Best Reggae Albums of all time?

not seen any new versions of that.
i take it that the blood+fire edition with extra cd is now OOP ?

ive been really digging black uhuru's complete anthem sessions + dub factor

im gonna have to check out your list of 80s reggae, i love the 'tasteless' 80s production on black uhuru's stuff

Hugh Mundell - Mundell 82

this album's amazin

My list? I don't have much beyond what's already been mentioned here. These were added recently:

Justin Hinds & The Dominoes - Travel With Love (Nighthawk) 84
Junior Murvin - Muggers In The Street (Greensleeves) 84
Junior Murvin - Badman Possee (Dread At The Controls) 82

This will be added somewhere in top 150 -

John Holt - Police In Helicopter (Greensleeves) 82

Roots Archives seems to have run out of gas after 2008. It would be cool to keep this thread going by adding suggestions that haven't been mentioned yet. Good to know a significant number here don't think Legend is all one needs...

Java Java Java is supposed to be pretty great. One of the first dub albums IIRC.

I've yet to come across a Junjo Lawes/Roots Radics album that isn't worth having. Favorite as of now is prob Hugh Mundell - Mundell

I don't love Java Java Java. There are at least 6 Augustus Pablo albums that are better.

Yes, that Mundell album is great. Make sure you also have the Lacksley Castell albums Morning Glory and Princess Lady. Mundell and Castell split tracks on the Mundell album Jah Fire (though that isn't even credited on the album). The Sly & Robbie Dub Rockers Delight album is the dub companion to the Morning Glory album.

I have Morning Glory, but not Princess Lady. I'll check for it, thanks.

They've packaged 4 of Johnny Osbourne's albums (all Junjo productions iirc) together for cheap: Fally Lover, Water Pumping, Nightfall, and Never Stop Fighting.

Princess Lady isn't as good as Morning Glory but it's got some good songs.

Both Lacksley albums are on Spotify.

Lacksley Castell albums added to cart. Thanks! I don't see that Johnny Osbourne set anywhere...

ive been really digging black uhuru's complete anthem sessions

Which mix do you prefer? It seems the Allmusic review is referring to the UK Remix here, but maybe it's referring to original mix vs. U.S. remix?

...the mix on Anthem pales in comparison to the mix on the short-lived import version. By foregrounding the bass sound and emphasizing more time-honored instrumentation, the import's mix makes reggae powerhouses out of "Try It" and "Botanical Roots" and infuses the import single, "Party Next Door," with a truly infectious and danceable spirit.

Couple other 80's albums (well, one is a comp) I've been diggin lately:
Al Campbell - Mr. Lover's Rock
Ariwa 81 Sessions: In the Front Room

Those 4CD Reggae Legends things look pretty cool. Josey Wales and Sugar Minott ones sound particularly good.

Don't know if you're into still buying cd's, but I'm sure I got the Osbourne package through Ernie B's.

Travel With Love is one of my favorite albums

I'm pretty much not buying stuff these days (as much because of space constraints as money ones.)

I have a fully loaded Ernie B's cart right now and I'm up for adding the Osbourne package, but I can't find it.

Checked my order history, and I got it from Ernie's 11/1/10, so maybe they're out of it now. Paid $17.39.

Yeah it looks like they are only stocking 6 of the Reggae Legends sets now (Cocoa Tea, Dennis Brown, Frankie Paul, Gregory Isaacs, Josey Wales, Yellowman.)

Best of these 4CD things is definitely Dennis Brown at Joe Gibbs.

Followed closely by the Culture at Joe Gibbs thing which has the wacky order on Two Sevens Clash.

Which mix do you prefer?

i've spent the most time with the jamaican mixes, so those are definitely the most familiar

the UK remixes are pretty great, adding dubby elements to the pop without going all out dub

the US mix is definitely my least favorite.. i was stoked when i found the LP at my local record store and was taken aback by the mix. i might just need to spend more time with it though

I found someone who has Lacksley Castell's Princess Lady. Funny, the Rough Guide to Reggae is usually pretty good, but is totally missing Castell. With the other Castell album and the additions below, my cart has bloated to over $150, too much! I need to pare it down to at least 100, so if anyone is interesting in trading lossless, I have plenty of good stuff. I have the OOP Blood & Fire version of Heart Of The Congos, and the Japanese imports of the Justin Hinds, Ijahman and Rico. savand*at*fastnbulbous*dot*com.

Black Uhuru - Black Sounds Of Freedom + Dub + Love Crisis 77-81
Dennis Brown - At Joe Gibbs (Words Of Wisdom, Love's Gotta Hold On Me, Reflections)
Culture - At Joe Gibbs (Baldhead Bridge, More Culture, As Hard The Rest)
Ethiopians - Slave Call 78
Delroy Wilson - Go Away Dream 82

i'd ditch Princess Lady and give yourself time to fall for Morning Glory. You'll be able to get Princess Lady at a later date.

Anyone thinking of ordering the Dennis Brown, be aware that Reggae Legends set is an entirely different set of albums than At Joe Gibbs -- Nothing Like This, Rumours, Over Proof and Vision Of A Reggae King. I think those are all from the 90s? You can enlarge the photo of the tracklisting before ordering to be sure.

Yes, they aren't the same at all. Sorry if I confused anyone.

I'll order the Morning Glory for sure. But those who have something like, say, the Johnny Osbourne 4CD set that is no longer in stock, the OOP Travel With Love on CD/lossless, etc., I'd trade for 'em. Here's what I have.

Had no idea Travel With Love was OOP.

Yeah, $31+ on Amazon with shipping, used not much cheaper, so as good as OOP. I just have MP3s. Same with the 80s Junior Murvin.

Had no idea. Got it for $4 from Ernie's a couple of years back.

It's fucking criminal that I can find no copies of the Gladiators' "Trenchtown Mix Up" on vinyl anywhere on the internet, other than at ridiculously high prices.

this is still my number one at the moment.

http://dug-out.de/images/doxyz004a.jpg

but there are a LOT of reggae albums i haven't heard. so it might change someday.

I'm sure I've heard that before somewhere... Will have to have a look around my collection as it really rings a bell.

it's haunting. and hypnotic. essential.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb6VAZSMHNc

oh Ras Michael, yeah I have that cos you banged on about it a few months back. It is indeed a joy (although the tracks are VERY long). Have you heard Ras Michael & The Sons of Negus' "Rastafari" album? Also very lovely.

hope this is a good quality tube - i'm at work, so can't check:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ42tkAFu_g

Scott, you might also like Cedric IM Brooks & The Magical Light of Saba in this vein.

cedric brooks is amazing. love that stuff. i recently sold an original copy of this album. i wanted to keep it but i need to, like, eat and stuff.

http://www.popsike.eu/pix/20120417/280865306953.jpg

its basically the history of reggae that ends with long mystical freedom jam.

Have you both heard Count Ossie & the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari? Even longer songs including some spoken poems, but worth checking out if you like Ras Michael and Cedric Brooks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHER45e_4nY

I have a copy of a triple CD I bought years ago of that for about 6p (not joking, it was so cheap). The sound quality is atrocious but the music was great - jazz inflected nyabinghi jams and spoken word monologues IIRC.

lol, yeah my copy is in one of those first-generation double CD sets that are as wide as three jewelcases. And yes, you do RC.

just wonderful stuff. easy to become obsessed with it all.

brought this up on the reggae thread probably but still captivated by this 12 inch. THIS i had to keep when i got a nice copy. not an album, but it would be on any list i would make of fave jamaican records. must have played it 50 times when i got it.

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

kinda endless though when it comes to great reggae. ha! to put it mildly. i've been listening non-stop via what i get in at the store and i've barely scratched the surface.

and the hits just keep on coming. got a big stack of recent 45s in the other day and have had a ball listening. fave this week: unicorn & sajay - couchie tight (from 2005. don't even know who unicorn is...)

http://www.muzieklijstjes.nl/Tips/tootsMaytalsFunkyKingston.jpg
Still my favorite, 30 years after I first heard it. Probably in my all-time top five.