Customer Reviews

Dreams of Freedom

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I remember ignoring this album when it was originally released because the thought of an ambient Marley record sounded lame. What a terrible mistake on my part! This CD just flattened me! There's a lot more going on than just a typical dub remix so some purists may not dig it, but if you appreciate ambient and good dub this is all you. I can't believe how well these songs work in this context (with the possible exception of No Woman No Cry; it's good but not great.) This is a sweet record to chill out to or to put on when you want the mood laid back. It sounds cool in the headphones but in a good system with big bass it really opens up. Bass players take heed: Aston "Family Man" Barrett will take you to school and in this dubbed out mix he's never been more up front. Listen and learn.
I was concerned that this was just an excuse to use the Marley name but it was obviously done with the love and respect that the music and Marley's spirituality deserves. Praise to Bill Laswell for doing it right. Wish I'd caught on sooner, but better late than never.

The concept of this album seems to be rather troubling to the traditional Bob Marley fans, who seem to only wish to hear his tunes the way he recorded them back-in-the-day. I offer no criticism of this attitude towards this album. However, I have a different attitude towards it. What Bill Laswell does with his ambient, acidic remixes of Mr. Marleys tunes is rather impressive. The vocals all but absent, anything of any energy level but laid-back-energy is also absent. But there is something special about these translations. No you will not be singing along as you drive with your friends, but when you're at home sitting on your couch, you'll really realize the magic of this album.

I have listened to hundreds, perhaps thousands, of albums over the past four decades, and this one ranks in my top 25. Almost every cut is great, and several are just superb! They range from haunting to hard-driving, and the technical quality of the production is unsurpassed; the better your sound system, the more you'll enjoy it! I have listened to this album at least 15 times now, and I never grow tired of it. I give this my highest recommendation!

Bill Laswell has done a wonderful job of translating Marley's music into a dreamlike ambient album. I've bought this album for friends as holiday gifts and they are amazed as I am at the production and environment created by this work. A staple as dinner music in our house, I would recommend this CD to anyone who wishes to hear a relaxing blend of Marley's music that would have made him proud.

This is a real nice compilation. The bass and drum sound is freakin' amazing! There's no Bob vocals at all, rather these intense, intense harmonies that evoke his spirit and vibe without actually being him. It's really neat!

Bill Laswell, you are a courageous man. This is a very psychedelic album! Alot of people say "this isn't dub!" but I don't care about the labels, I say let this music stand on its own.

Gets your groove on or lulls you to dreamland, depending on your mood. A rare gem. Expect quite a bit of tampering and ambient sounds and big dubby drum and bass licks from the original masters. NO BEAT BOX HERE. High praise to Laswell for that restraint. It's wonderful to hear the bass and drums from these big talents up front and isolated. The only track that is average is No Woman No Cry. Hard to say why, just not the best song for dub treatment.

i really only respect a tribute if it has roots and i think that this one has roots. Chriss balckwell (bobs original producer and the owner of island records) and bill laswell were in kingston and chriss mentioned helping him to work on a marley translation project. and laswell not knowing bob personally he in true dub style which any one in dub mentallity would have done decided to take some of his most favorite songs and not just give you another bob compillation for you to breath new life into a soul not just glorify over and over again. what do you think dub is its just regge classics rut up retranslated reverbed delayed.. new life. imagine a phychadelic spirtual ambient dream relaxing listening to your regular marley it might turn into it naturally try it. only features marley in maybe 3 songs sparcelly and the original backround singers. all new mixes new instuments never heard before im marley tablas, new keyboards, cut ups, dense delays,dub

Basically this C.d. is exactly what is says it is.It Has a very dream-like quality to it in the sense that all the songs are linked by ambient music.Not special amibient music just your typical soft-sounding type.Marley himself is to be heard singing on only one of the tracks.However the I-threes(backing singers)are on nearly all of them.THIS IS NOT A TRUE DUBWISE MAKE OVER.It is far more ambient than dub,so if that is what your looking for,stay away! A good choice of songs which could have worked well.Unfortunately the ambient music was too overdone for me.You get the feeling that it could have been done so much better by someone else.Is this a good example of cashing in on the Marley name,well I hope not.Peace.

Those looking for actual "dub", beware, but those who are looking for unique and new interpretations of Marley, this one hits the mark. Nothing really precedent setting here, just solid ambient-like grooves. Ignore other reviews from "hardline" dubheads that criticize the labels description of this c.d., catagorizing this one is really left up to you. The only thing I would have like to have heard on this would be more of Marley's voice. Otherwise I was very satisfied with this album.

I could see how some hardcore reggae fans might find this not-to-their-liking, and I too was unsure of this when I saw it. After listening to it as it's own piece of music, I'd give it the go ahead. Its not the type of thing you'd hear coming out of Kingston, but all the music here is created by the Wailers and comes from the original tracks. If we could just get Island to release the strictly dub tracks without as many the modern effects, we'd be in much better shape. BUT, this is an interesting reinterperetation of the vibes Marley was putting out.