Dave Simpson 

Ziggy Marley: Dragonfly

(RCA)
  
  

Ziggy Marley

Ziggy Marley won't ever step out of his father Bob's shadow, but it's not for want of trying. Here, he refers to "being true to myself", while moving away from the family's cherished reggae to mix in hip-hop, African music and especially rock.

The more eclectic combination suits him very well, particularly when he recruits the Chili Peppers' John Frusciante and Flea for the funky reggae party of Rainbow in the Sky.

If Ziggy has learned one thing from his father, it is the art of looking at things off-kilter, and the title track powerfully surveys mankind through the eyes of animals.

He is more straightforwardly Bob-like on Shalom Salaam, which urges reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians, and the antiwar In the Name of God. But for the sublime confessional Melancholy Mood, you forget about the surname and submit to the vibe.

 

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