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| Reggae Refreshers Volume 2 (Island, 1995) Whether or not you like all of the songs on this collection, there is no denying that it is chock full of seminal tracks from the golden age of reggae. This album is indeed a tribute to the sheer vastness of quality reggae put forth on Island Records from the mid '70s to the mid '80s. My personal favorites are the haunting, wailing harmonies of The Heptones' "Mr. President" and The Wailing Souls' "Very Well," as well as Steel Pulse's magnum opus "Handsworth Revolution" and the electric live version of Gregory Isaacs' "The Border," which is easily better than the studio version, with the difference lying in the live crowd chanting the chorus in unison to "goosebumpy" effect. Other nice inclusions are Burning Spear's "Invasion," Aswad's funky "Dub Fire," and Black Uhuru's "Botanical Roots." Several songs don't bowl me over, but they are nonetheless pieces of reggae history, such as Ijahman's "Jah Heavy Load," The Upsetters' "Croaking Lizard," and Junior Delgado's "Jailbreak." All in all, this is a great compilation for beginning listeners to get a sampling of reggae from a classic era. |
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Track Listing 1. Very Well -- Wailing Souls 2. Prophecy [12" Mix] -- Fayblene Miranda 3. Gates of Zion -- Michael Prophet 4. Mr. President -- The Heptones 5. Botanical Roots -- Black Uhuru 6. Handsworth Revolution -- Steel Pulse 7. Jah Heavy Load -- Ijahman 8. One Step Forward -- Max Romeo 9. Croaking Lizard -- The Upsetters featuring Prince Jazzbo 10. Invasion -- Burning Spear 11. Fade Away -- Junior Byles 12. Indipendent Intavenshan -- Linton Kwesi Johnson 13. The Border [Live] -- Gregory Isaacs 14. Jailbreak -- Sly & Robbie featuring Junior Delgado 15. Dub Fire -- Aswad 16. Sata -- Jah Lion |
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