The Spirit of Music

1	Keep My Faith 5:06
2	We Are One 3:41
3	Beautiful Day 4:58
4	Gone Away 5:08
5	All Day, All Night 4:14
6	Higher Vibration 4:12
7	All I Need Is You 3:33
8	One Good Spliff 3:54
9	Let It Go 5:26
10	13 Months of Sunshine 4:30
11	Many Waters 4:37
12	High Tide or Low Tide 3:59
13	Won't Let You Down 4:16
14	Jah Will Be Done 4:57

Barnes & Noble

At 31 years old, Ziggy Marley has been grown some time now, but SPIRIT OF MUSIC marks a different kind of development for Bob's eldest and heir apparent. Not since their early masterpiece CONSCIOUS PARTY have Ziggy, brother Stephen, and sisters Cedella and Sharon sounded so assured. From the earthy opening chords of "Keep My Faith" to the straight reggae of "All Day All Night," one of Dad's tunes and Stephen's turn on the mike, the Marleys deliver reggae's soul-vibration spirit without replicating its current mind-numbing sound. Sharon and Cedella's backing vocals ring with the gospel authority of mama Rita's I-Threes, but the dark acoustic guitars, churchy Hammond organ, and country-blues harmonica (by Taj Mahal) conjure soulful settings out of the Delta. Elsewhere, producer Don Was sustains the sticky, funky atmosphere over junglist programming ("Let It Go") and Wailers guitarist Earl "Chinna" Smith unleashes sexy lead lines that will paint Lenny Kravitz green with envy ("Many Waters"). Ziggy's vocals are at times reminiscent of that once-dreadlocked '70s revisionist, and Ben Harper fans will find a lot to like in the album's rootsy energy, but don't get confused. SPIRIT OF MUSIC marks a creative peak for Bob's brood, with a confident sound that's all their own. Mark Schwartz

All Music Guide

From Taj Mahal's soulful harp playing on the opening track to the striped-down, pure sound of the entire CD, it's loud and clear that Ziggy Marley has returned to his roots. Rumored to have gone through a near-death experience, it appears that he and his siblings have done away with all the inconsequential pop music experiments and flimsy lyrics that have plagued recent releases and decided to get serious about the heart of reggae music: flowing rhythms with a spiritual/political message. Both the singing and the lyrics on Spirit of Music are sublime, recalling Bob Marley's early work. In fact, Stephen Marley's delivers haunting and effective versions of his father's tunes "All Day All Night" and "High Tide or Low Tide." Filled with soulful singing and easygoing melodies, this album is a must-have for even casual reggae fans. Rosalind Cummings-Yeates