Ziggy Marley – Family Time
Reviewed by Sadie O., 7/12/09
Roots rock reggae for kids, by Ziggy, head of the Marley clan for almost 30 years now… Lots and lots of top ranking guests. I’m usually a terrible cynic, but I have to admit I’m really touched by this stuff. It’s really positive and upbeat, simple but sophisticated.
No FCCs –duh! Everything’s lovely.
1. 4:21 **sounds of kids playing, then mellow acoustic groove. Celebration of family – sweet. Features a tiny child toward the end – I guess one of Ziggy’s kids?
2. 3:33 ***uptempo roots bubble with tuba blats. Features Ziggy’s mom and sis.
3. 4:43 ***mellow blues-infused acoustic groove – no drums, but great guitar. Lovely vocals as well.
4. 3:18 ***bouncy, upbeat but midtempo bubble, happy song about Jamaica (so few songs about Jamaica these days are….) Features Toots Hibbert. My kids are in Jamaica as I write this, and I’m crying a river…
5. 3:52 ***downtempo simple march, cute kid’s play song, take-off on Simon Says. Dreamlike ending.
6. 3:39 ***shaker intro, bouncy midtempo bubble, famous spiritual featuring Willie Nelson, rendered for kids but with great singing and guitar.
7. 4:17 **midtempo acoustic groove with a bit of Nyahbinghi drumming, cover of a folk classic with pretty female guest vocals. Ends with a lot of really pretty guitar, long fade with hand drums.
8. 4:02 ****downtempo loping stroll, Ziggy’s alphabet with chorus of “Bend Down Low”. Fun bits of vocals.
9. 3:37 ***energetic hand drum intro, downtempo rootsy skank. Cover of an old Trinidadian calypso song – swingy and cute.
10. 3:16 ***syncopated and a bit bluesy groove, positivity message, features Paul Simon.
11. 3:38 **midtempo roots skank with whistling. Pretty female guest vocals. Seems to be all about sustainable energy…
12. 0:54 spoken word for kids, narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis.
13. 2:32 *spoken word ostensibly for kids, narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis.