Review Summary: Everyone knows the Wailers Bob Marley and Peter Tosh but Bunny Wailer gets lost in the shuffle. Well put on this album and hear the base of the triangle!
This is the 1976 solo debut from Neville "Bunny" O'Riley Livingston. Bunny was the 1/2 brother of Bob Marley; Bunny's father, Thaddeus "Toddy" Livingston, lived for some time with Bob's mother Cedella Booker and had a daughter with her named Pearl Livingston. Bunny, along with Bob and Peter Tosh formed the Wailers and had enormous success in Jamaica, England and were just getting noticed in the States when Bunny decided to leave the Wailers in 1973. Bunny was exhausted from the constant touring and he also felt creatively stiffled. Bunny had written the reggae classics "Hallelujah Time" and "Pass It On" while with the Wailers but he felt as if his music was being overshadowed by Bob Marley's. So, Bunny "retired" to the countryside of Jamaica and recharged his creative batteries.
This initial release is a classic roots-rock-reggae album that features alot of the Wailers (Peter Tosh, Carlton & Aston Barrett, Bob Marley) and Robbie Shakespeare, Earl "Chinna" Smith and Skatalite Tommy McCook as his backing band. Bunny's music and message was/is hard hitting, powerful and soulful, but what set Bunny's music apart from Peter Tosh's and Bob Marley's was Bunny's soothing vocals and peaceful tone. Bob could be very forceful and Peter was in-your-face, but Bunny was more laid-back in his approach. Bunny was able to be powerful in his lyrics and relaxing with his music at the same time. Make no mistake, his message and music is strong; "Blackheart Man", "Fighting Against Convictions", "The Oppressed", "Rasta Man" & "Amagideon" can bring down the walls of Jericho! Listen to "Amagideon" and then Bob Marley's "War" and you will hear the same lyrics and musical theme. I don't know who wrote their song first but they are alot alike.
Songs like "Fig Tree", "Dreamland" and "This Train" will help you escape from the tension of the "real world" and bring you to a more relaxing place where peace and love reign. Bunny has a great voice and it provides a nice juxtapostion between the message and the music.
The Wailers were a triangle and you can't make a triangle without three sides. Bob Marley and Peter Tosh made the point but Bunny was the base.
Bunny's message is righteous, the music hypnotizing and the man a lion. 'Blackheart Man' was/is a classic record that grows in stature as the years fade. It's like drinking a triple espresso and smoking a "j" at the same time - Yah mon, it's irie!
