| Blackman Know Yourself | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1990 | |||
| Label | Shanachie [1] | |||
| Producer | Lee Jaffe, Joe Higgs | |||
| Joe Higgs chronology | ||||
| ||||
Blackman Know Yourself is an album by the Jamaican musician Joe Higgs, released in 1990. [2] [3] He is credited with the Wailers Band. [4]
The album was produced by Lee Jaffe and Higgs, although there are questions about how much Jaffe was involved. [4] "Steppin Razor'", written by Higgs, was popularized by Peter Tosh. [5] "Small Axe" and "Sun Is Shining" are covers of Bob Marley songs. [6] "Oh Carol" is a cover of the Gladiators song. [7]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| Chicago Tribune | [9] |
| Robert Christgau |  [10] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [11] |
| MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide | [12] |
| The State |  [13] |
The Austin American-Statesman wrote that "the rumbling bass of Aston 'Family Man' Barrett keeps the music anchored in authenticity and Higgs' expressive voice does the rest." [5] The Boston Globe praised Higgs's "silky smooth vocals," writing that "the music upholds a roots-reggae sound and consciousness." [6] The Houston Chronicle stated that Higgs's "soulful, powerfully 'dread' singing offers a reminder of the music's spiritual foundation too often neglected or trivialized by latter-day reggae artists." [14]
The Gazette thought that "'Sons of Garvey', 'Wave of War', and the title track, 'Blackman Know Yourself', are all sparkling examples of Higgs at his best." [15] The Chicago Tribune concluded that Higgs's "voice of middle-aged experience is well-suited to plaintive love songs such as 'She Was the One' or Bob Marley's sultry 'Sun Is Shining'... On the title track, his dignified, authoritative rasp breaks into a falsetto wail that by itself is worth the price of the disc." [9]
AllMusic wrote that, "when other reggae artists were going for high-tech productions and incorporating hip-hop or urban contemporary elements, Higgs stuck with the type of simplicity that had characterized him since the '60s." [8]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Blackman Know Yourself" | |
| 2. | "Oh Carol" | |
| 3. | "Small Axe" | |
| 4. | "Sons of Garvey" | |
| 5. | "She Was the One" | |
| 6. | "Steppin' Razor" | |
| 7. | "Saturday Morning" | |
| 8. | "Wave of War" | |
| 9. | "Let Us Do Something" | |
| 10. | "Sun Is Shining" |
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