This is the last of the six re-release singles that are also part of the new Africa Unite: The Singles Collection.
We know the melody, we know the lyrics and we know that messing with this gem of a track would be criminal. Luckily, superstar DJ Ashley Beedle seems to operate with the same set of morals and hence his remix adds a noughties flavour to Stand Up Jamrock without detracting too much from the original track.
Marley’s vocals sound untouched asides a bit of echo here and there and the bulk of the melody has only received the smallest tweaking. Whilst the pace is still relatively horizontal, the track sounds firmer, more suited to a bar environment than the original and thus trendied up for a night out on the razzle rather than a, ahem, smoke in the comfort of one’s armchair.
Regardless, it’s not clear who’ll be buying this track as I suspect it isn’t dancey enough for most DJs and equally, unappealing to hardcore Marley devotees. A listenable record all the same.
Rating: 3/5
Label: Island
Words by: Sarah Chapman
