Bob Marley & The Wailers - Exodus: 30th Anniversary Edition

The Marley machine keeps rolling on

weeks in the UK album charts and finally took Bob and co way beyond the limited West Indian market. Sadly, on the way those very people who revelled in The Wailers’ early 70s recordings, and grudgingly acknowledged that Burnin’ and Natty Dread were strong roots reggae albums, moved away to other Jamaican superstars such as Burning Spear and Dennis Brown due to the ever widening gap between contemporary Jamaican music and Marley’s broader style.

Marley had always wanted to go ‘international’ and with the disco-reggae of the title track, and the dance-around-your-handbags Jammin’, Waiting In Vain and One Love/People Get Ready, he’d cracked it. Recorded in London following an assassination attempt at home in Jamaica, the basic sound was funky, big band international reggae.

The 30th Anniversary Edition is rather disappointing, as it’s only the basic original album, which has been available on mid-price CD for many years, jazzed-up with a cardboard slipcase. No bonus tracks, expansive sleeve notes or even unseen pictures, just the bog-standard long player. One for Marley completists only.

3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

Island/Universal/Tuff Gong | 1734079

Reviewed by Mat Croft
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