Recommend me some reggae
 

I really dig reggae but have been in a rut recently. The big name artists: Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Bob Marley are what i am most familiar with. I have been listening to the reggae station on XM radio and have determined there is a ton out there that i also really dig. Case in point, tonight i heard a song by Cocoa Tea and Buju Banton which i also really dug.


So, i need recommendations. Thanks!

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

I'm a big fan of the dub style so some of my favorites are:


Augusto Pablo- East of the River Nile

Augustus Pablo- King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown

Pretty much any of the early Lee Perry Upsetter records but especially, Blackboard Jungle Dub and Kung Fu Meets the Dragon

The Scientist- Rids the World of the Curse of the Evil Vampires

For roots I like:

Black Uhuru- Red

Burning Spear- Marcus Garvey and Man in the Hills

Israel Vibration- Unconquered People and Strength of My Life

Black Uhuru- Red

I really like the early Lee Perry produced Bob Marley too that you don't hear as much, it's a lot more soulful and raw than his later work, African Herbsman and Soul Rebels are two of the best from this period.

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

For some smooth mellow sounds try Wayne Wonder. For Dancehall style,can't go wrong with Shabba Ranks or SuperCat

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

My friend is in a Reggae type band, sort of a reggae - rock mix called The Aggrolites. Excellent band.

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

That's a great album.
And another killer one.

The <i>This Is Reggae Music</i> series is a wonderful introduction to some fantastic music, but I suppose those are antiquated by now. The <i>Rockers</i> soundtrack, likewise.

Aren't most of the Trojan compilations pretty much mandatory, also?

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

Gotta throw in some Steel Pulse in there.

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

Black Uhuru is great stuff.

Check out some older material from the Trojan label. They have some cheap priced 3 CD sets running all styles. The Trojan UK Hits set is very good.

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

Lots of good recs already.. here is another essential reggae album:

The Congos - Heart Of The Congos

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

Jacob Miller
Culture
Dennis Brown
Jimmy Cliff
Toots & The Maytals
Johnnie Clarke
Yellowman

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

Agreed, listened to True Democracy a number of times lately.

Also make sure you get a copy of the soundtrack to The Harder They Come immediately.

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

Two classic artists not yet mentioned:

Scratch Perry
Gregory Isaacs

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

Mishka, who just put out a new album in February.

One of his songs was a "discovery download" on iTunes a couple of weeks ago, nice song ("Above the Bones").

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

What about UB40, or is that too mainstream and uncool for purists?

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

"I can't help falling in love"
"Here I am"
"Red Red Wine"
"I've got you, babe"

Their covers overshadow their original success, but what can you say?

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

Countryman by Willie Nelson. Seriously!

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

Can't believe no one's mentioned the soundtrack for "The Harder They Come", arguably the most influential reggae album ever.

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

I wouldn't call them rock at all, but you got one thing right: excellent band.

But yeah, if the OP ends up digging them, there's other great reggae/ska bands out there these days like The Slackers, Hepcat, Westbound Train, The Pietasters, Bedouin Soundclash...although that stuff might be a bit more up-tempo than what you're looking for.

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

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Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

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Culture's Harder than the Rest and Two Sevens Clash... absolutely essential and superlative. Metro's Dub compilations (like Dub: More Bass Culture) are very good as well.

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

Another vote for Black Uhuru - the 2-disc anthology is an excellent overview. Also: Handsworth Revolution by Steel Pulse and the essential Blackheart Man by Bunny Wailer.

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

My wife likes Organic Garden Veggie, but I really like the Robusto Chopped Tomato Olive Oil & Garlic Pasta Sauce.

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

I can't stand them myself. I think it's cool that reggae remains practically the only genre established by people of African heritage that has by and large managed to avoid appropriation by Europeans/Americans.

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

Just in case: "African Herbsman" by Bob Marley & the Wailers (mostly produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry) is, in my opinion, their best album, even though it's technically a compilation. Be sure to check it out.

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

I like Sean Paul

Re: Recommend me some reggae
 

They have a few good originals, including "One in Ten", "Rat in Mi Kitchen", and "Food For Thought".