Catch a Fire review

The 5th album by Bob Marley and the Wailers. By this time, the band had become international stars and this is the start of their more critically acclaimed stuff.

Tracks:

1. Concrete Jungle: 9/10 great title, catchy tune, thought-provoking lyrics. A slam dunk.

2. Slave Driver: 8/10 don't let the catchy, somewhat upbeat-sounding melody fool you: this is a serious, thought-provoking song that packs a wallop.

3. 400 Years: 9/10 this hard-hitting song have may have appeared previously on Soul Rebels, but that doesn't reduce its impact at all.

4. Stop That Train: 8/10 pleasingly simple and very easy to enjoy.

5. Baby We Got a Date (Rock it Baby): 8/10 highly enjoyable if merely diverting rather than definitive.

6. Stir it Up: 8/10 it's too long, it's repetitive, whatever! The amazing instrumental makes any flaw irrelevant.

7. Kinky Reggae: 6/10 catchy even if it's completely meaningless.

8. No More Trouble: 9/10 typical but quality Marley fare.

9. Midnight Ravers: 8/10 it doesn't make an awful lot of sense, but that doesn't detract from the song particularly and it closes the album on a high.

Best song: Concrete Jungle
Worst song: Kinky Reggae

Summary: Overall, an excellent reggae album. The main problem I've had with Marley in the past has been repetition. There wasn't so much of that in this one. It's also a successful combination of hugely enjoyable reggae instrumentals and Marley's soulful, political lyrics. As a result, the album is a very accomplished mixture of art and entertainment. It doesn't have any 5 star tracks, but it also doesn't have a single bad song and it's easily the best Wailers album so far.



Final rating: 9/10