Psychedelic Souls
Foundation reggae duo Wailing Souls reinvents, not merely interprets, 11 rock anthems composed circa 1962 to 1972 by the music's greatest scribes, for this inspired and imaginatively-produced set. Winston "Pipe" Matthew's soaring tenor evokes Bob Marley, but he's Marley's peer, no copy cat, and his unique brand of soul breathes new life into these classics. Lloyd "Bread" McDonald's rough-hewn, "Jamdown" stylings override the boundaries between reggae and rock, making their joining seem like an inevitable occurrence. You won't know whether to laugh in delight at Wailing Souls' audacious interpretations of Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale," Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," The Doors' "Love Her Madly," The Who's "My Generation," Hendrix's "May This Be Love (Waterfalls)," The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows," and other pop epics, or just lay back and let the spectacular amplitude of it all wash over you.--Elena Oumano