Light Your Light
| Light Your Light | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2007 | |||
| Genre | Reggae | |||
| Label | Fantasy | |||
| Producer | Zadig, Toots Hibbert | |||
| Toots and the Maytals chronology | ||||
| ||||
Light Your Light is an album by the Jamaican band Toots and the Maytals, released in 2007.[1][2] The band supported the album with a North American tour.[3] The album coincided with Toots's 45th year as a recording musician.[4]
Light Your Light peaked at No. 9 on Billboard's Reggae Albums chart.[5] It was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best Reggae Album" category.[6]
Production
[edit]The album was produced by Zadig and Toots.[7] Toots duetted with Bonnie Raitt on "Premature".[8] Derek Trucks played guitar on "Johnny Coolman".[9] "Image Get a Lick" lambasts the music industry.[10] The paean to Jamaican producer Coxsone Dodd is followed by a cover of "Guns of Navarone".[11] "Pain in My Heart" is a cover of the Otis Redding song; "I Gotta Woman" is a version of the Ray Charles song.[12][13] "Celia" was written for a younger fan of the Maytals.[14]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [7] |
| Daily Mirror | [10] |
| Edmonton Sun | 3/5[15] |
| The Gazette | 4/5[16] |
| Philadelphia Daily News | B[8] |
| PopMatters | 7/10[17] |
The Philadelphia Daily News deemed the album "reggae light."[8] The Sunday Times wrote that Toots "stylishly combines an earthy reggae pulse with more of his delicious old-school R&B."[18] The Daily Mirror opined that "Image Get a Lick" "stands up alongside such classics as 'Monkey Man', 'Pressure Drop' and 'Reggae Got Soul'."[10] The Independent noted that many songs are "delivered in light, acoustic-guitar-based, arrangements that showcase Toots's soulful vocals to maximum effect."[9] The Edmonton Sun stated that Toots displays "his soulful delivery and Otis-inspired pipes on an upbeat slate of poppy, melodic reggae."[15] The Gazette concluded that Toots's "voice is raspy, warm and golden, and the songs are strong, as is the production—never a given with old-timer acts."[16] The McClatchy-Tribune Business News listed Light Your Light as the 9th best album of 2007.[19]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Johnny Coolman" | |
| 2. | "Premature" | |
| 3. | "Pain in My Heart" | |
| 4. | "Love So Strong" | |
| 5. | "Don't Bother Me" | |
| 6. | "Celia" | |
| 7. | "Image Get a Lick" | |
| 8. | "I Gotta Woman" | |
| 9. | "See the Light" | |
| 10. | "Tribute to Coxson/Guns of Navarone" | |
| 11. | "Do You Remember" | |
| 12. | "Light U Light" |
References
[edit]- ^ "Duets infuse Jamaican musician's favorites". The Columbus Dispatch. 28 Aug 2007. p. 3D.
- ^ Markstrom, Serena (5 Oct 2007). "Musical legends come calling all in the same week". The Register-Guard. p. E10.
- ^ Danton, Eric R. (30 Aug 2007). "He Coined 'Reggae'". Calendar. Hartford Courant. p. 31.
- ^ Pemberton, Patrick S. (4 Oct 2007). "Reggae mon Toots marks a milestone". Ottawa Citizen. p. E9.
- ^ "Toots and the Maytals". Billboard. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ^ "Toots and the Maytals". Recording Academy. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ^ a b "Light Your Light Review by Steve Leggett". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ^ a b c Takiff, Jonathan (4 Sep 2007). "Toots and the Maytals, 'Light Your Light'". Features. Philadelphia Daily News. p. 43.
- ^ a b Gill, Andy (28 Sep 2007). "New Releases". Rock. The Independent. Postmedia Network Inc. p. 26.
- ^ a b c Martin, Gavin (28 Sep 2007). "Music: Albums". Features. Daily Mirror. p. 9.
- ^ Daniels, Jack (30 Sep 2007). "Play: Folk & Roots". Features. Sunday Mercury. p. 5.
- ^ Behe, Regis (11 Oct 2007). "Reggae". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
- ^ Labesse, Patrick (23 Oct 2007). "Toots & the Maytals Light Your Light". Culture. Le Monde. p. 27.
- ^ "Toots and the Maytals work the reggae beat". The StarPhoenix. 17 Jan 2008. p. D2.
- ^ a b Sterdan, Darryl (28 Oct 2007). "CD Reviews". Edmonton Sun. p. E13.
- ^ a b Dunlevy, T'Cha (1 Nov 2007). "New Music". The Gazette. p. D2.
- ^ McGuire, Colin (8 November 2007). "Toots and the Maytals: Light Your Light". PopMatters. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ^ Davis, Clive (23 Sep 2007). "Toots & the Maytals". Features. The Sunday Times. p. 41.
- ^ Harrington, Jim (23 Dec 2007). "The Top 10". McClatchy-Tribune Business News.