Damian's his own man

Damian Marley

With a family name like Marley, there's no doubt you'd want to use it. But Damian "Jr Gong" Marley - the youngest of Bob's children - need not rely on his father's name after this third album, Welcome To Jamrock.

Damian has his father's talent and shows none of the greedy traits of some of the other Marley offspring.

This album is a mix of dancehall, hip-hop and beautiful, soulful and skanking reggae. The militant opening track, Confrontation, and the punishing ragga of Move! (which samples and steals proudly from Bob's Exodus), shows a politically charged side to the young Marley's music.

But there's many other moods, including the sweet and sexy There For You, great sing-along rhymes ("Your gang of Jamaican Al Pacinos, drinking Blue Mountain cappuccinos"), and Pimpas Paradise features The Roots rapper Black Thought over the top of gently plucked, almost classical guitar.

But the best quality of this record is the coming together of Marley's modern music loves with the wholesome feel of the shuddering and spacious reggae traditions of old.

With a product like this it's no surprise Marley is supporting U2 on their United States tour - and he will be touring New Zealand in April.

The Studio One Lovers collection continues the Marley-family theme with the inclusion of I'm Still Waiting by Bob Marley and the Wailers from 1966.

Lovers is yet another in a series of excellent collections by Souljazz Records, who've gathered some of the best and rarest tracks from the vaults of legendary Jamaican reggae label Studio One.

Back in the mid-60s, Bob and his Wailers were a humble and romantic-sounding vocal group. It's a great experience to hear the most famous reggae musician in this romantic state and it perfectly sums up Lovers Rock - basically a reggae love song with sweet harmonies and soul. And this collection is full of such material, including Horace Andy (accompanied by keyboardist Jackie Mittoo) on Got To Be Sure, and the cute rock-steady clunk of Let Him Try with Alton Ellis on vocals.

Studio One old-boy Willi Williams is best known for the song Armagideon Time (co-written by the producer and founder of Studio One, the late Coxsone Dodd, and keyboardist Jackie Mittoo).

This Williams debut, Messenger Man, was first released in 1980. While there are some excellent songs, like the title track, a version of Armagideon Time called Rocking Universally (Armagideon Style) and the joint-smouldering beaut' Give Jah Praise, it comes across a little lacking. But it's is worth checking out and this reissue is boosted by eight extra versions and dubs of the originals.

Another reissue is Ossie All Stars Leggo Dub - essentially dub versions of songs from Gregory Isaac's 1982 album Mr Isaacs with an extra six tracks tacked on.

Ready Dub, with its wicked and cheeky lead guitar tickles, and the bark of Doberman Dub are by themselves worth the price of this album.

When the first Conscious Roots album - a compilation of local roots music - sold more than 20,000 copies after being released earlier this year there was always going to be a sequel. So, if you've got the first one, get this.

Second time around there are a few lesser-known but emerging names, people who are perhaps still finding their "roots" because the album is a little more lightweight.

Repeat performances from staples like Fat Freddys Drop (Ernie), Katchafire (Frisk Me Down), and Che Fu's dad's band Unity Pacific (This Here Reggae Music), keep it phat. But acts like The Midnights and The Illphonics, need to get more heavyhanded on the bass and feel it a little deeper. Anyway, you might already have many of the best cuts.

The same can be said for the latest singles collection by Bob Marley and the Wailers. Do we need another one? Island Records don't need much excuse to cash in on Bob yet again. But more than 25 years after Marley's death you'd be better off paying tribute by getting the individual albums.

There are some lesser-played classics such as Soul Shakedown, Roots Rock Reggae and Concrete Jungle, which make you feel like singing, to quote Bob, "One good thing about music, when it hits you. Feel no pain." So don't fight it, feel it.