Bob Marley & The Wailers: Gold

Obviously, the measure of any Bob Marley collection is Legend. While there is always more Marley to enjoy, can any compilation of hits match the eloquence or popularity of the original Marley best-of? Gold is nearly twice its size, but none of the songs it adds are less than essential. Most crucially, Gold embellishes the aspect of Marley’s career often overlooked by listeners who only go by Legend. Specifically, it balances his unparalleled talent for crossover songwriting with his devotion to ghetto reggae in its deepest darkest form. “Burnin’ and Lootin’,” “Positive Vibration,” and “Crazy Baldhead” may not be the songs that won Marley the attention of the global pop audience, but they are the songs that spoke to the Kingston dancehalls. If there can be one criticism of Legend, it is that it too easily glosses over that aspect of Marley’s art. Thankfully, Gold accords that material equal space, and thereby offers the casual Marley fan a more spiritually and sonically accurate portrayal of the man’s art.