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Peter Tosh : Legalize It; Equal Rights (Legacy Editions)

Columbia/Legacy

Peter Tosh finally gets the deluxe treatment afforded to the work of his Wailers brethren Bob Marley. Often trapped in the long shadow of Marley’s stardom, Tosh was also a formable reggae force. More political and direct, Tosh’s music frequently hit with a stinging edge, a cry to measure up to societal issues and accept that love was not all you needed. These classics—heaped with scads of rarities, demos, alternative mixes and dub versions—demonstrate those unwavering beliefs. Uncovering a song’s roots, via the pre-release version with different lyrics or musical feel, offers insight to an artist. Legalize It, Tosh’s first solo outing, features most the original album demos, raw and—in places stripped—of studio gloss. Outtakes offer different song views too. Outtakes of “Vampire” and “Babylon Queendom” both have unusual roaring or screaming in the background, while the unreleased alternative/extended versions of “Get Up, Stand Up” and “Equal Rights” contain provocative lyrics deemed incendiary at the time. The dub tracks are a real bonus. Both releases are well constructed and provide further insight into a great reggae artist cut down in his prime.