Search - Bob Marley & Wailers :: Catch A Fire (Deluxe Edition)

A Reggae Classic Revisited, But Caveat Emptor

Ron Frankl | Hendersonville, NC | 04/16/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Universal Music, the mega-company that seems to have eaten and digested dozens of other labels, has issued an expanded and remastered versions of the landmark reggae album "Catch A Fire" by the Wailers. While the music has never sounded better, there are some significant and fundamental problems with this release. Except perhaps for the soundtrack album to the film "The Harder They Come," the Wailers' "Catch A Fire" (1973) was the first reggae album that most listeners outside of Jamaica ever heard. The group had been together in some form for a decade and had enjoyed a long series of Jamaican hit singles. They had also moved easily from r&b to ska before becoming one of the earliest reggae acts. Although Bob Marley wrote and sang most of the songs, it was by no means his band. Peter Tosh also was a major contributor, and Marley, Tosh and Bunny Livingston (a/k/a Bunny Wailer) had been bandmates from the beginning, and their vocal blend was striking and beautiful. Island Records' founder and president Chris Blackwell had long followed the Jamaican music scene. When he heard the powerful results of the Wailers' '72 sessions he was ready to spring reggae on the rest of the world. Between this decision and the music's actual release, though, Blackwell got cold feet, and altered most of the tracks in London by judiciously and tastefully overdubbing rock keyboards, guitar and backing vocals in an apparent attempt to make the tracks more accessible to rock-oriented listeners. Whether these alterations were necessary, or even a good idea, "Catch A Fire" found an audience in England, the U.S. and elsewhere and became a modest hit. Although the original band broke up a year or so (and one album) later when Tosh and Livingston left, Bob Marley & the Wailers were on their way to international stardom. "Catch A Fire" (Deluxe Edition) makes available for the first time the original unadulterated recordings from the 1972 sessions, and they are really a revelation. These versions are rawer but more powerful; its as if a sonic gauze has been removed, revealing the true nature of the music for the first time. These tracks have an immediacy that was lacking in the originally released versions, and long-time fans of Marley and the Wailers will feel as if they've stumbled upon the Holy Grail of reggae. There are also two previously unreleased songs that fans will find worth hearing and owning. The remastered version of the original album, overdubs and all, is also here and sounds better than ever. Such Marley classics as "Concrete Jungle" and "Stir It Up" still retain their appeal. Its worth noting, though, that two of the album's most powerful songs, "400 Years" and "Stop That Train," are written and sung by Peter Tosh. Tosh was one of reggae's greatest artists, and its a shame that his reputation seems diminished largely because he was so overshadowed by badmate Marley. The major problem with this release, and one that may make you think twice about purchasing it, is that there is barely eighty minutes of music on this two-disk set, which sells for the full price of two CDs. The Wailers recorded extensively in the period before "Catch A Fire," and perhaps some of those tracks (many of which are excellent) could have been licensed by Universal for inclusion here. Another option would have been dropping one of the two outtakes and fitting it all on one disk. Serious fans of Marley and the Wailers will purchase this package without a second thought, but more casual fans might do better to seek out the earlier, budget-priced CD issue of "Catch A Fire." The booklet of the Deluxe Edition includes all the original artwork and some nice and rare photos, as well as song lyrics, but the essay is second-rate and disappointing. In the last few months Universal has issued such classics as "Blind Faith" and Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" in similar "Deluxe Editions" at a premium price. While there was a significant amount of previously unheard material in those two releases to justify their purchase, the paucity of new music here makes this feel like a bit of a rip-off. Its too bad, because "Catch A Fire" is a classic that deserves better treatment."

The definitive edition of a reggae classic

Ron Frankl | 03/28/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Catch A Fire" is one of the true classics in reggae music. In America, it was only one of two Wailers albums ever released here, and both were subjected to overdubbing that made them more appealing to a rock-oriented market. This isn't to say that these were marred albums; the overdubbing was tastefully done, and for some, they improve the album. However, this new edition does everyone a favor by including the original, raw-sounding versions of these tracks, which have a distinctly different flavor than the Bob Marley music most Americans are familiar with.Furthermore, the remastered sound is excellent, particularly for the "dubbbed" American edition of the album, which sounds better than the previous standard release.Besides being possibly the best album ever cut by Bob Marley & the Wailers, this now becomes a perfect introduction to reggae music, allowing us to hear it the way it was presented in its home land and abroad."

Catch a Fire (deluxe edition)

b_m_w68 | Tampa, FL USA | 03/27/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This new digitally remastered version of Catch of fire is the best Bob Marley & The Wailiers have ever sounded on CD. With classic tracks like Stir It Up, Kinky Reggae, No More Trouble and 400 years this is a must for any true Bob Marley & The Wailiers enthusiast. The unreleased Jamaican version of Catch A Fire has a much more roots reggae feel to them then the Chris Blackwell, Island versions of the same songs and alone is worth the price of this two-disc. I urge anyone you truly loves Bob Marely & the Wailiers to get this Double Disc Set, you won't regret it!"