Bob Marley – Trenchtown Rock: Anthology 1969-1978 (Trojan Records)

Before Island records swallowed him whole and spat out the mid-atlantic, world-wide hits, Bob Marley had been produced by some of Jamaica’s finest, and generated a stream of home-grown (in both senses) records. Collected here are the crucial pre-Island years from 1969 onwards, with a much rougher and more natural sound, that have dated far less than the late ’70’s era polished tracks collected on ‘Legend’.

It was Jimmy Cliff, one of the earliest international reggae superstars and sometime film star, who encouraged Marley to record his first single with Leslie Kong and, although it flopped, Marley continued to work with Kong as well as the infamous upsetter himself Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. After a succession of local successes, Tuff Gong in 1970 he really began to hit his stride. Releases like ‘Small Axe’ and ‘Trench Town Rock’ led to extensive local success and an increasingly fertile period. This where the story really started for Marley and the Wailers.

This collection has all been released in various formats in the UK in the past, but no matter, the sound is far more in keeping with the original spirit of Reggae, and has far more in common with soul rather than the smooth sounds our Western ears are accustomed to.

Don’t try and pick out individual tracks, just let the whole 51 track double CD wash over you with the spirit in which it was intended and consider you soul satisfied. 8.7/10

Neon Suntan