Bob Marley

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Carl Hoffmann, Jan 19, 2002.

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  1. Carl Hoffmann

    Carl Hoffmann Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pennsylvainiaville
    Ok, I know very few of the board are reggae fans, however, Bob and the gang produced some timeless music of worthy note that any music fan should take notice of. I own the MFSl versions of "Catch a Fire" and "Exodus" as well as the box set from the 90's.

    1. What do you think of the current state of the Marley catalog?

    2. What are the best issues on disc?

    3. Is there any room for improvement?


    Thanks,

    Carl
     
  2. Tony Caldwell

    Tony Caldwell Senior Member

    Location:
    Arkansas
    Hi,

    I can't really answer all your questions, but I do have the MFSL Exodus CD that you mentioned. It seems to have quite a bit more bass than my LP copy of the same album. So much bass, in fact that I have considered buying the regular issue of Exodus on CD to see how it sounds.

    I also have the regular issue of Marley's Uprising CD, which I think sounds quite good. I listen to it much more than the Mofi disc.

    I wish I knew more.:(

    Tony
     
  3. pigmode

    pigmode Active Member

    Location:
    HNL
    Got the MoFi too. It is a little bassy but its also a little cleaner sounding with better dynamics. The standard disc is no slouch, and I also saw the new Exodus remaster the other day. I think two CDs plus a vinyl copy is enough for me, though.

    I was told one of the newly remastered comps is pretty good. The Confrontation I bought a year ago is okay, but nothing special.
     
  4. Jeff H.

    Jeff H. Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern, OR
    The reason why the Bob Marley reissues sound as bassy as they do is because that is what's on the master tapes. When the Marley catalog was first released on vinyl and later on CD, Island Records rolled off a lot of the bass content. Thinking that Americans wouldn't be used to all that bass. So all of the reissues that have been released in the last couple of years have restored these albums to the way they were actually recorded.
     
  5. GregM

    GregM The expanding man

    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    I love Bob Marley! There is indeed room for improvement in the latest Island reissues. They're pretty good, but not approaching even a bad SACD.
     
  6. MikeT

    MikeT Prior Forum Cretin and Current Impatient Creep

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    There is always room for improvement - but with that said, I do feel the new remasters are excellent. I have the two MOFI gold CDs - "Catch A Fire" and "Exodus" and they sound very good - if not a little bassy as has been mentioned.

    I would really love to see the Marley releases on SACD, but I think we are supposed to get them on DVD-A (according to all published reports I have read).

    I might tend to disagree with GregM in that the reissues don't even approach a bad SACD. Although not up to SACD standards, the newest Marley re-issues sound pretty fine to my ears. I guess on this one we have to agree to disagree (as we sometimes do on audioasylum). :)
     
  7. Claus

    Claus Senior Member

    Location:
    Germany
    The Ted Jensen remaster are better! :cool:
     
  8. lil.fred

    lil.fred Señor Sock

    Location:
    The East Bay
    Bob Marley remasters

    I'd think there'd be plenty of Marley fans on the forum. Without being "audiophile" recordings at all, these are well recorded albums that ought to be heard with good sound (and especially "hotness"). Perhaps I can try to clarify the situation with the CDs:

    There have been three issues of the complete series that I know of. The first came out in the 80's and I no longer have any of them, but if memory serves they were on the Island label. They seemed all right but labored under a suspicion of being at several removes from the masters.

    The next series came out in the 90's on Tuff Gong and were mastered by Rob Fraboni and Barry Diament "from the original tapes". (The whole series also appeared on vinyl, which sounded exactly the same.) I thought these were dynamite, and am not at all sure they are inferior to:

    The latest remasters (also on Tuff Gong), "mastered from the original two track analog master tapes by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound" and still ongoing. These have bonus tracks and more substantial booklets; the lettering on the spines is so small you can hardly see it. - Like I said, I'm not sure the sound is an improvement over the 2nd series issues; to my ears, a slight "veil" has descended over the sound, though there is also apparently greater resonance.
     
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  9. peterredtrumpet

    peterredtrumpet New Member

    Location:
    York, PA
    I'm surprised nobody's mentioned the LP reissue of Natty Dread by Speakers Corner. Absolutely superb, in my opinion, and an improvement, especially in the bass, over the original, which is on Harry Pearsons' list, I believe.

    Oh, and the music ain't bad, either.

    Take it easy!
    Peter
     
  10. peterC

    peterC Aussie Addict

    Location:
    sydney
    Here's one huge reggae fan.

    The Bob Marley catalogue on CD has always, by reggae CD standards, sounded pretty good.

    But hey guys don't stop at Marley. He is the tip of an enormous iceberg of absolutely wonderful joyous music. Just be prepared for some less than audiophile quality sound if you get into the more historical material.

    My all time favourite reggae artist is Toots Hibbert, but possibly my favourite reggae CD is "Satta Massagana"by the Abyssinians.
     
  11. jligon

    jligon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Peoria, IL
    Hey, don't The Clash mention that album on the song Jimmy Jazz? I've seen that before and meant to check it out.
    What is your feeling on late 60's Rock Steady? Do you like the Melodians? I love Desmond Dekker (pre-Britain). I've got a rediculous CD by the Termites that I can't make my mind up on.
    To me, however, nothing touches the sound of that smokin' early to mid-60's Ska! Impossible to listen to and not Get Happy!!
     
  12. Burningfool

    Burningfool Just Stay Alive

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    The new 2 CD remastered "expanded edition" of Exodus is excellent. I would agree that this recording is particularly bass-heavy, and this issue is no exception. The second disc contains a bunch of previously unavailable live tracks - it's a really nice package.

    At certain moments I can be convinced that "Toots In Memphis" is the greatest album ever released. Get it if you like Toots, or Memphis soul. Or any popular music, for that matter.
     
  13. Ben

    Ben New Member

    Location:
    Phoenix, Arizona
    I have the muti-disc compliation "Songs of Freedom."

    Excellent.

    The early tapes sound so raw, so passionate...and Bob sounds so young!


    Yah-mon!
     
  14. peterC

    peterC Aussie Addict

    Location:
    sydney

    Satta Massagana is a pretty famous track which several bands have covered including Third World. I'll have to listen to Jimmy Jazz tonight.

    Rock Steady is my absolute favourite era of Jamaican music, BUT you have to stick with the Treasure Island (Duke Reid) produced material for the most part, with some notable exceptions like Dekker and Toots.

    I know that Termites CD. It's not good. I think it's a Studio One production. Studio One of course excelled with the earlier ska material and the later Lee Perry productions.

    There is a Melodians compilation on Heartbeat (all Treasure Island stuff) which is fantastic. You'll realise that there was a lot more to the Melodians than Rivers of Babylon.

    The Abyssinians CD is roots reggae. Just imagine Marley with the sweetest three part harmonies. It's on Heartbeat and as with all Heartbeat material comes with great sound.

    By the way, don't take any notice of All Music Guide when it comes to reggae! (I guess AMG would say don't take any notice of Peter Castanos).
     
  15. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialist™

    Location:
    B.C.
    Would you MFSL Bob Marley cd owners say that the bass is muddy or just a little too present?:confused:
     
  16. Bob Lovely

    Bob Lovely Super Gort In Memoriam

    Reggae and Bass

    Dave,

    Please remember that deep bass is an an essential and historical element of Reggae music. In fact, is was common practice in the studio to lower the bass in reggae recordings by an octive to produce the "right sound". Generally, Bob Marley's recordings are some of the best sounding recordings in the genre. I also like Equal Rights by Peter Tosh. I have the MFSL Exodus and, to many ears, it sounds like the way the album was intended to be heard as recorded and mixed in Jamaica. I recently picked up the Deluxe Edition of Exodus and I am impressed with the sound quality of the disc. It is filled with bonus tracks. Another very good Top 40 Reggae flavored track of note is Dreadlock Holiday by 10cc and it contains the traditional reggae deep bass as well.

    I hope this helps!

    Bob :)
     
  17. Ronald

    Ronald Senior Member

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    I have the Universal LP and CD (with the Zippo lighter cover) of "Catch a Fire". I think each Universal version sounds a bit better than the corresponding MFSL. The differences I note are a slight lack of smear of the Universal issues relative to the MoFi issues. As a whole, the high price of admission to MFSL exclusivity coupled with "Holy Grail" availability of the MFSLs would steer me to the Universal issues. Marley and MoFi completists would be the main competition for the MFSL issues.

    Also, the MFSL pressings are out of print. Happy hunting for those. Prepare to spend lots of cash, although "you know who" has the MFSL LP for $85 and Music Direct has a white sleeve cover copy for $15 of same.

    As for Exodus, the bass is extremely deep/loud on the MFSL LP. I have a 1986 vintage CD of "Exodus" and the bass very deep on that too. To my ears the UDCD is not as detailed as the LP, although the "seedy" can still be purchased for a reasonable price. "You know who" has the MFSL LP of Exodus for $125. Pricey.

    I like "Natty Dread" on Speaker's Corner. Likewise, I have a domestic pressing of ND. The sound of that is nothing to write home about. The domestic vinyl did cost me $9.99 new.

    Universal is releasing the back catalog of Bob Marley. Based on my experiences with other Universal releases, I would give them a listen, but at $30.00 a pop, it might be worth getting a consensus on the sound if you are not familiar with the material.
     
  18. Scott Wheeler

    Scott Wheeler Forum Resident

    Location:
    ---------------
    Has anybody ever listened to the original Tuff Gong releases of these LPs?
     
  19. Bob Lovely

    Bob Lovely Super Gort In Memoriam

    Scott,

    Are you talking about Tuff Gong CD remasters? As an aside, I have Rastaman Vibration on LP from Jamaica--lots of deep reggae bass and a very clean pressing!

    Bob :)
     
  20. Scott Wheeler

    Scott Wheeler Forum Resident

    Location:
    ---------------
    No I meant the original Tuff Gong releases on LP in the Seventies
     
  21. Bob Lovely

    Bob Lovely Super Gort In Memoriam

    Scott,

    Thanks! I have not heard them. I assume they sound very good?

    Bob
     
  22. Scott Wheeler

    Scott Wheeler Forum Resident

    Location:
    ---------------
    I have not heard them but I have heard that they are very different mixes than what Island put out on LP. The word on the street is that the execs felt the originals were too raw and unrefined. I think they even recorded extra overlays a la Simon and Garfunkle's Sounds of Silence. Artists usually get it right and execs usually mess it up. So I am curious about the original Tuff Gong LP's which are to my knowledge the only thing ever released with Bob Marley's personal aproval.
     
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