“Bush Doctor” by Peter Tosh - album review

features in: Album Chart of 1978Album Chart of the Decade: 1970s

TJR says

A good move for Tosh business wise, his 4th solo album in 4 years was tied in with the Rolling Stones label, involved Jagger and Richards in the studio, and gained a lot of worldwide attention as a result. Album opener “(You Gotta Walk) Don’t Look Back” (The Temptations, 1965) features the bold Mick clowning around on co-vocals, banging on about walking 100 miles barefoot. Oh the japes. It's alright actually, but my smile is slightly pained, you know that way? Fortunately, such capers are kept to a minimum, and the record flows fairly well, with his newly christened Word Sound & Power ensemble providing the backbone. Luminaries within the ranks include the Sly & Robbie rhythm section with guitarists Mikey Chung and Donald Kinsey (himself an ex Wailer). As if echoing the Wailers style, Tosh has his own version of the I-Three's sweetening the backing vocals. In fact, the whole sound of the album is sweet, working the sunshine chords and breezy horns. Top cut for me us “Dem Ha Fe Get A Beatin’”, an update of an old Wailers rocksteady tune from more than 10 years earlier which Tosh had written. At odds with the album's overall vibe, “Creation” ends things on a strange note, with some kinda birds and thunder nature soundtrack accompanying Tosh and his acoustic guitar for a song of praise and thanksgiving. This anomaly is solely responsible for reducing the album's rating from “decent” to “average”. Whilst he can hardly make a bad record, this is the weakest of the six in my collection.

The Jukebox Rebel
12–Nov–2008

Tracklist
A1 [03:41] 6.5.png Peter Tosh - (You Gotta Walk) Don’t Look Back [album edit] (William Robinson, Ronald White) Ska / Rocksteady
A2 [04:02] 5.3.png Peter Tosh - Pick Myself Up (Winston McIntosh) Reggae
A3 [03:49] 6.4.png Peter Tosh - I’m The Toughest [album ’78 edit] (Winston McIntosh) Reggae
A4 [03:54] 5.6.png Peter Tosh - Soon Come [album edit] (Winston McIntosh, Bob Marley) Reggae
A5 [03:34] 5.9.png Peter Tosh - Moses - The Prophets (Winston McIntosh) Reggae
B1 [04:02] 6.5.png Peter Tosh - Bush Doctor [album edit] (Winston McIntosh) Reggae
B2 [06:12] 6.4.png Peter Tosh - Stand Firm (Winston McIntosh) Reggae
B3 [04:15] 6.6.png Peter Tosh - Dem Ha Fe Get A Beatin’ (Winston McIntosh) Reggae
B4 [06:35] 4.7.png Peter Tosh - Creation (Winston McIntosh) Reggae

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