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- Date Released: December 1, 1999
- Genre: International
- Style: Roots Reggae
- Label: Avid Records / The Orchard
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We Say...
The heated discussion between Lee "Scratch" Perry and Bob Marley could very well have ended with either or both dead. The brilliant but erratic dub producer had threatened to murder the upstart singer for swiping his ace recording band, the Upsetters. Instead, the two men emerged from the back room arm in arm, and together proceeded to revolutionize reggae. Natural Mystic is culled largely from Soul Rebels and Soul Revolution, the first fruits of this collaboration. Here, the two visionaries slow the upbeat groove of first-wave reggae to a ruminative lope, and the thick, murky mixes separate instruments rather than fusing them into taut R&B. Throughout, Glen Adams' organ casts a disorienting haze from which Aston Barrett's bass pops occasionally with a clump of notes before slinking back into the primary beat. Tracks such as "There She Goes" showcase a brilliant harmony group: prime doo-wop rarely paired so creamy a lead with such flawlessly crystalline backup. And the deceptively casual vibe makes individual moments of intensity all the more affecting: on early classics like "Small Axe" and "My Cup," Marley's voice floats — sometimes seductively, sometimes thoughtfully — then leaps into the cutting high register that would later make him a star.
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They Say...
Nearly two decades after his death to cancer in 1981, wading through the myriad of Bob Marley releases had become quite a task. A number of small record labels sought their piece of the international reggae star's legacy, repackaging whatever material they could get their hands on. So where does Natural Mystic fall? Alongside its companion volume, Natural Mystic II, the set acts as a sort of expanded version of the great African Herbsman, itself a compilation of Soul Rebels (1970) and Soul Revolution (1971): the two albums the Wailers recorded under Lee "Scratch" Perry. The collaboration resulted in some of Marley's most enduring work, producing a number of songs that he would return to on subsequent albums. "My Cup" was the first shot fired by the new alliance. Marley was already exuding confidence, his powerful, reverb-heavy tenor riding over cloudy accompaniment by Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, and the Upsetters. "Small Axe" targets the big three of the Jamaican recording industry (Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid, and Prince Buster) and, like the best material here, is as much a triumph for Perry as it is for his pupils. "Sun Is Shining" weds a heavy Soul Syndicate rhythm and Tosh's stark melodica lines to a bittersweet Marley vocal. The question does arise as to whether more is actually better. The quality of the Wailers' 1970-1971 material is undeniable, but African Herbsman does manage to hit most of the highlights. Still, it does miss a handful of great tracks including the excellent "Soul Rebel," "Mr. Brown," "Soul Shakedown Party," and "Caution," all of which are found here. Though Natural Mystic fails to unearth any new revelations, it's a fine collection of prime Wailers.
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| 01. |  |
Try Me |
2:40 |
|
| 02. | |
Touch Me |
3:09 |
|
| 03. | |
Soul Almighty |
2:26 |
|
| 04. | |
Do It Twice |
2:41 |
|
| 05. | |
Back Out |
2:08 |
|
| 06. | |
Cheer Up |
2:02 |
|
| 07. | |
Put It On |
2:51 |
|
| 08. | |
Kaya |
2:24 |
|
| 09. | |
Fussin' And Fightin' |
2:26 |
|
| 10. | |
Corner Stone |
2:17 |
|
| 11. | |
African Herbman |
2:22 |
|
| 12. | |
No Water |
2:01 |
|
| 13. | |
Stand Alone |
2:06 |
|
| 14. | |
Rebels Hop |
2:33 |
|
| 15. | |
All In One |
3:25 |
|
| 16. | |
Duppy Conqueror |
3:27 |
|
| 17. | |
400 Years |
2:24 |
|
| 18. | |
You Can't Do That To Me |
2:23 |
|
| 19. | |
How Many Times |
2:32 |
|
19 Total Tracks, 48:17 Total Length
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