Roots Archives Forum

to me, it's hard to list essential albums in what is overwhelmingly a singles-oriented genre... 80% or more of my collection is singles, but in no particular order

1. Culture "Two Sevens Clash"
2. Derrick Harriott "Those Reggae Oldies" (compilation)
3. The Revolutionaries "The Revolutionaries"
4. Mutabaruka "Check It!"
5 Downbeat The Ruler - Best Of Studio One Instrumentals
(if you don't have them as Studio One singles, this is a good compilation)
6. U-Roy "Dread Inna Babylon"
7. Augustus Pablo "King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown"
8. Mighty Diamonds "Right Time"
9. Jacob Miller "Greatest Hits"
10. Horace Andy "Skylarking"

edit: i would consider a John Holt/Paragons album to be essential, but to me there's not really a compilation of his that covers all the bases.... same could be said for Slim Smith/Uniques, Techniques, Melodians..

To Blackbelt

You know, I always liked that Derrick Harriot Reggae Oldies comp. Great stuff. I almost put that in my list.

it's tough for me to listen to albums all the way through, but "Those Reggae Oldies", as cheesy as it might sound as a title, is a great comp pf Derrick Harriott productions - and it's still readily available, sounds excellent on LP, and is super cheap through Ernie B.

Let's leave out everything but bona fide LP's. No multi-artist or re-issue compilations, no singles collections, no soundtracks. One artist, one producer--or at least one cohesive series of recording sessions. That narrows it down, but also biases towards roots & against early DJ's and deep oldies!

No particular order:

1) Congos: Heart of the Congos (so happy to see this on so many people's lists)
2) Bob Marley & The Wailers: Soul Revolution
3) Upsetters: Scratch the Super Ape
4) Junior Byles: Beat Down Babylon
5) Yabby You: Conquering Lion
6) Keith Hudson: Flesh of My Skin, Blood of My Blood
7) Horace Andy: In The Light
8) Max Romeo: War Ina Babylon
9) Culture: Two Sevens Clash
10) Burning Spear: Marcus Garvey

Seems kinda vanilla I suppose, but then there's a reason for the consensus on so many of these! A top 15 or 40 might be more provocative.

RestoreJuniorByles wrote:Seems kinda vanilla I suppose, but then there's a reason for the consensus on so many of these! A top 15 or 40 might be more provocative.

I agree. I mean, the LPs you list are definitely part of the core canon of roots, but it ignores some great rocksteady, early reggae and dancehall that every reggae fan absolutely needs to hear. Not to mention the complete omission of any Bunny Lee material from the same era which is crucial.

Maybe it would be better to have a more lengthy list...

Franco Nero wrote:it ignores some great rocksteady, early reggae and dancehall that every reggae fan absolutely needs to hear. Not to mention the complete omission of any Bunny Lee material from the same era which is crucial.

Not very many "true" LPs of any of that material! Again, I meant to avoid compilations, singles collections, etc, in favor of LPs conceived as LPs.

I would put down
Culture - Two Sevens Clash
Black Uhuru - Black Sound Of Freedom
The Gladiators - Trenchtown Mixup
Toots & The Maytals - Monkey Man
The Abyssinians - Satta Massagana

I think these are the absolute Reggae recordings

Mosiah wrote:Ten albums I wouldn't go without:

Mighty Maytones - Boat To Zion
Viceroys - Brethren & Sistren
Militant Barry - Green Valley
Earth & Stone - Kool Roots
Wailers - Catch A Fire (original jamaican version)
Prince Far I - Livity
Tetrack - Trouble
Congos - Heart Of The Congos
Freddy McKay - Creation
Midnite - Unpolished

Was Catch A Fire changed in anyway for international reissue?

MatejkoFarI wrote: Was Catch A Fire changed in anyway for international reissue?

It was given a rock-friendly mix in the UK with some session cats laying down some guitar, keyboards and synths. Both versions were released together on the reissue CD.

This is Hard so many good albums.

# Barrington Levi - Jah The Creator
# Bob Marley - Burnin
# Bunny Wailer - Blackheart Man
# Burning Spear - Resistance
# Clinton Fearon - Soon Come
# Culture - Too Long In Slavery
# Dennis Brown - Words Of Wisdom
# Ijahman - Are We A Warrior
# Joe Higgs - Blackman Know Yourself
# Naturalites - Picture On The Wall