Gumption is an album by the Jamaican musician Bunny Wailer.[1][2] It was released in 1990 via Shanachie Records.[3] The album peaked at No. 10 on Billboard's World Albums chart.[4] Gumption was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Reggae Album".[5]
| Gumption | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1990 | |||
| Genre | Reggae, dancehall | |||
| Label | Shanachie | |||
| Producer | Bunny Wailer | |||
| Bunny Wailer chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editWailer wanted to incorporate a dance hall element into the album's sound.[6] "Warrior" is a cover of the Johnny Osbourne song.[7] "Peiaka 'Bus Dem Shut'" was written by the Wailers in the 1960s.[8] "Dog War" and "Never Grow Old" were written by Toots Hibbert.[9] "Reggae Burden" refers to Bunny's position as the last Wailer, as well as his role as a promoter of reggae.[10]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| Chicago Tribune |  [11] |
| Robert Christgau |  [12] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [13] |
| Los Angeles Daily News | [14] |
| MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide | [15] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [16] |
The Gazette deemed the album "a tribute to the diversity of Jamaican reggae styles, from ska and rock steady, to lover's rock, roots and dancehall... It's a richly melodic, uplifting set from start to finish, spearheaded by the bold and caring vocals of a reggae veteran."[17] The Chicago Tribune concluded that, "while not as aggressively 'dancey' as some material now in the marketplace, parts of Gumption are indeed given a 'synthetic' shading by electronic drum beats—although that's generally balanced by a more 'human,' emotional feeling stemming from ebullient melodies and Wailer's warm vocals."[11] The Los Angeles Daily News noted that "the majority of tracks here are lackluster and say nothing new rhythmically."[14]
AllMusic wrote that "Wailer uses simplicity to great advantage... His consistency is a thing to admire."[7]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sounds Clash" | |
| 2. | "Peiaka 'Bus Dem Shut'" | |
| 3. | "Dog War" | |
| 4. | "See and Blind" | |
| 5. | "Warrior" | |
| 6. | "Never Grow Old" | |
| 7. | "Gumption" | |
| 8. | "Wheel Yo Belly" | |
| 9. | "Don Man" | |
| 10. | "Reggae Burden" |
References
edit- ^ Oulette, Dan (Mar 1991). "Gumption by Bunny Wailer". DownBeat. Vol. 58, no. 3. p. 34.
- ^ Thompson, Dave (2002). Reggae & Caribbean Music. Backbeat Books. p. 297.
- ^ Takiff, Jonathan (19 Dec 1990). "World Beat". Features. Philadelphia Daily News. p. 40.
- ^ "Bunny Wailer". Billboard. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
- ^ "Bunny Wailer". Recording Academy. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
- ^ Potter, Mitch (24 Aug 1990). "Bunny Wailer, Reggae Survivor". Toronto Star. p. E3.
- ^ a b c "Gumption Review by Alex Henderson". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
- ^ Doumerc, Eric. "Tribute: The Last Surviving Wailing Wailer". Perfect Sound Forever. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
- ^ Mitchell, Rick (January 13, 1991). "Pop Recordings". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 16.
- ^ Pick, Steve (February 15, 1991). "A New Reminder of Marley's Genius". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 4F.
- ^ a b Popson, Tom (11 Jan 1991). "'Gumption', Bunny Wailer". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. Q.
- ^ "Bunny Wailer". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 466.
- ^ a b Shuster, Fred (December 7, 1990). "World Beat". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L49.
- ^ MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 802.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 743.
- ^ Feist, Daniel (20 Dec 1990). "Wailer's Gumption picks up where Liberation left off". The Gazette. p. D13.