Bob Marley & The Wailers - Exodus (LP) Vinyl

Exodus is the ninth studio album by Jamaican reggae band Bob Marley and the Wailers, first released in June 1977 on Island Records and following Rastaman Vibration (1976). It is the record that carried Marley to international stardom, and in 1999 Time named it the best album of the 20th century.

The Album

On 3 December 1976 an assassination attempt was made on Bob Marley's life in Jamaica. He survived, left the island and settled in London, where Exodus was recorded. Sessions ran at Harry J. Studio in Kingston and Island Studios in London across 1976 and January to April 1977, with Bob Marley and the Wailers producing. The band featured Aston "Family Man" Barrett on bass, Carlton Barrett on drums, Junior Marvin and Al Anderson on guitars, Tyrone Downie on keyboards and Alvin "Seeco" Patterson on percussion, with the I Threes (Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths and Judy Mowatt) on backing vocals.

The production is laid-back, built on pulsating bass beats with an emphasis on piano, trumpet and guitar. Where earlier Wailers records leaned on cryptic story-telling, Exodus turns to themes of change, religious politics and sexuality, and splits into two halves: the first given to religious politics, the second to making love and keeping faith. It peaked at number 8 in the UK, where it stayed on the chart for 56 consecutive weeks, and at number 20 on the Billboard 200. Five singles were drawn from the album: "Exodus", "Waiting in Vain", "Jamming", "Three Little Birds" and "One Love / People Get Ready".

This Pressing

This is the Island and Tuff Gong reissue, remastered and pressed on 180 gram vinyl as a single LP. It reproduces the original gold metallic jacket with embossed lettering and includes a printed inner sleeve carrying credits on one side and the lyrics to "Exodus" on the other.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Natural Mystic (3:31)
2. So Much Things To Say (3:08)
3. Guiltiness (3:20)
4. The Heathen (2:32)
5. Exodus (7:35)

Side B

1. Jamming (3:31)
2. Waiting In Vain (4:16)
3. Turn Your Lights Down Low (3:40)
4. Three Little Birds (3:03)
5. One Love / People Get Ready (2:51)