Social Living

AMG Review of Social Living

Rick Anderson
All Music Guide

Burning Spear's second album was originally released in the U.K. by Island in 1980 and has always been difficult to find in the U.S. Blood & Fire's reissue makes it possible for average American reggae fans to hear what we've been missing, and it turns out that we've been missing quite a lot. Social Living picks up right where Marcus Garvey left off -- more slow, dark songs about slavery, repatriation and, of course, Garvey himself (four of the nine songs have his name in their titles). There are still no real tunes to speak of, just immensely dense grooves that thud and rumble along slowly and relentlessly to the accompaniment of distant horns and rattling Nyabinghi percussion. If this album edges out the first in any way, it's in the mix: Island toned down Marcus Garvey a bit to appeal to British audiences, but the Blood & Fire version of Social Living absolutely throbs with bass and echoes like drums heard across vast distances. In this context, when Winston Rodney sings that "Jah no dead" it's impossible not to believe him; when he instructs you in the specifics of "Social Living," you find yourself submitting to his instruction. It's that kind of album.