1994 - Bunny Wailer - Crucial! Roots Classics

1994 - Bunny Wailer - Crucial! Roots Classics @320

After unleashing a hat trick of unforgettable cultural albums between 1976-1978, Bunny Wailer seemed to have followed the rest of the reggae scene into ever-lighter, more commercially acceptable territories. "Seemed" because his international albums were a far cry from the kind of music he was self-releasing on singles back home. These remained enticingly out of sight for non-Jamaicans, until some of the best were collected for this album. The songs date from 1977-1985, 14 incredibly powerful cultural statements, all self-produced and backed by the likes of the Revolutionaries and the Roots Radics. The numbers are not arranged chronologically, nor did much thought go into the sequencing, but that's irrelevant, so superb is every track within.

Many of the songs reflected Jamaica's political and societal events, with 1978's "Peace Talk" inspired by the peace treaty agreed by Kingston's gangs, "Power Struggle" and "Tugawar Game" reflecting the corrosive battles carried into the streets by the island's two political parties, "Innocent Blood" a plea to stop the slaughter in the lead-up to the 1980 election, and 1981's "Unity" an attempt to heal the island's still-open wounds.

"Crucial" was used without permission by the Jamaican Labor Party as their campaign song in that election, and Bunny makes clear his feelings on their policies in "Trouble on the Road Again," "Boderation," and "Here in Jamaica."

The earliest song on the set, 1977's "Bright Soul," is one of the loveliest, although the "soul" referred to is actually Satan. The superb "Old Dragon" tells Lucifer's story in full, while "Struggle" instructs listeners on how to defeat this determined demon.

Although there are some notable omissions, there's no denying the caliber of all of these songs, both lyrically and musically.

At times, Bunny cleverly uses catchy, often nursery rhyme-ish melodies to great advantage, turning simple singalongs into thought-provoking yet incredibly contagious numbers. Nyahbinghi drumming, pastoral elements, bouncy roots reggae, sweet melodies, dubby production, dancehall styling, and even calypso are deftly applied to emphasize or counterpoint the messages of the songs.

Every song within is a standout, and the album's title is absolutely accurate. (AllMusic)

When this is posted I will be on holiday so there won't be any quick responses to comments.

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Bunny Wailer - 1988 - Liberation

 Bunny Wailer - 1988 - Liberation @320

The three original Wailers were an interesting mix of personalities. Bob Marley was the charismatic -- a prophet, mystic and ladies' man all rolled into one. Peter Tosh was the cynical revolutionary. And Bunny Livingston was... what? It was hard to say until the group splintered and the three all went on to varying degrees of solo success. Once Bunny was out of the shadow of Peter and Bob, it became clear that his was, in some ways, the more fully integrated talent and the more grounded vision. Listen to the rich, melodious speaking voice that introduces "Rise and Shine," the lead track on Liberation. Listen to the chesty, resonant voice that then proceeds to deliver the song itself. Bunny may simply be the best singer of the three -- Bob always seemed to be possessed by the song, sometimes shaken across the stage like a rag doll by the need to get the words out of his head. Peter Tosh always seemed slightly contemptuous of the whole singing process and invested minimal effort in it. But Bunny is always in control of both his instrument and his material, and is, in some ways, a more effective messenger because of it. There are so many highlights on this album that they almost don't count as highlights -- "Want to Come Home," with its Nyabinghi drum foundation and its simple, powerful repatriation message; "Liberation," with its effortless melodic hook; "Bald Head Jesus" with its matter-of-fact references to Jesus as a "dreadlocked Nazarene" and its incorporation of "Give Me That Old Time Religion." It just doesn't get much better than this. (AllMusic)

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Bunny Wailer - 1976 - Blackheart Man

 

Bunny Wailer - 1976 - Blackheart Man @320

After leaving the Wailers behind, Bunny Wailer (born Neville Livingston) wasted no time establishing himself as a highly original and visionary singer and songwriter on his own. His solo debut remains one of the most extraordinary albums of the roots period, a complex but instantly attractive and occasionally heartbreaking record that never rises above a whisper in tone but packs as much political and spiritual wallop as the best of Bob Marley's work. Critics have been praising this album for more than 25 years, and they generally (and quite rightly) focus on the quality of such songs as the quietly ferocious "Fighting Against Conviction" (aka "Battering Down Sentence"), the classic repatriation anthem "Dreamland," and the apocalyptic "Amagideon," but the song that pulls you into Bunny Wailer's magical web of mystical Rastafarianism is the first one, in which Wailer recalls being warned by his mother to avoid Rastas ("even the lions fear him") and then describes his eventual conversion, all in a tone of infinite gentleness and sadness at the hardhearted blindness of Babylon. Are there missteps? Maybe one or two: The bluesy "Oppressed Song" never quite gets off the ground, for example. But taken as a whole, Blackheart Man is an astounding achievement by an artist who was, at the time, only at the beginning of what would be a distinguished career.

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Bunny Wailer - 1980 - Rock N Groove (Remastered 2007)

 Bunny Wailer - 1980 - Rock N Groove (Remastered 2007) @320

When this album was first released in 1980 it met with phenomenal responses, both in Jamaica and abroad as the most significant new release in reggae, exemplifying what was considered to be the forefront of Jamaican music. Now available for the first time on CD, this re-mastered 17 track masterpiece includes new liner notes written by Bunny himself, as well as 8 bonus tracks that Bunny hand-picked to add to this CD's timeless musical relevance. Considered by many experts to be one of Bunny's greatest releases in his long and illustrious career, the album is sure to excite new reggae fans worldwide. Most of these songs are part of Bunny's live stage shows, which have been tearing it up both in Europe and the US for the past several years. This three-time Grammy winner has decided the time is right to reissue this rich musical treasure, as the new reggae dancehall fans need some positive nourishment. (Amazon)

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Bunny Wailer – Dubd'sco - Volumes 1 & 2 (1999) Flac

* Tracks 1 - 7 from the LP Dubd'sco Vol. 1 1978 Bunny Wailer - Dubd’sco Vol. 1 * 

* Tracks 8 - 17 from the LP Dubd'sco Vol. 2 1981 Bunny Wailer - Dubdsco Vol. 2 *

* Enjoy, Reb 😎 Link 👇 *