Doo Wop Jamaican Style - Various Artists

Advantages: Old favourites remixed as "urban duets"
Disadvantages: Not for the purists; this isn't real reggae

...---WHO'S THIS THEN?--- Why, it's Bob Marley: without a doubt the man who single-handedly brought reggae to the attention of the planet. He recorded some 700 tracks and 40 albums between 1965 and 1981. Albums, such as 1984's perfect Legend, are still being issued, and "lost tapes" were still being rescued as recently as 2001. He died in 1981 of lung cancer. ---WHAT'S THIS ALBUM LIKE?--- It's a bizarre concept. The mastertapes of old Marley tracks were handed to various rappers and singers in 1998 to add vocals or remix the tracks in a contemporary style. The results are at once spooky, sacreligious and intriguing. This album was released in 1999 amid a bluster of publicity and the first single release from the album was the Lauryn Hill-assisted "Turn Your Lights Down Low". Lauryn HIll is Bob Marley's daughter-in-law, by the way... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: variety
Disadvantages: make it only a single album not a double

...An interesting idea which, in theory, should be one of the best albums of all time, but sadly is one of the most disappointing. The idea is sound - make a huge triple album in which all the members of the Clash could allow all their influences and experimental tendencies to run riot. And so we get dub, reggae, swing, doo-wop, soul, hip-hop, disco, folk, show-tune, infant children singing 'Career Opportunities' (honest), and every other style of music in the history of record sound. Unfortunately, with the exception of a few tracks ('Magnificent Seven' and 'Somebody Got Murdered' being the best), the quality here is average at best, and at worst - it doesn't bear speaking about. A real shame, because for the price of a single album, this is great value. It just doesn't work - it should have been a single album! For completists only.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average off topic

Advantages: GREAT ALBUM
Disadvantages: NONE

...Well, I think Lauryn Hill is the best thing to hit the ladies music scene since sliced bread! Originally in the rap group ‘The Fugees’, and having a reggae type style influenced by none other than Bob Marley, her solo album ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’, is filled to the brim with great raggae tunes and slow meaningful ballads. There’s songs that make you wanna get up and dance like ‘Doo Wop, that thing’, then really nice love song ballads like ‘Ex-Factor’. Her hip-hop R&B style album is brilliant, and if you like just one of her songs, you’ll love the whole record! There’s definitely no skipping on this album! Lauryn (who is married to the son of the legend Bob Marley), has a brilliant variety of music on her album and I would recommend it to anyone! Intro... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful