AMG Review of Classic Souls

Steve Leggett
All Music Guide

Classic Souls is actually the album Wailing Souls recorded with digital dancehall producer King Jammy in 1989 called Stormy Night, and reissued once before under the title Reggae Legends Volume 1. With its drum machine beats and stark, digital feel, this is hardly the place to start to get a sense of this long lasting roots duo (Lloyd "Bread" McDonald and Winston "Pipe" Matthews), but there is still a surprising depth and warmth to the songs here, and it is not the airless, late '80s artifact it could have been. It pales when placed next to earlier albums like Wild Suspense, however, making Classic Souls/Stormy Night a purchase for true fans only.