Dating from 1970 I think the music on this album is transitioning from Rocksteady into Reggae, the former dominating Jamaican music at the end of the 1960s and the latter dominating Jamaican music throughout the 1970s. This album sees the group exploring historical, cultural, spritual themes which indicates a Rastafarian consciousness, as well as more light hearted themes such as love and day-to-day living. There is a strong American Soul and R&B music presence here, too, which had been a huge influence on Jamaican music since the Ska days. Bunny Wailer's backing vocals are sublime, whilst Bob Marley and Peter Tosh have a more even share of lead vocal duties with Tosh singing six and Tosh singing four of the tracks.
Apparently, this album was a source of conflict between The Wailers and its producer Leslie Kong. Legend has it that Kong was cursed, leading to the producer's untimely death of a heart attack the next year at the age of thirty eight. I think shortly after this album had been recorded The Wailer's would start work with producer Lee "Scratch" Perry, another collaboration which would be marred by conflict - although a collaboration which would see the creation of some of their most celebrated and respected works. I think "The Best of the Wailers" has a lot of merit, even in comparison to perhaps greater achievements in the not-too-distant future. The songs are strong, flow well and there doesn't seem to be much in the way of filler.