and repetitive melodies merely become cloying, old and irritating.

There wasn't a single track on the album I liked enough to listen to again - aside from "Woman is Like a Shadow," which is already on a compilation I own (and highly recommend) - "Hit Bound: The Revolutionary Sound of Channel One."