Exuma – Life (1973)

Artist: Exuma
Title: Life
Year: 1973
Format: LP
Label: Kama Sutra

A 70s classic from Exuma – one of those singers that’s so hard to categorize, we can only describe his work as “Exuma-like”! The set has Ex working in a blend of soul, rock, folk, and some island touches – more focused and song-based than on some of his earlier work, but still with a very relaxed approach that befits his earthy look on the cover. Titles include “Iko Iko”, “If It Feels Good Do It”, “Viva El Matador”, “Night Time People”, and “Love Is Strange”. (Dusty Groove)

Track Listing

1. If It Feels Good, Do It
2. Paint It Black
3. Love Is Strange
4. The Jumping Dance
5. Iko Iko
6. You Can’t Always Get What You Want
7. Night Time People
8. Hayride
9. Oh! Lovey
10. Sodom And Gamorrah
11. Kenyatta Alisha
12. Viva El Matador
    

Exuma – Reincarnation (1972)

Artist: Exuma
Title: Reincarnation
Year: 1972
Format: LP
Label: Kama Sutra

This is a great Exuma album with lots of variety. Brown Girl has a great line about her “big brown eye”… Ballad for Sammy gets me to tear up depending on my level of intoxication. For a guy like me it’s a no filler, play it all the way through, leave it on all morning type of album.

But then again, listening to ALL of Exuma’s albums all morning is a step up to the next level. Make yourself a mimosa and a smokable and chill with the Obeah man. I’ve actually never heard Paul McCartney’s Monkberry Moon Delight, only the Exuma version.

The liner notes call it a “Beatles Song”. I’m in no rush to hear Paul’s. Just look at the reincarnated Exuma on the cover… HE’S GOT PHOENIX WINGS! You know you’re in for goodtimes! Walk with all the spirits good and bad. – Exuma (DigginSunshine RYM)

Track Listing

1. Brown Girl
2. Monkberry Moon Delight
3. Metastophaliese
4. Obeah Man Come Back
5. Baby, Let Me In
6. Pay Me What You Owe Me
7. Empty Barrels
8. Walking Home
9. Rushing Through the Crowd
10. Ballad For Sammy
11. Exuma’s Reincarnation
    

Exuma – Snake (1972)

Artist: Exuma
Title: Snake
Year: 1972
Format: LP
Label: Kama Sutra

Not as good as his first three-much more polished and radio-like,and so Exuma has left most of his black magick spell he once had!Better you buy one of the first three albums if you really wanna know whats Exuma is all about! (badliver RYM)

Track Listing

1. Obeah, Obeah, Obeah
2. Snake
3. Don’t Let Go
4. Attica Part 1
5. Thirteenth Sunday
6. Subway Bound For Hell
7. Happiness And Sunshine
8. Summertime In New York
9. Andros Is Atlantis Rising
10. Exuma’s Reincarnation
    

Exuma – Do Wah Nanny (1971)

Artist: Exuma
Title: Do Wah Nanny
Year: 1971
Format: LP
Label: Kama Sutra

“Hey-thats sugar for Daddy! Raw caribbean folk reaggae or so-exciting and deep from the heart of a black magick man!Goodie!!!” (badliver RYM)

A ideia mantém-se, mas a execução revela-se fraca, neste terceiro disco dos Exuma. Depois, de, em apenas um ano, puxarem duas obras-primas, era de esperar que a banda não aguentasse o seu estatuto. De modo que não considero este disco um desastre, mas sim um acontecimento natural: o Diabo simplesmente deixou os Exuma.

E embora os coros e a percussão fantástica ainda estejam lá, já se nota uma falta de alma na voz e um esbatimento na poesia, que apenas se distingue melhor na longa e apocalíptica 22nd Century. Mas engana-se quem pensa que este, mesmo sendo um mau disco pelos padrões dos Exuma, não é um bom álbum para se ouvir

É mesmo dos melhores de 1971 e possui autênticas pérolas como Do Wah Nanny (finalmente uma excursão dos Exuma pela escola folclórica dos Bahamas) e She Looks So Fine. (Amstad RYM)

Track Listing

1. Do Wah Nanny
2. Silver City
3. Eyebrows And Beard
4. She Looks So Fine
5. Roweena
6. The Bowery
7. 22nd Century
8. Do Wah Nanny (Part 2)
   

Exuma – II (1970)

Artist: Exuma
Title: II
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: Mercury

A true masterpiece, on par with its brilliant prequel. Although this one is in some ways more folksy than its predecessor, it’s still consistently more strange and somehow the overall effect is more primal. Every song here has obvious merit, each being quite catchy and quite terrifying at different points. Listening to this for half-an-hour feels the same as dancing with a witch doctor for weeks, I imagine. Aah, it’s magical. (Andrew1125 RYM)

Track Listing

1. Damn Fool
2. Baal
3. Paul Simon Nontooth
4. Fire In The Hole
5. A Place Called Earth
6. We Got To Go
7. African Rhythm
8. Zandoo
   

Exuma – Exuma (1970)

Artist: Exuma
Title: Exuma
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: Mercury

I would (likely) have never given this album a chance if it weren’t for the eye catching album artwork. The album starts off with dark ambient noises; an animal howling then the sound of frogs and bugs in the night; accurately foreshadowing the overall feel of the album. The first three songs are linked together in that they have a dark overall sound.

Macfarlane has a fairly scratchy voice that, when contrasted with the smoother voice of the other singers, sounds amazing. Exuma have several background singers adding emphasis to certain lyrics and to the overall feel of the songs. The second track features dark, apocalyptic lyrics and overall feel. “You won’t go to heaven You won’t go to hell You’ll remain in your graves with the stench and the smell”

The first and second songs have minimal percussion while the third and fourth are led by a powerful drum beat. “Mama Loi, Papa Loi” continues with the dark lyrics and imagery of the first two songs while being led by a deep percussive beat. The fourth song, “Junkanoo”, marks the beginning of the change. Junkanoo is the first and only instrumental of the album being entirely percussion.

Junkanoo sounds like something you would hear at a carnival. Junkanoo wears out its welcome, ending nearly a minute after it becomes boring. The fifth song, “Seance in the Sixth Fret”, is the most boring track of the album, over seven minutes long.

The song features a long (1:00) intro, some spoken word vocals and almost inaudible guitar. Like the rest of the album, track five tries to maintain some sort of dark, spiritual atmosphere, but unlike the rest of the album, it falls apart feeling incredibly forced and cheesy.

The last two songs, “You Don’t Know What’s Going On” and “The Vision” are very unalike. “You Don’t Know What’s Going On” is the second (Junkanoo) ‘happy’ song on the album, much more upbeat and with optimistic lyrics. “You Don’t…” has a powerful anthem of a chorus. The final track, “The Vision”, continues in the vain of the first three songs: dark and mythical. Track seven is also the longest on the album.

Overall, Exuma’s self titled album (“Exuma”, 1970) is an enjoyable listen. Exuma focuses on topics such as “Voodoo” and “spirits”, delivering the lyrics through a wide range of genres and influences. Aside from the easily forgettable “Seance In the Sixth Fret”, this approach holds up well, offering an enjoyable and memorable listen. (Jimm9349 RYM)

Track Listing

1. Exuma, The Obeah Man
2. Dambala
3. Mama Loi, Papa Loi
4. Junkanoo
5. Seance In The Sixth Fret
6. You Don’t Know What’s Going On
7. The Vision