Search - Peter Tosh :: Wanted Dread & Alive

Uneven

saltfish&ackee | 09/24/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I love Tosh and I was fortunate enough to see him perform live several times before he died. That said, this is a very uneven release. To be sure, there are top shelf songs here that belong in any Tosh collection, including the spiritual "Rastafari Is" (although I like the extended, heavy, live version included on Complete Captured Live better), "Wanted Dread & Alive," "Reggaemylitis," "Coming In Hot," and "Guide Me From My Friends." An especially welcome treat for me is the inclusion of "Oh, Bumbo Clot" on the remastered version of the CD - this is a scathing Tosh song that he would sometimes perform live but was never released on the US vinyl edition of Wanted Dread & Alive. The two love songs on the record, the duet "Nothing But Love" and the attempted single "Rock With Me," are extremely commercial, very disappointing and always elicit a "skip track" response from me. It is not that Peter Tosh cannot write or sing a good love song - check out the great pair he put on his first release, Legalize It - it's just that these songs are sub par and sound extremely out-dated. The production of the record is good, but many of the songs lack the punch that they would later achieve live in concert. Even Tosh's next, and admittedly poppier-sounding release, Mama Africa, is more consistent in its conception and delivery. If building a Tosh collection, I would highly recommend starting with Equals Rights. Equal Rights is Tosh's finest, most polished, most consistent, and ultimately most rewarding work, filled with well-crafted, excellently performed, highly political songs. Next, I would recommend Legalize It or Bush Doctor if looking for studio releases - both have great content, excellent musicians and strong performances (though the sound quality on Legalize It is still a bit historical - but that is part of the charm for me). Next, I would investigae live Tosh material, starting with the fantastic Live & Dangerous from Boston 1976 and then moving on to the Complete Captured Live from California in 1983. I would finally fill in any remaining holes in the collection with Mama Africa, Wanted, and Mystic Man (some of the Mystic Man tracks (e.g., the title cut, "Day The Dollar Die" & "Buk-In-Hamm Palace", like several of the Wanted tracks, are more essential than Mama Africa material, but again, it is an uneven release that perhaps tried too hard to find new commercial outlets). I'd turn to the No Nuclear War disc last."

Flawless

Spencer Pennington | Seattle, WA | 02/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Wanted Dread & Alive," Peter Tosh's final album for the Rolling Stones' label, was released in 1981 in the aftermath of the death of Tosh's former bandmate, Bob Marley. With that event, mystique and intrigue surrounded Tosh's new album with its prevocative, enigmatic music. Equally enticing is the addition of several tracks not on the U.S. album, "Rok With Me," "Oh Bumbo Klaat," and "Guide Me From My Friends," as well as two previously unreleased alternate versions of "Rok With Me," and the duet with Gwen Guthrie "Nothing But Love".



The opening track, "Coming In Hot," is a purposely violent depiction of Tosh's personal bout with a heavy fever at the beginning of the year, although some thought this was a song in answer to Bob Marley's "Coming In From the Cold". The other track tied to Marley was the soothing, beautiful "Fools Die (For Want of Wisdom)," originally entitled "Wisdom," when it was made with Bunny Wailer and Bob Marley years before. The reason for the connection is that both Marley and Tosh had made covers of this old song, and the lyrics in Tosh's "Fools Die (For Want of Wisdom)," were seen as tied to Bob Marley's cover, "Stiff Necked Fools".



Here, Tosh does give slight exposure to a fun side with the danceable, fun song "Reggaemylitis," reffering to a disease only reggae can cure. Also here to show Tosh's fun side are the R&B-style songs "Nothing But Love," and "Rok With Me," the first being a smash-hit duet with Gwen Guthrie.



Of course, his classic millitancy, anger, and spirituallity do out-shine the other moods, with songs like the title track, "Wanted Dread and Alive," my personal favorite, the solemn, dark "Guide Me From My Friends," the addition to the previous song entitled "That's What They Will Do," and finally "Cold Blood," a song resembling Tosh's 1971 "Here Comes the Judge," although this recording was in reference his bogus 1978 ganja possession charge.



While each of the above songs do have strong elements of spirituality, this is the main theme for powerful, yet relaxing and meditative songs like "Rastafari Is," the aforementioned "Fools Die (For Want of Wisdom)," and the ambitious, truthful "Oh Bumbo Klaat," which was about Tosh's battle with demons that would plague him constantly. Usually seen as an obscenity, Tosh views the term "Bumbo Klaat," as a way to drive away evil spirits as he states in the song.



Finally, there are the two previously unreleased extended mixes of two tracks, both wonderful and original remixes.



This album contains some of Peter Tosh's finest work and is without a doubt, one of the most legendary works of art in his career. It is, indeed, a milestone for the ages."

VERY STRONG ALBUM FROM TOSH

Coleen | Down in the alley | 09/29/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 1981 album is far superior to even classics like Mama Africa, because it is grittier in sound and has more variety in the songwriting. This album was underrated when it was first-released. But, remastered with extra tracks, it must be re-evaluated as the classic album from Tosh that it is! It is not as great as Equal Rights, but it is still EXCELLENT Peter Tosh, with classic tracks like Coming in Hot and Fools Die (For Want of Wisdom). Great Peter Tosh listening experience."