| When
they replaced the original harmony vocals in
the Wailers as the I-Three's in what would
become Bob Marley And The Wailers, the
three sistren were already strong singers
on an individual basis.
When 1981 brought us the passing away of
Bob Marley, the I-three's had to further
their solo carriers. But also before that,
the three sistren had been releasing
solo-albums.
Rita Marley's "Who Feels It Knows
It" is such an album. It is a very
special album, as it has obviously been
created with the same sense for perfection
that marks all Bob Marley's albums.
Backing vocals are one of (Reggae)
music's secrets. They are actually among the
most difficult disciplines in the skill of
singing. Most of the time, backing vocals
are in the back of the mix, and so the
talents are not often noticed for what they
are.
Who Feels It Knows It makes up that
injustice. Listening to the album will
reveal the talented voice of Rita Marley as
she rides from one riddim to the next. And
she does so, with the same skill as the
musical works recorded by the musicians.
Ten massive tracks, most are extremely
danceable and many of them devotional to the
Creator. There's a wide variety of
vibes and styles, all recorded in a
near-perfect play. And so, this is kind of a
special album as every track has reasons to
be considered outstanding.
The album produced a world hit with the
skanking "One Draw", while
devotionals like "Thank You Jah"
and "Good Morning Jah" will
definitely appeal to the souls of those that
are devotional to Jah themselves.
There's a couple of lover's tunes
("I'm Still Waiting", "Play,
Play"), something that vaguely
resembles a ballad ("Easy
Sailing"), and than we even haven't
reviewed all titles.
The band, needless to say, contains a
healthy number of members of the Wailers,
but Sly and Robbie also contribute with some
nice Drum and Bass Lines. The recordings,
done in Tuff Gong, are in excellent quality,
even for today's standards.
Who Feels It, Knows It!
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