[humanflyz]

I recently started to listen to the two CDs I have to Bob Marley and fell in love with the music all over again. Right now I only have the Legends "best-of" compilation and Kaya. So what's next for me?

 

[DJ Mauler]

Whoa So Many

i would say Songs Of Freedom


4 discs got pretty much everything he did

from the start to the last stuff he did

 

[zumaro]

The best Marley by far is the early stuff. My favorite is African Herbsman, with Lee "Scratch" Perry in charge of the lean production. Its a masterpiece with a set of classic songs, many of which were re-recorded by Marley later on - they are the inferior smoothed out versions you hear on Legend.

 

[markl]

For Songs of Freedom has too many rarities, and not enough of the proper versions of his best songs to be good one-stop shopping. I would say get Exodus first, then Burnin' and Catch A fire. Get the 2001 remastered versions.

 

[kunuggs]

I would suggest Natty Dread, Exodus, and Catch a Fire. In that order, but it really doesn't matter since they are all wonderful.

 

[rhythmdevils]

what about uprising? that's my favorite bob marley album hands down.

Uprising
Exodus
Natty Dread
Burn'n
Confrontation
Catch A Fire

and for the older songs, the young Bob Marley, I would highly recomend "Simmer Down at Studio One". a 2 CD set. Its got all kinds of super good american oldies and marley songs in their early states. you can really hear what his music came from and how would turn into reggae, the blending of american pop, african and carribean.

 

[gtp]

I also like Babylon By Bus, as a good live album and an overview of his works. Beyond that, you have to spend lots more $$$. Either the aforementioned Songs of Freedom box set, which is more interesting if you want to hear the evolution of an artist, or go out and start buying each CD. Each one has its gems and they shouldn't be too expensive.

One warning for all Marley newbies: Don't expect the peace-loving, smiling, jolly fellow that Marley has been made out to be by pothead nouveau-hippies. You will find he was a serious activist and revolutionary, especially in his earlier music.

 

[Jeff Wong]

http://www.slate.com/id/2135672/

 

[Jeff E]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kunuggs I would suggest Natty Dread, Exodus, and Catch a Fire. In that order, but it really doesn't matter since they are all wonderful.

Replace Exodus with Live! in Kunuggs' list and you have my order of recommendation.

 

[gaijin]

You could get the Deluxe editions of some of these albums :

- Positive vibration contains an excellent concert recording with pretty much the same tracks as on the Live ! album,

- Exodus contains a second CD with more live tracks, including Jamming and Exodus



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...Fencoding=UTF8

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...Fencoding=UTF8

 

[VicAjax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zumaro The best Marley by far is the early stuff. My favorite is African Herbsman, with Lee "Scratch" Perry in charge of the lean production. Its a masterpiece with a set of classic songs, many of which were re-recorded by Marley later on - they are the inferior smoothed out versions you hear on Legend.

yes! and Soul Rebels... anything with Scratch's name on it. but then again, i'm a bigger fan of Lee "Scratch" Perry than of Marley. not that Marley ain't great, but sheesh, enough of the fratafarians.