Columbia/Legacy

Peter Tosh finally gets the deluxe treatment afforded to the work of his Wailers brethren Bob Marley. Often trapped in the long shadow of Marley’s stardom, Tosh was also a formable reggae force. More political and direct, Tosh’s music frequently hit with a stinging edge, a cry to measure up to societal issues and accept that love was not all you needed. These classics – heaped with scads of rarities, demos, alternative mixes and dub versions – demonstrate those unwavering beliefs. Uncovering a song’s roots, via the pre-release version with different lyrics or musical feel, offers insight to an artist. Legalize It, Tosh’s first solo outing, features most the original album demos, raw and – in places stripped – of studio gloss. Outtakes offer different song views too. Outtakes of “Vampire” and “Babylon Queendom” both have unusual roaring or screaming in the background, while the unreleased alternative/extended versions of “Get Up, Stand Up” and “Equal Rights” contain provocative lyrics deemed incendiary at the time. The dub tracks are a real bonus. Both releases are well constructed and provide further insight into a great reggae artist cut down in his prime.