Review

Specially priced box sets of golden-era reggae are always hard to resist, and this one is no exception. It contains four discs previously released by Shanachie, all in their original configurations: By the Rivers of Babylon: Timeless Rasta Hymns (a great collection of strictly religious material), The Power of the Trinity: Great Reggae Harmony (which focuses on vocal trios like the Mighty Diamonds and Israel Vibration), Revolutionary Sounds: Essential Rockers Reggae (a compilation of reggae songs in a sociopolitical vein) and a dub collection entitled In the Red Zone: Ultimate Dub Classics. All four discs are excellent, and although any serious reggae fan will already own some of the material, this box is a worthwhile purchase for anyone who wants an extended overview of reggae's classic period. Particular highlights include the Joe Higgs classic "Blackman Know Yourself," Black Uhuru's take on "Natural Mystic" and almost every track on the dub compilation.