Search - Wailing Souls :: All Over the World

Souls Rock Reggae

Christian Kallen | Healdsburg, CA USA | 03/29/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The year "All Over the World Came" out, it was nominated for a Grammy as best reggae record -- losing out to Inner Circle for "Bad Boys." But in my opinion this is the far superior record, with catchier songs, more innovation and imagination, and less attitude. Downside first: there's a craftiness to some of these tracks, including the cover of Jagger-Richards "Sweet Black Angel" (with bottleneck guitar and New Age soprano sax no less), and the too-correct "If I Were You" is cloying, despite its hip rhythms and vocals.But give 'em big points for boldness - what other reggae group would cover an Anna McGarrigle song ("Heartbeats Accelerating")? They do it justice, too, easily besting Linda Ronstadt's less creative version. Everywhere the arrangements and instrumentation are eclectic and sophisticated, while the big beat is primary concern throughout. Hence it's a great dance record, from lead track "All Over the World" to the finger-wagging "Get Real," the springy, autobiographical "Picky Picky Head" and the epical closer "Love You Want". And too it's a great vocal record - lead singer Winston "Pipe" Matthews is a graduate of the Fred Hibbert school, as was his classmate Bob Marley, and co-Soul Lloyd McDonald plays counterpoint expertly. All in all it's fun, bright and uplifting, with rushes of pleasure throughout (the vocal fills on "Picky Picky Head" and the almost-incomprehensible chorus of "Love You Want" foremost). If you are dragged out by the drugged out direction of much reggae, the defensive negativity of hip-hop, and the over-professionalism of rock, "All Over the World" culls from the best of those fields, turns them over and plows them deep, and comes up with a tasty harvest. Dig it."

Best reggae album ever

Eric First | Wooster, OH USA | 08/28/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Perhaps I'm a little biased, Wailing souls is my favorite band, but I think this album is incredible. It is a great combination of old school and new school reggae. This works together well to give a very smooth sound. The harmonics are absolutely sensatonal. Thanks for the great music."

GREAT Cd!

A Wailing Souls fan | Nowhere special | 08/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was looking for a Wailing Souls album online, and I was listening to samples for this album. It sounded good so I bought it. When it arrived, I listened to it, and they wern't the same songs as on the internet. The songs I heard were actually from the Cd Live On from 1994. I was mad, but this is a great Cd anyway, every song a classic!"