The only reggae album I can stand is "Heart of the Congos"

also if you wanna try some Modern Roots
Sizzla - Black Woman & Child is a great starter

but wait. what have you heard that you can't stand?

No, I have never considered that. My slightly provocative exaggeration was intended to produce discussion and recommendations. Which it did. Don't get all serious on me. I'm thrilled to go through these.

i'm repeating myself slightly...but BURNING SPEAR-MARCUS GARVEY is an amazing album..and you can get it with its dub companion GARVEY's GHOST all one 1 CD ..and it's MID PRICE so cheap as.
it's always the first thing I recommend people that want to move on from BOB

The Congos & Friends - Fisherman Style
BAFCD/LP 050

Back in 1976-77, the Congos made an album which has gone on to earn true classic status, the epochal “Heart Of the Congos”. From that set, producers Cedric Myton and Roydel Johnson have selected the sublime “Fisherman” track and recorded a further 19 artists on the rhythm, originally produced by Lee Perry at his celebrated Black Ark studio in Kingston. Now collected in a stunning 2-CD & double LP package, the set is book-ended by the original vocal and dub cuts; in between, a stellar group of artists drawn not only from the veteran camp but also from the newer generation.

The original song dealt with the group’s sojourn in the “little old seaport town” of Old Harbour just outside Kingston, long a centre of the local fishing industry, where fish sellers ply their wares to all who come to buy; it describes the job of the fisherman and the responsibility of bringing the catch back to land, in order to feed the ‘hungry belly pickney” waiting on the shore. Roydel Johnson of the group has been a fisherman for much of his adult life, and this song [along with the whole original ‘Heart Of The Congos’ album] and the lyrics of ‘Fisherman’ reflect the true life situation the group found themselves in at that time.

In addition to the two tracks from the original set, the newly-recorded songs were voiced at Leggo Studio on Orange Street in the heart of downtown Kingston during the summer of 2005. A further three tracks were voiced outside of Jamaica; two in the UK and one in Germany. All tracks were then painstakingly edited and mixed down in Berlin, Germany by Mark Ernestus and Moritz von Oswald, better known as Rhythm & Sound.

Highlights of this 24-track selection include superb performances by Big Youth, Horace Andy, U-Roy, Mykal Rose, Freddie McGregor, Max Romeo, Prince Jazzbo, Sugar Minott and Luciano, often utilising new backing vocals by the Congos specifically recorded for this set. Broadly speaking, the artists have either stayed with the theme suggested by the original song, or alternatively, the artists in question have dealt with the possibilities of universal love and related Rasta ‘livity’ or way of life. The original rhythm track has proved itself more than capable of sustaining the new songs, whether they be performed by the veteran artists or the newcomers. Highlights of the latter include Lutan Fyah’s “Whitewash Walls” and Early One’s “Jig Jig Jig”, which relates in absolutely authentic detail the trials and tribulations involved in earning a living as a fisherman in 21st century Kingston.

The CD booklet and LP sleeve feature an essay by Steve Barrow and both are fully illustrated with session photos by Roydel Johnson and superbly evocative photographs of the Jamaican fisherman by celebrated photographer Adrian Boot. The CD edition is enhanced with two short video clips (one per CD) shot at the recording sessions by Roydel Johnson. Available in three formats - as a 2-CD set, a double vinyl album and in a series of 6 limited edition 7” 45 rpm singles - this set will prove a strong addition to the catalogue of the world’s leading reggae reissue label.

Track Listing
The Congos – Fisherman (edit)
Big Youth – Feed A nation
Horace Andy – Love Love Love
Max Romeo – Give Praises
Tony Tuff – Master Builder
Prince Jazzbo – Live Good Today
Freddie McGregor – Man Should Know
Dean Fraser – Fisherman’s Anthem
U-Roy – Fisherman Style
Sugar Minott – Captain Of The Ship
Dillinger – Row Fast
Mykal Rose – Let Your Love
Luciano – Going Home
Lutan Fyah – Whitewash Walls
Paul St Hilaire – Carthage
Country Culture – Make Poverty History
Early One – Jig Jig Jig
MacLaw – Nuh Worry Your Mind
Mr Raggamonica – Fisherman Melody
Gregory Isaacs – Spot And Beat The Bank
Ricky Chaplin – Behold Jah Live
Lucan I – Nine To Five
Al Pancho – Enjoy Your Blessings
Bring The Mackaback – Upsetters (dub)

Release Date April 25th, 2006

Don't know if this person still posts, but three years later it would be interesting to see what he actually checked out and liked. There's a few albums I rate higher than this, but as a follow-up experience to Congos I'd suggest:

Cedric Im Brooks - The Light Of Saba (Total Sounds) 76

Out of print, but most of it is included on the excellent Honest Jon's compilation. It shares much of the Nyabinghi influence with the Congos, but more. I wrote:

What if Sun Ra were dubwise? Fela Kuti a rasta? Curtis Mayfield, well, Curtis influenced countless Jamaican artists already...Who knew Sir Coxsone Dodd (RIP) had harbored such an adventurous spirit all those years? Since the early 60s, Brooks was one of Jamaica's premier instrumentalists, playing on many of Sir Coxsone Dodd's Studio One hits. His passion for jazz and African rhythms led him to Rastafarian drummer Count Ossie, with whom he formed Count Ossie And His Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari.

At the end of the decade Brooks went to Philadelphia to go to music college. He ended up meeting saxophonist Sonny Rollins and Sun Ra. Ra's communal-based approach of living and practicing together was not a far stretch from the dreads at home, and he was on the verge of joining the band when the birth of his daughter called him back.

He formed The Light Of Saba, and recorded four albums in the seventies that built upon The Mystic Revelation's brass and nyabinghi Rasta hand drumming, adding reggae guitars, dub effects, his own sax and wooden flute, and a wide variety of rhythms, from local Mento/calypso/rocksteady/reggae to Cuban, American funk and African burru, poco and kumina. Like Fela Kuti, he started with his native culture and expanded the influences to create something new and truly ahead of its time.

Honest Jons pulled 19 tracks from the four albums and 7" singles and released it last fall. It sounds incredible. The bass is deep, and the sound surpasses any of the early 70s reggae remasters I've heard lately. The instrumentals are hypnotic, there's occasional shouts and chanting that preclude African Head Charge, and even some soulful Curtis Mayfield inspired singing. Brooks went on to play with the Congos and the Skatalites. I'd say a reunion of this group is in order. Let's hope the full albums see the light of day too.

More:

Keith Hudson - Flesh Of My Skin, Blood Of My Blood (Mamba/Atra) 74
The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari - Tales Of Mozambique (Dynamic) 75
Ijahman - Haile I Hymn (Mango/Jahmani) 78

I still can't work out what makes this record so entrancing. I've had it for years and all I know is that when I put it on it gives me the tingles. Rain or shine, it always transports me to much warmer climes. Perry is definitely at the top of his game - there are no dubbed-out indulgences - Congoman's robotic intro notwithstanding - just a dusty shimmery presence felt all through the record. But the production would be nothing without Cedric Myton and Ashanti Roydel Johnson's impeccable voices - the Beach Boys of reggae - those sunny falsetto harmonies capturing rural life in the West Indies in the same way Brian and co evoked the idylls of sixties California. And then there's the band's namesake - those drums - perhaps the first time the Nyabinghi style was brought to such prominence on record? I'm not sure - but this is certainly the best roots album, possibly the best Jamaican album of all time.

"perhaps the first time the Nyabinghi style was brought to such prominence on record"

There are quite a few 70s nyabinghi records (including a Ras Michael one produced by Perry) which predated HotC. Agree this is quite a special record however.

Ah yeah - those Ras Michael songs are great too, good call.

Actually I guess Perry's produced Michael record came out later. He had other records that came out prior. As did Count Ossie.

lol this is probably the first ilm thread i started

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/17/nyregion/watty-burnett-long-off-reggaes-grid-is-back-on-the-map.html?ref=arts

“I do a lot of my shopping in Babylon,” Mr. Burnett said recently.

lol. also this thread should probably go in the first response hall of fame.

tnite i think this is probably ilm's best thread. what is the answer to cad's q? atm i think maybe max romeo war ina babylon comes closest.

you mean what's a dub or reggae record "as interesting and beautiful as Heart of the Congos"?

• burning spear, marcus garvey
• lee perry & the upsetters -- super ape
• johnny clarke -- rockers time now

what if instead of "as interesting and beautiful" it was "as strange and haunting"?

max romeo otm

what if instead of "as interesting and beautiful" it was "as strange and haunting"?

― Mordy, Wednesday, June 18, 2014

then i still say the burning spear and lee perry discs qualify. both sound like they floated in from another world, so "as strange and haunting" fits (and both are brilliant).

yeah, the max romeo is great; a clear classic. i actually prefer his blood & fire comp, oddly.

Agree about Burning Spear, Lee Perry and Max Romeo albums. Never heard that Johnny Clarke. Will investigate.

Keith Hudson - Torch of Freedom, Playing it Cool, and Flesh of My Skin are all better and more interesting than Heart of the Congos to me, but I realize this is an unpopular and unique opinion.

Joe Gibbs - Majestic Dub

The two 'reggae' albs that I know that come closest to capturing some of that same ineffable spirit as Heart of the Congos are -

Cedric IM Brooks & The Light of Saba
Peace and Love - Dadawah

Yeah that Cedric IM Brooks is transcendent in more than one way. I should dig it out again soon.

heart of the congos sags a LOT in the middle of the album imo, but it starts and ends beautifully, some of the best reggae out there (and not much that sounds like it except for other black ark stuff)

i do feel though that it gets a lot more praise than it deserves when there is a glut of "interesting & beautiful" AND "strange and haunting" reggae from the 70s roots era

but yea if you like heart of the congos i would buy arkology and ape-ology right now. off the top of my head i'd also add:

Keith Hudson - Torch of Freedom, Playing it Cool, and Flesh of My Skin are all better and more interesting than Heart of the Congos to me, but I realize this is an unpopular and unique opinion.

― brotherlovesdub, Wednesday, June 18, 2014 10:47 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

those are fucking great but... the... harmonies... on that congos record omg

oh wait never mind it’s very much not otm

i misread it as “The only album I can stand is "Heart of the Congos"”

i wonder if he ever gave bounty killer a shot

Send my sons from afar
And my daughters from the end of the world

― Mordy, Thursday, January 18, 2018 11:22 AM (twenty-one minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

best song

If you can only stand one reggae record, and eventhough it's the greatest reggae record ever made, have you ever considered just fucking off completely? Come back when you're ready to listen to ONLY reggae.
― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Monday, March 13, 2006 5:55 PM (eleven years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lmao

hah!

I got into this via the Blood and Fire re-issue in the 90's, truly beautiful album. I used to dig Bounty Killer back then as well, until he made that sprawling mess of an album with loads of mediocre filler w/ Wu-Tang + associates guest spots.

sadly my vinyl of this is skipping terribly :/

and this is an album that def benefits from "warmer" sounds

Anyone who can stand this record should really be able to do likewise for The Best Dressed Chicken In Town.

HORACE ANDY - DANCE HALL STYLE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJEZWsnIECo

Send my sons from afar
And my daughters from the end of the world

― Mordy, Thursday, January 18, 2018 11:22 AM (twenty-one minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Such a great bit <3 although I always hear it as 'and a tortoise from the end of the world', which I also like

Doran OTM. Also: Super Ape.

lol i always hear it as "the doctors from the end of the world"

some good science fiction stuff going on in these misheard lyrics