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Love Thy Neighbour (Live & Learn, 1984)

The heir apparent to Count Ossie, Ras Michael built on the foundation of Ossie's Rastafarian drumming, at times taking it to groundbreaking, breathtaking levels by incorporating reggae instruments like guitars, keyboards, bass, and horns.  Love Thy Neighbour takes it a step further by adding dub-like effects courtesy of producer Lee "Scratch" Perry (Although he isn't credited in the liner notes, the swimming echoes of "Hear River Jordan" and the questionable zaniness of covering "London Bridge Is Falling Down" are signature Perry.).  The music is slow, layered, echoing, and ultimately, disappointing.  Perry's production is self-restrained, perhaps to a fault, as the tunes become dull and generic after the first 3 tracks.  The last 3 songs in particular offer little more than Rasta drumming and are liable to make many snooze.  The somber "Don't Sell Daddy No Whiskey" is the best track and one of Ras Michael's all-time most evocative.

Zion Train (SST, 1988)

Although they can't tell by looking at it (except perhaps for the fact that it's on the SST label), HR fans should seriously consider getting Ras Michael's Zion Train.  This is because you get as much HR on this album as you do "RM."  He sings on, co-writes, and produces much of the material here.  Luckily for us reggae fans, though Zion Train was recorded in 1988, as HR was moving away from his Bad Brains punk sound and towards a more ("more" being a relative term) traditional roots sound.  Of course, HR will always throw in his little eccentricities, but they remain fairly restrained throughout the album -- popping up in sparse rock guitar riffs on "Youthman Sufferer" and "Rasta Time" and most notably in ad odd cover of Herman's Hermits' "I'm Into Something Good" (!).  Oddness aside, the material on Zion Train represents some of the best from both Ras Michael and HR, some tracks favoring the former's stoic, African drum-centered style ("Youthman Sufferer" and "Nazareth Dub") and some the latter's off-kilter roots style ("Rasta Time" and  "Fool's Gold").  The crowning jewel on this album has to be "King of Kings"; I challenge you to listen to this funky ditty and not sing along.  My only major complaint with Zion Train is its brevity: 8 tracks and barely 30 minutes long.  C'mon guys, I get more music out of my morning crap... (Sorry, too much information.)

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Rastafari (VP, 1991 [orig. released 1975])

Rastafari is one of Ras Michael's most acclaimed albums, and rightly so.  It builds off of the mix of traditional and modern sounds established by Dadawah - Peace & Love (see below), stoking it with a healthy dose of '70s funk.   Funky wa-wa guitars propel tracks like "Give Love" and the classic "Truth & Right," while playful digital blips accentuate "In Zion," an adaptation of "On Broadway" that Dennis Brown fans will recognize as a tune he made into a hit.  Although the music is the highlight, the vocals on Rastafari are surprisingly emotional and effective, heightened by the ethereal female backing singers employed to breathtaking effect on tunes like "None a Jah Jah Children No Cry."  Some of the tracks are a bit more pedestrian, particularly the more gloomy, hymn-like ones, but at its best, Rastafari is an eclectic mix of roots, Rasta drumming, gospel, and funk.

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Kibir Am Lak (Esoldun, 1994 [orig. released 1978])

Kibir Am Lak ("Glory to God") continues the eclectic sound of Rastafari, if on a slightly inferior, less funky level.  As usual, the Rasta drumming is the foundation, with varying levels of accompaniment, from just a hint of bass and keyboards on the more traditional "New Name" to the playful synth effects of "Wicked Man" to the vigorous horns and jazzy guitar of the superb "No-Hoppers."  A more lively version of "Zion Land" than is included on Dadawah - Peace & Love (see below) is also a gem, though it is neither better nor worse than the muted original.   Overall, this may be one of Ras Michael's most consistent albums -- nothing is particularly poor -- but only "Zion Land" and "No-Hoppers" truly stand out (although "Booma Yeah" is pretty darn catchy). 

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Dadawah - Peace & Love + Nyahbinghi (Trojan, 1998 [orig. released 1974])

Dadawah and Nyahbinghi are Ras Michael's first two albums, and together on one CD, they highlight both sides of his sound.  The former blends traditional Rasta drumming with reggae bass lines, electric guitars, and other modern styles, while the latter contains Rasta drumming and chanting accompanied only by an occasional flute.   Unless you're a Rasta music purist, Dadawah will almost certainly appeal to you more than Nyahbinghi.  Although it only contains four tracks, Dadawah is a hauntingly somber, atmospheric work or art whose melodies and music blend perfectly to draw you in (You may recognize "Zion Land" from Dennis Brown's hit "Africa.").  The melodies on Nyahbinghi, on the other hand, are only interesting in comparison to the music.  Only "Rise Jah Jah Children" arose any reaction from me, as it utilizes the melody from the doo-wop hit "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."  The rest of the songs are dull, mournful chants and/or hymns, each with the same sleep-inducing rhythm.  Why couldn't Dadawah be 12 tracks and Nyahbinghi four?

Dadawah - Peace & Love:

Nyahbinghi:

Dadawah - Peace & Love + Nyahbinghi:

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A Weh Dem a Go Do Wid It (ROIR, 2003)

If you're like me, when you see a Ras Michael album, you have to do some research into exactly what the sound of it is. Is it an acoustic, Nyabinghi drumming, groundation-style album, or is it a more conventional full-band roots album? Well, A Weh Dem a Go Do Wid It is both -- so it should appease both camps, right? Well, maybe not. To be blunt, you're better served using this album as a coaster. Ras Michael is a talented, revered figure who has put forth some classic work in his career, but he seems to be on autopilot here. AWDAGDWI (as I like to call it) has the sound of an album that was recorded only to meet a contractual obligation (although I'm sure that wasn't the case). It starts out as a solemn Nyabinghi experience, with a medley of four hymns accompanied only by rhythmic drumming. While some people may get into this sound, I'd wager that most listeners prefer the full-band accompaniment of a roots record (The drumming by itself tends to put me to sleep, although it works quite well when supplemented with other instruments.). The next two tracks are remakes (although the liner notes disturbingly state that all of the songs were written, composed, and arranged by Ras Michael) with a little more musical accompaniment (a little keyboard and horn action): Bob Marley's "Haile Selassie Is the Chapel" and the traditional (and traditionally dull) hymn "All Things Bright and Beautiful." From there, the album switches to full instrumentation (I would say "full band," but a lot of the music sounds computer-generated), but the material is no more interesting nor original. "Sweet Jamaica" utilizes the well-worn "Rockfort Rock" riddim to little effect -- thanks largely to listless, barely melodic vocals from Michael -- and then is mercilessly followed by not one, not two, but three more versions! "No Smoke Without Fire" meanwhile features a tired dancehall rhythm (used in Cocoa Tea's "She Loves Me Now"?) that matches its tired vocals. Finishing off the album in unspectacular fashion are a pair of uninspired paint-by-number roots tunes: "Cry Moon" and the title track, along with their respective (and unnecessary) dubs. Needless to say, AWDAGDWI is a major disappointment that I would only recommend to the most diehard of Ras Michael fans...and even then, I dunno.