| Reggae's golden age was as bright as the following years have been dim for the once glorious genre. Indeed, it's the work of the pioneers of the '60s and '70s that, more than ever, defines reggae decades after the heydays of Marley, Toots, and Tosh. This four-disc, chronologically arranged box set (in contrast with 2001's similarly expansive but more wide-ranging Reggae Box) maintains its focus on the first decade and a half of reggae and its antecedents, allowing the compilers to delve deeper into the great one-offs that played a vital role in shaping the classic sound. Yes, like countless reggae compilations before it, this Trojan set features "Israelites," "Pressure Drop," "Rivers of Babylon," "Trenchtown Rock," and "Marcus Garvey." In addition to those indisputable touchstones, however, This is Reggae Music generously and expertly plunges into a remarkable archive to highlight the less-celebrated likes of Bongo Man Byfield, the Uniques, and Ken Parker. Colin Escott's pithy but erudite history and track-by-track summary further flesh out this exemplary package. --Steven Stolder |
