Wailing Souls

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This is a textbook for quality roots, making The Wailing Souls' more recent pop-tinged output all the more baffling and disappointing. Classic melodies, supple harmonies, righteous themes, and a raw edge makes tunes like "Jah Jah Give Us Life," "Kingdom Rise Kingdom Fall," "Who No Waan Come," and "They Don't Know Jah" (which, amazingly, was not previously released on an album) unforgettable. Taken from recordings ranging from the mid '70s to the mid '80s, these tracks (arranged more or less in chronological order) show that, as expected, the stronger, more gritty material was earlier in the band's career. Still, that doesn't discount the caliber of '80s songs like "Things and Time," "Stop Red Eye," and "Baby Come Rock," which have a lighter, more fun tone.

Track Listing
1. War
2. Jah Give Us Life
3. Bredda Gravalicious
4. Old Broom
5. Kingdom Rise Kingdom Fall
6. Firehouse Rock
7. Who No Waan Come
8. Baby Come Rock
9. Things and Time
10. Stop Red Eye
11. Sticky Stay
12. They Don't Know Jah
13. War Deh Round a John Shop

Unlike many '70s reggae groups, The Wailing Souls maintained their solid level of quality into the '90s, as Reggae ina Firehouse displays. Several songs on this album could easily be mistaken for work they did in the '70s, the roots harmony sound is so vintage -- "Wash Mouth," "Cherry Ripe," and "Who's Running" being particularly strong. Synth effects liven up and bring into the '80s -- er, the '90s -- songs like the superb "It Bad fe True." Meanwhile, a surprisingly large number of love songs are thrown in -- many being mediocre, but the slow winin' "Nice One" and "For You" help the overall package. Wailing Souls fans in particular should get this album -- as none of the songs are on the Very Best of compilation -- and even those who aren't big fans should find some enjoyment "ina firehouse."

Track Listing
1. Reggae ina Firehouse
2. Cherry Ripe
3. Who's Running
4. Wash Mouth
5. Nice One
6. It Bad fe True
7. Play On
8. For You
9. Step Right In
10. I'm Depending on You

It's a sad thought, but it seems like great '70s bands should automatically break up after 10 or 12 years together. Too many -- Aswad, Steel Pulse, Inner Circle, Third World -- became nauseatingly pop-oriented by the time the '90s got into full gear. The Wailing Souls fell into that trap, though not automatically with the onset of the decade; instead, when they were finally discovered by a major label, during the '90s, their material suffered (see their awful tracks on the Cool Runnings soundtrack). Though lesser-known than the previously mentioned groups, The Wailing Souls produced material at least as good or better than any of them on an arguably more consistent basis during the '70s and '80s. That said, Live On is as bad as the other groups' dismal '90s crossover efforts. Despite the overtly pop dancehall and hip-hop influences, however, the album isn't completely without merit. Winston "Pipe" Matthews' songwriting skills and emotional vocals deliver on the folksy title cut -- which brings back memories of the old Wailing Souls -- the atmospheric "O.K. Corral," the poignant, guitar-laden "What a Life Worth," and the uptempo, fun "Trouble No More." A remake of their classic "Jah Jah" (AKA "Jah Jah Give Us Life") doesn't hurt either. Still, too much of Live On is icky pop (not to be confused with Iggy Pop), with the rock guitar-heavy "Rejection" and the insufferable pop dancehall cover of Steam's '60s hit "Na, Na, Hey, Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" dominating.

Track Listing
1. Bandits
2. Live On (Matthews)
3. Mother and Child Reunion
4. Don't Give Up
5. Na, Na, Hey, Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
6. Trouble No More
7. Jah Jah
8. Owe Me Money
9. O.K. Corral
10. Rejection
11. What the World Needs
12. Nuff Suffering
13. What a Life Worth

Upon listening to Wild Suspense, it immediately has the feel of a classic. It has the great blend of popular appeal and rootsy reality that great groups like Steel Pulse, Aswad, and Black Uhuru had at their heights. More than any of these groups, though, The Wailing Souls' allure lies in its vocals and melodies. Winston Matthews' great gruff lead vocals in "We Got to Be Together," for example, bespeak a sincerity that draws in the audience. The united harmony of the group is likewise enticing on the hit "Bredda Gravalicious," while Matthews demonstrates his remarkable ability to write wondrous melodies in tracks like "Very Well" and "They Never Know." Wailing Souls' voices have just the right mix of low-key sweetness and brash discordance, both on display in "Something Funny." Added to this re-release of Wild Suspense are 7 dub cuts, the inclusion of which actually detracts from the album as a whole. Since the strength of the songs lies in their vocals, the music by itself is not terribly magical. Only "Bredda Gravalicious" and "Very Well," which have strong musical elements, fare well.

Track Listing
1. Row Fisherman
2. Slow Coach
3. We Got to Be Together
4. Feel the Spirit
5. Bredda Gravalicious
6. Wild Suspense
7. They Never Know
8. Black Rose
9. Something Funny
10. Very Well
11. Walk But Mind You Don't Fall [Dub]
12. Row Fisherman [Dub]
13. Bredda Gravalicious [Dub]
14. Slow Coach [Dub]
15. Something Funny [Dub]
16. We've Got to Be Together [Dub]
17. Very Well [Dub]

This album essentially picks up where The Very Best of leaves off. Although the group has not had many hits since the mid '80s, this collection of tunes produced by King Jammy in 1988 and 1989 shows that their talent had diminished little by the end of the decade. Their sound didn't change much with the change in producer, even though Jammy is better known for dancehall than for roots reggae. Reggae Legends Volume 1 contains simple, straightforward roots with Wailing Souls' typically solid yet subtle melodies and an ever-so-slight digital touch, as in the bizarrely likeable buzzing that permeates the catchy "Fire Coal." The songs here generally aren't as fiery or overtly conscious/righteous as much of the group's earlier work, with love songs like "You Please Me," "Pour Your Love," and "Where Do I Stand" carrying a large part of the album. The well-known classics that make up Very Best of and Wild Suspense are not present on Reggae Legends Volume 1, but it's still pretty darn good.

Track Listing
1. Fire Coal
2. Dog Bite
3. You Please Me
4. Mix Up
5. Pour Your Love
6. What You Gonna Do
7. Where Do I Stand
8. Stormy Night
9. Spread Propaganda
10. Move On