Bunny Wailer Albums (15)
'Communication'
Release Date 10/3/2000
Tracks 17
Label Solomonic/Tuff Gon
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What The Critics Say
This is the latest from Bunny Wailer, the sole surviving member of The Wailers' vocal trio (which also included Bob Marley and Peter Tosh). Wailer concentrates more on dancehall riddims on this release. Tracks include "Raggamuffin," "Conscious Lyrics," and "Veteran." ~ Roundup Newsletter, All Music Guide
'Rootsman Skanking'
Release Date 10/1/1999
Tracks 10
Label Gallo Music
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What The Critics Say
Reggae fans overlook this one at their peril. Originally released as two separate albums on Bunny Wailer's own Solomonic label, this CD brings together the dub versions of songs from Blackheart Man, his solo debut, and Bunny Wailer Sings the Wailers, his tribute to the band he originally founded with Peter Tosh and Bob Marley. Blackheart Man, in particular, is generally regarded as one of the best reggae albums ever made, and the dub versions (produced by Bunny himself, which is unusual) complement its original contents perfectly. Bunny has a surprisingly adventurous approach to dub -- the sound is wet, warm and crowded, with lots of atmospheric reverb and generous splashes of vocals fluttering in and out through the mix. Bunny Wailer Sings the Wailers wasn't as important a record as Blackheart Man, but it was still a fine album, and the inclusion of both titles in dub versions makes this disc a great bargain as well as a musical revelation. Highlights include headbusting versions of "Battering Down Sentence" and "Dreamland," the latter featuring a gloriously cheesy outer-space synth line. Essential. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
When Bunny Wailer entered the 1990s with Gumption, it was evident that he had no intention of going out of his way to be contemporary. Some reggae veterans were incorporating heavy doses of hip-hop and dancehall in order to update their sounds; Wailer, however, was recording earthy albums that weren't much different from what he was doing with Bob Marley & the Wailers in the early '70s. Despite the use of high-tech keyboards and synthesizers, Wailer's production is characterized by its lack of slickness. Turning his attention to fine songs by greats like Marley ("Bus Dem Shut"), Johnny Osborne ("Warrior," "See and Blind") and Toots Hibbert ("Dog War," "Never Grow Old"), Wailer uses simplicity to great advantage. His consistency is a thing to admire. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The three original Wailers were an interesting mix of personalities. Bob Marley was the charismatic -- a prophet, mystic and ladies' man all rolled into one. Peter Tosh was the cynical revolutionary. And Bunny Livingston was... what? It was hard to say until the group splintered and the three all went on to varying degrees of solo success. Once Bunny was out of the shadow of Peter and Bob, it became clear that his was, in some ways, the more fully integrated talent and the more grounded vision. Listen to the rich, melodious speaking voice that introduces "Rise and Shine," the lead track on Liberation. Listen to the chesty, resonant voice that then proceeds to deliver the song itself. Bunny may simply be the best singer of the three -- Bob always seemed to be possessed by the song, sometimes shaken across the stage like a rag doll by the need to get the words out of his head. Peter Tosh always seemed slightly contemptuous of the whole singing process and invested minimal effort in it. But Bunny is always in control of both his instrument and his material, and is, in some ways, a more effective messenger because of it. There are so many highlights on this album that they almost don't count as highlights -- "Want to Come Home," with its Nyabinghi drum foundation and its simple, powerful repatriation message; "Liberation," with its effortless melodic hook; "Bald Head Jesus" with its matter-of-fact references to Jesus as a "dreadlocked Nazarene" and its incorporation of "Give Me That Old Time Religion." It just doesn't get much better than this. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
'Roots Radics Rockers Reggae'
Release Date 10/17/1990
Tracks 8
Label Shanachie
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What The Critics Say
The members of the original Wailers all had distinct personas: Bob Marley was the mystic, always looking off into the middle distance and frequently speaking in abstractions; Peter Tosh was the angry young man, with a sharp eye and sharper tongue; and Bunny Wailer was the gentle prophet, perhaps the most religious of the three and possessed of a calm, deliberate demeanor. Maybe it should come as no surprise that he is the only one of the three left alive; the world is a hard place for mystics and uppity cynics. Bunny's solo work has generally followed the same trajectory he established early on. His brand of reggae is thick, hot, and dark, like a more melodic Burning Spear, and his lyrical themes are generally in the mode of gentle admonishment or spiritual invitation. This exceptional album features a celebration of reggae itself (in the title track), a half-speed remake of his rocksteady classic "Let Him Go," and the stirring "Love Fire," among other gems. Though many critics put this album somewhere behind the classic Blackheart Man, it definitely belongs in the first rank of modern reggae recordings. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
