JACOB MILLER/Who Say Jah No Dread
(RAS)
Before he died at the age of 25, there was talk that Miller had the charisma and talent to surpass Bob Marley as Jamaica's most famous musical export. This 1974 session finds a teenage Miller working with melodica master Augustus Pablo's band to create some of the rawest, most honest music ever to come off the island. The combination of vocal tracks placed side by side with instrumental dub versions (mixed by the incredible King Tubby) helps novice listeners understand the possibilities of dub.

STEEL PULSE/Sound System: The Island Anthology
(Island Jamaica)
This two-disc set collects Pulse's first three albums, some rare 12" mixes, and a few live nuggets into one tidy package. Few groups can match the complexity and depth of Pulse's early work. The British flourishes on these records kept some fiercely loyal Jamaicans from catching on to Pulse until the group became too huge to ignore.

CAPLETON/More Fire
(VP)
The finest dancehall album of 2000, More Fire finds Capleton and his voice of doom at their angry best. The music features some of the best riddims of recent years, ranging from stripped-down, propulsive beats to full-fledged modern reggae styles. Above it all, Capleton delivers cohesive lyrics and thunderous hooks, getting himself so worked up at times he chokes up and can't continue singing.

top of page

GREGORY ISAACS/My Number One
(Charly)
Isaacs has been compared to Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, and Stevie Wonder for his ability to leap effortlessly from poignant love song to political anthem, all the while maintaining his super-smooth demeanor. This collection of some of his finest '70s work presents the singer at the top of his songwriting game.

VARIOUS ARTISTS/Easy Star Volume One
(Easy Star)
This album set the blueprint for what a modern roots album can be. Organic and crisp, it presents both established stars (such as Sugar Minott, Sister Carol, and the Meditations) and up-and-coming talents (such as Ossie Dellimore and Rob Symeonn). Recorded using live instruments on analog tape, the sound recaptures the golden age of reggae without sacrificing the pulse of current releases.

top of page

VARIOUS/Hit Bound! The Revolutionary Sound Of Channel One
(Heartbeat)
Documenting the superb output of the best recording studio/record label of the '70s, Hit Bound has a little bit of everything to please roots reggae fanatics: succulent harmonies, brimstone lyrics, and bubbling beats. There isn't a bad song on the record, but standouts like Junior Byles' "Fade Away," the Meditations' "Woman Is Like A Shadow," and Ernest Wilson's "I Know Myself" are among the greatest singles ever released in the genre.

BUJU BANTON/'Til Shiloh
(Loose Cannon)
Banton's 1994 album stands as one of the landmarks of reggae, and not just because it's a stellar recording full of enduring hits and dancehall anthems. Many critics regard 'Til Shiloh as a turning point, when dancehall artists, after a decade of gun talk and sex rhymes, returned to cultural themes and Rastafarian ideology. It's hard to imagine what a breath of fresh air this album was when it was released.

ASWAD/A New Chapter Of Dub
(Mango)
Dub is practically a genre unto itself, and producers such as King Tubby, Scientist, the Mad Professor, and Lee "Scratch" Perry are all worth considering for the title of king of the mixing board. Yet for my money, there is no more solid dub album than this 1982 release by England's Aswad. Replete with sophisticated touches, like the stop-and-go intro to "Dub Fire" and the percussive storm halfway through "Natural Aggression," New Chapter serves as an excellent entry point into dub-but don't stop here.

top of page

THE CONGOS/Heart Of The Congos
(Blood & Fire)
The reissue of this forgotten '70s gem not only introduced the Congos to a new generation of roots aficionados, but, thanks to its gorgeously illustrated, lucidly written booklet, also revolutionized the way reggae reissues are packaged. At its core, Heart Of The Congos represents one of the best productions from Lee "Scratch" Perry. Filled with trippy, heartbreaking music-built around dense layers of rhythm and ethereal vocal harmonies-this record is guaranteed to put you into a pleasant trance.

BLACK UHURU/Liberation: The Island Anthology
(Mango)
Black Uhuru had two things going for them during their peak years in the early '80s: the athletic drum and bass of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare (reggae's most famous rhythm section), and the intense vocals of lead singer Michael Rose. Black Uhuru's music stands out because it is instantly accessible and dripping with hooks, yet completely unique in production and arrangement. This two-disc anthology is a sure place to begin investigating Black Uhuru, though most of their first five or six releases are equally strong.

-Lem Oppenheimer