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Product Description
Review
There's a sense of splitting hairs when assessing Bob Marley albums. From 1975 to 1980 he exercised a level of long-player quality control unheard of in both singles-based reggae and popular music altogether. Yet a convincing case can be made for 1977's Exodus being top of the pile.
Widely considered to be his best work, no other album has as many tracks featured on Legend; the biggest selling reggae record of all time. Exodus was also recorded between two key events in the Marley story; the assassination attempt and the One Love Peace Concert, marking his transformation from rebel to superstar in the eyes of the world.
Fittingly, it's an album of two halves; opening with the slow fade-up of ''Natural Mystic'', followed by the exuberant ''So Much Things To Say''; with Bob's reggae-scat on the final verse mimicking the 'nonsense talk' all around him. ''Guiltiness'' and ''The Heathen'' explore darker territory, before the glorious primordial shuffle of the title track.
''Jamming'' signals the change in tone, followed by ''Waiting In Vain'' (how to write the perfect love song using a few deft strokes) and the Clapton-esque ''Turn Your Lights Down Low'' (how not to). The album closes with the uplifting ''Three Little Birds'', and Curtis Mayfield adaptation ''One Love''.
Exodus was book-ended by the less well-received Rastaman Vibration and Kaya, which, oddly, both possess the one thing Exodus doesn't; a sense of unity across the tracks. While the earlier songs could easily have ended up on Kaya (the sessions overlapped) the later ones sound like they came from a different session altogether.
So if you like an album to be a complete whole, try the blunted production of Kaya, the politically-savvy Survival, or the maturity of Uprising. For Bob's greatest song-writing, un-tempered by Peter, Bunny or Scratch, Exodus is king. --Angus Taylor
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CD > POPULAR MUSIC > ROCK
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Everything that needs to be said or written about this 20th century musical masterpiece has already been said and written, so here's a personal perspective that I sometimes share with myself when listening to Exodus. I'm not a huge reggae fan, in fact this is the only reggae album in my collection, which has be growing steadily for the last 36 years.
There's a sort of paradox with Exodus, on the one hand the music is so tight that you couldn't get a proverbial cigarette paper between the bass, percussion, guitars, keyboards, and vocals. On the other hand here's a group of musicians who are so talented and confident about their music that the notes seems to drip off them with very little effort. You get the impression that they had a great deal of fun making this album, no pressure no deadlines. Island records had a reputation for giving their artists time and space to develop their craft in those days.
For the purists out there this 30th anniversary edition has no extras, just 37 minutes of original perfection. No need to clutter it with stuff that wasn't deemed worthy of inclusion 30 years ago.
Sometimes when groups of like minded talented people get together, their mood, skill and enthusiasm produce great things, a moment in time never to be repeated in their life time. England won the world cup in 1966. Nirvana recorded Nevermind in 1991. Exodus was one of those moments. If you've not heard it give it a try I'm sure it will be in your collection for many years to come and who knows, your might one day replace it with the 50th anniversay edition!!
There's a sort of paradox with Exodus, on the one hand the music is so tight that you couldn't get a proverbial cigarette paper between the bass, percussion, guitars, keyboards, and vocals. On the other hand here's a group of musicians who are so talented and confident about their music that the notes seems to drip off them with very little effort. You get the impression that they had a great deal of fun making this album, no pressure no deadlines. Island records had a reputation for giving their artists time and space to develop their craft in those days.
For the purists out there this 30th anniversary edition has no extras, just 37 minutes of original perfection. No need to clutter it with stuff that wasn't deemed worthy of inclusion 30 years ago.
Sometimes when groups of like minded talented people get together, their mood, skill and enthusiasm produce great things, a moment in time never to be repeated in their life time. England won the world cup in 1966. Nirvana recorded Nevermind in 1991. Exodus was one of those moments. If you've not heard it give it a try I'm sure it will be in your collection for many years to come and who knows, your might one day replace it with the 50th anniversay edition!!
1 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Exodus
I got a bit carried away with my Bob Marley orders, but this one is well worth having, and I`m pleased with it. The problem is always one of duplication----some of the tracks are on other cd`s too, but on I-music I can delete those and I`m still left with some real gems. If you like Bob Marley I think you`ll be glad to have this.
I got a bit carried away with my Bob Marley orders, but this one is well worth having, and I`m pleased with it. The problem is always one of duplication----some of the tracks are on other cd`s too, but on I-music I can delete those and I`m still left with some real gems. If you like Bob Marley I think you`ll be glad to have this.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Amazing even by Marley's standards
28 Dec 2007
Format:Audio CD
I've never really heard a Marley album I didn't like, but this is arguably the best of the bunch. Classic hits abound, including my favorite Bob Marley song, the heartbreaking ballad "Waiting in Vain"; the message oriented space-reggae title track; "Jammin'", with a fantastic groove, unforgettable chorus, and unbeatable atmosphere; and the feel-good instant-smile dynamic duo closers "Three Little Birds" and the Curtis Mayfield quoting "One Love/People Get Ready". If you haven't heard these five tracks, I don't know where you've been, but you owe it to yourself to listen to them.
But how's the rest? About as good, surprisingly. Of the leftovers, my favorite is the sensual slow jam "Turn Your Lights Down Low", an underrated song that really deserves more recognition, though I also adore the vibe sent out by "Natural Mystic", with its suspenseful fade-in. Awesome way to start a record. The remaining three songs on the side don't match up to that standard, but that's all because the ceiling on this one's pretty high. Okay, so "So Much Things to Say" won't ever be mentioned in Bob's upper echelons, but it's decent; "The Heathen" has an interesting synthesizer part; and "Guiltiness" features a fantastic refrain.
My only complaint about this album is what ISN'T on it. "Punky Reggae Party", the b-side of "Jammin'", is one of my absolute favorite Bob songs. I wish it had made its way onto the album. For whatever reason, it didn't find its way on as a bonus track to this "30th anniversary edition", even though it's available in such format on the other issue. Weird! In fact, all the this edition really did was add a slipcase with a really cool photo of Bob on it.
Whatever, no matter how you buy Exodus it's a very worthy purchase. Probably the first Marley album you should get, even though Catch a Fire is better.
But how's the rest? About as good, surprisingly. Of the leftovers, my favorite is the sensual slow jam "Turn Your Lights Down Low", an underrated song that really deserves more recognition, though I also adore the vibe sent out by "Natural Mystic", with its suspenseful fade-in. Awesome way to start a record. The remaining three songs on the side don't match up to that standard, but that's all because the ceiling on this one's pretty high. Okay, so "So Much Things to Say" won't ever be mentioned in Bob's upper echelons, but it's decent; "The Heathen" has an interesting synthesizer part; and "Guiltiness" features a fantastic refrain.
My only complaint about this album is what ISN'T on it. "Punky Reggae Party", the b-side of "Jammin'", is one of my absolute favorite Bob songs. I wish it had made its way onto the album. For whatever reason, it didn't find its way on as a bonus track to this "30th anniversary edition", even though it's available in such format on the other issue. Weird! In fact, all the this edition really did was add a slipcase with a really cool photo of Bob on it.
Whatever, no matter how you buy Exodus it's a very worthy purchase. Probably the first Marley album you should get, even though Catch a Fire is better.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
30th Anniversary Edition? Really??
3 Sep 2009
Format:Audio CD
How can you call this a 30th Anniversary Edition? Even the re-mastered version of Exodus has 2 bonus tracks for crying out loud. The Deluxe Edition released in 2001 is the way to go. It contains 'Roots', one of Marley's non-album classics, 2 versions of 'Punky Reggae Party', alternative takes, tracks recorded with Lee Perry and a bunch of live tracks from the Exodus tour. Five Star rating. Why would you go any other way?
If you're looking for a 30th Anniversary Edition, pick Culture's Two Seven's Clash. Beautifully remastered with great bonus tracks. This is nothing more than marketing nonsense.
If you're looking for a 30th Anniversary Edition, pick Culture's Two Seven's Clash. Beautifully remastered with great bonus tracks. This is nothing more than marketing nonsense.
Legendary
7 Aug 2011
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Who am I to even rate this? Bob Marley is his own standard. Even though I'm not a reggae officianado, I think his work is ever poignant and transcends cultural boundaries and musical tastes. Our family dances around the house to this album on a regular basis.
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