Exodus (Review)
Hi. Hey. Hello. ItzSonny and...Bob Marley & The Wailers. This is one of those artists recognizable around the world and yes, I do know of his music, DO NOT WORRY. I grew up with some of his classic and well-known songs on the radio and generally love his reggae Jamaican flair to his production and overall iconic instrumentals and voice. So with his legendary status out the way, of course if you know me, I've obviously never listened to a full album of his and it's finally time to change that and what better way to do that than his well-known record of "Exodus", so let's not waste time and endure this expedition of an album review on Bob Marley & The Wailers' Exodus.
BACKGROUND
At this point in time of this record's release, Bob Marley was already a mainstream figure, being seen as the sort of Jamaican equivalent to Bob Dylan in his poetic attributes, being seen as a key figure of political influence, as such on his way back to Jamica from his 'Rastaman Vibration Tour' in 1976, Michael Manley (the Jamaican Prime Minister) requested for Marley to perform at a free concert (Smile Jamaica) right before election to help ease tensions out on the streets of Jamaica as well as boost his propaganda, yet on the sunset of December 3rd, the Wailers were attacked when several armed men showed up at Marley's house as they were rehearsing, and despite being heavily injured with bullets, with no deathly c, they pushed forward and still went ahead and delivered a 90-minute performance at the concert. They decided to head over to London to proceed recording on this LP, with Marley noticing the very uprising of punk in the streets of West London due to the previous year's Notting Hill Carnival riots having occurred. Though his music was very different from the punk aesthetic, Marley aligned with its perspective on society and thus wanted to use his perspective of his homeland into the album's themes with a more punk edge to it, being influenced by The Clash.
“After the shooting, me never want to just think about shooting...So me just ease up me mind and go in a different bag. What me stand for me always stand for. Jah [God] is my strength.”
Thus, Marley released the album and it became a smash hit, as well as being recognized as his most defining record, now let's discuss.
REVIEW
"Natural Mystic"
This one is a great opener because it feels like the perfect cold open to like a film with how it perfectly starts setting up the LP's hands by establishing how there's something off about the atmosphere, a natural mystic, how things aren't the same anymore, violence was once appalled, yet now is the norm, with a very low-down melody with a nice tone to it that feels wobbly as reggae can be, without feeling outlandish, perfectly setting in the mood for what's in store for the rest of the album.
"So Much Things To Say"
Spitting facts is all this song is saying, how it depicts well how people have many things to say, and talking about how corrupted the world has become, from how figures can be betrayed, the non-guilty punished, and how wickedness prevails everywhere, it's sad, yet truthful, having a melancholy attitude in the writing, yet still an outlandish arrangement that makes this still enjoyable to listen to, nurturing a positive energy despite all its statements.
"Guiltiness"
The song entails greed, from my analysis, it seems the title of the track can kind of entitle either how greedy individuals should feel guilty or how they do, how the smaller fishes are consumed by the bigger, our own desire for needs can corrupt us and the very straight-up vocal harmony from the Wailers with the very informative, rollercoaster of a tone with its fun mix of thrown-in notes and sounds to make this feel like a teaching, yet bouncy track is compelling.
"The Heathen"
Very memorable in its overall chorus and simplistic idea of standing up for what its right and how sweet victory feels, with a mellow and repetitive tone to it to make it dense and stringed together for a very enjoyable melody.
"Exodus"
As the song that shares the title of its album, wow, this is a breathtaking 7-minute masterpiece of a track that is by far the best of the LP thus far, with it being as all long songs do in despite it repeating itself over and over, throwing in subtle new elements into its overall melody and mix to keep it refreshing, yet still being quite an addictive and enjoyable song to the ears with its funky, celebratory, and zany overall musical infrastructure and a message of the movement of people, questioning the satisfaction of our lives, peak musical composition.
"Jamming"
Best song period, no doubt, this is a classic and iconic song, everybody and they momma knows it, it's just so simple, it's just everybody jamming, they were jamming, I was jamming, you are jamming, you listen to this song and it transport you to this song's recording session and getting in the mood of jamming with such a feel-good vibe and overall perfectly delicious overall soundwave to the song's mix and flow, with such an enthusiastic aura coming from the Wailers, this is just a CLASSIC CLASSIC CLASSIC BABY.
"Waiting In Vain"
Underrated track for this one, I love how Marley can take simple concepts we've all seen a million times before and somehow make it the most refreshing sense of musical sound ever, with this one being compelling in its writing, showing how simplicity is key to endearing poetic music, yet even moreso in sound with its very sunday morning blue skies feel to it in its overall texture and very bubbly soundscape to make this quite a fun and enjoyable track that puts you at ease.
"Turn Your Lights Down Low"
Very sweet, tender, blissful, and overall sincere with a song about wishing to provide love to a generous person, with a more nighttime comforting vibes to it and very solid keys with a great range-up of backup vocals to really hone in on this song's almost lo-fi swimming in your dreams aesthetic its going for and overall it’s a splendid track amongst the album.
"Three Little Birds"
Another classic song we all know and I really adore this, the ultimate mellow feeling song, a song that comforts you and doesn't want you to worry, it makes you feel like chilling out on the couch and vibing to it, a very VIBE-y song, with a really overall strong soundwave to it that helps it feel chillax in its overall emotional state and its simplicity once again that makes this track iconic.
"One Love / People Get Ready"
Perfect closer, we started the album with violence and end it with love, this song is yet another iconic track, these truly are the definitive Marley songs, a song that celebrates the great power we all obtain that is love and utilizing that great power and conveying it to the greater world outside all of us, a song of pure soul and spirit that perfectly ends this LP.
CONCLUSION
Overall, this is for sure the album that defines Bob Marley and & The Wailers, not because some if not all the songs are great, yet showcasing how what made him a musical icon was his sheer simplicity in taking upon themes we all recognize of our violent nature and our underutilized beautiful antics of love that we should expose more right than our violent tendencies, an album that takes familiar ideas and just puts so much love into it, making every song a true joy to experience with such distinct Reggae enjoyment being portrayed by these incredible band of icons and that is what makes this album something truly filled with heart. It's been Sonny and so long, farewell, and goodbye.
“Give thanks and praise to the Lord
And I will feel alright
Let’s get together and feel alright”
