THE PLOT THUS FAR
Originally released in 1984, Bob Marley’s LEGEND illustrates the remarkable life and recording career of one of reggae music’s most important figures. This iconic collection not only serves as the perfect introduction to the music of Bob Marley, it has become an essential part in every Marley collection. It remains the world’s best-selling reggae album and continues to be one of the best-selling catalog albums, exceeding 15 copies in the U.S. alone and over 27 million worldwide.
Coupled with the original release of LEGEND on CD, this deluxe version features this iconic collection entirely mixed in 5.1 by the GRAMMY® Award winning producer Bob Clearmountain on Blu-Ray Pure Audio Disc™ and now includes the original, early studio version of ‘No Woman No Cry,’ in lieu of the previous live version. Also featured are two, previously unheard alternate takes of ‘Easy Skanking’ and ‘Punky Reggae Party’ recently discovered in the Marley vault. Classic Marley anthems include ‘Three Little Birds,’ ‘Get Up Stand Up,’ ‘One Love/People Get Ready,’ ‘No Woman No Cry’ and ‘I Shot The Sheriff,’ which was later a No. 1 hit for Eric Clapton, as well as ‘Jamming,’ ‘Exodus,’ ‘Redemption Song’ and ‘Is This Love.’
Both the CD and Blu-Ray Pure Audio Disc™ are housed in a 28-page, case bound book featuring extended liner notes, unseen photos and forewards written by Sir Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, and liner notes by author of the book Marley, Christopher Farley.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Legend” has been released a lot to new generations of adoring suburban kids that slowly turn into Ras Trent for a few years. They get it over, but hopefully they learn to appreciate reggae music on a basic level. The 30th anniversary of the release of Legend has allowed for another bite at the apple. The CD reissue is pretty typical. However, the included Blu-Ray presents these same tracks in a glorious 5.1 surround lossless mix.
I have not listened to “Buffalo Soldier” this much since I had to help drunkards make beer can pyramids in the Freshman Dorm in college. I’ve never heard the horns come in the back channels on these tracks before. Seeing as how the guy died two months before I was born, I don’t really have any live Marley experience to compare. What I do have multitudes of Columbia House record club copies of this release? I do have to say that this release kicks the shit out of that copy stuck in my elementary school art teacher’s boombox.
The Blu-Ray/CD compilation is the definition of epic. Epic in the way it’s abused by hackey sack playing patchouli heads. But, the audio really booms on everything including the quieter songs like “Redempting Song”. Extra channels to split fidelity and provide dedicated clarity to individual tracks is genius. Every classic album should get a release like this.
RELEASE DATE: 07/01/2014