Kaya

I love The Wailers, but even i'm almost getting tired of giving them 5 star reviews! In many people's eyes Kaya was seen as a drop in form after the collosal achievement that was Exodus. Let's not forget that Time magazine voted Exodus as the most important album of the 20th century. But despite not matching Exodus, Kaya is still great. Just like Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs, The Wailers often mixed love songs with "reality" themed songs. It's a shame in my view that it is mostly the love songs that are the most famous. It says it all that Legend took only 1 song from Catch A Fire, 2 from Burnin' and none from Survival. It is interesting that this album is the opposite of Exodus in that the first 5 songs are the more feel good, love songs etc and the second half has the more serious ones. It opens with the relaxed, joyous Easy Skanking and Kaya before the hit single Is This Love. This album contains a few reworkings of old songs (Kaya, Sun Is Shining and Satisfy My Soul) but unlike the few on Natty Dread for instance, the new versions can be held up to the originals. As you would expect the musicianship is outstanding and the trademark melodies are present and correct. The Wailers music attracts many different people, some really listen to the lyrics and others who just want to put it on and drift away and Kaya has songs that will suit everyone. The first half of the album is concluded by another classic love song Satisfy My Soul. But then the second half starts in sombre mood with the heartache of She's Gone and feature some of my favourite lyrics off the album.

"She had left me a note, hanging on my door
she say she couldn't take it, she couldn't
take any more
the pressure around me, just couldn't see
she felt like a prisoner, who needs to be free..."

The quality continues to the end of the album. Crisis is another of my favourites with more great lyrics from Bob.

"They say the sun, shines for all
but in some people world, it never shines at all
they say love is a stream, that will
find it's course
some people think life is a dream
so they making matters worse."

It's a beautiful song on an album full of them. If I were to try and pick standouts i'd probably end up listing half the album! What makes it even more unbelievable is that as great as Kaya is, it still doesn't make the top 5 or 6 albums by The Wailers. Those spots are fought over by (in no particular order) Soul Rebels, Soul Revolution, Catch A Fire, Burnin' Exodus, Survival and Best of The Wailers (recorded at Beverley's, produced by Leslie Kong and Warrick Lyn). The music of The Wailers is timeless and Bob Marley's lyrics will remain relevant as long as there are human beings on this planet. Bob Dylan is more poetic, Bruce Springsteen is a great storyteller, The Beatles wrote more hits but who else could say so much so simply?

'Kaya' has to be the album that most comprehensively demonstrates Marley's different styles. A small amount of money can give access to his best tracks. I would highly recommend that anyone beginning to explore reggae furnishes themselves with 'Kaya', it is second only to 'Exodus'. I own all Marley's albums, 'Exodus' and 'Kaya' are the best, and are essentials for any fan of reggae music.

Quality album just replacing my vinyl collection so its great to hear all the tunes again from my youth takes me back in time. Mr. Robert Nesta Marley is timeless and lives on