275. The Wailers | Catch A Fire (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Concrete Jungle
2. Slave Driver
3. 400 Years
4. Stop That Train
5. Baby We've Got a Date (Rock It Baby)
6. Stir It Up
7. Kinky Reggae
8. No More Trouble
9. Midnight Ravers

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Note: Catch A Fire was originally released in packaging resembling a large Zippo lighter which is depicted on the left above. The cover on the right is what was used when the album was sold using traditional LP packaging.

Catch A Fire is a relaxed album. The music is reggae. The songs are slow, laid-back and bouncy. The bass plays a more prominent role and it sounds more like how a bass sounds in blues and jazz than in rock. The staccato guitar style is what makes the music "bounce". The vocals are laid-back, but that doesn't mean there aren't serious things being sung. Slave Driver and 400 Years are two that are clearly serious.

It's quite refreshing to hear a brand new style of music. I suppose there's a connection to the blues or jazz somehow, but it's not obvious to a simple music listener like me. Reggae is unique. (I do know that the style is a descendant of ska and rocksteady, and that either of those have some relation to blues or jazz).

I think this album is quite nice. I certainly liked the music. It's actual quite melodic. It came as quite a surprise to me that I liked all of the songs, meaning that I expected to find a dud or two. The songs singing about the reggae lifestyle were lost on me, though. We'll see with the other reggae albums coming up whether they are more accessible to a wider audience. Also, while the songs are different, the rhythm doesn't seem to vary much. 

I am surprised that it took so long for a reggae band to make it on the 1001 Albums list. Surely, one of the first albums deserves to be on the list, or were the Wailers the first to do something remarkable with the style? No matter what, this album is worth listening to and deserves to be on the 1001 Albums list.

All the songs are excellent. The stand outs are: Concrete Jungle, Slave Driver, 400 Years, Stop That Train, Baby, We've Got a Date (Rock It Baby), Stir It Up, Kinky Reggae, No More Trouble and Midnight Ravers.

★★★★★★★★★★