Light Your Light

2007 studio album by Toots and the Maytals
Light Your Light
Studio album by
Released2007
GenreReggae
LabelFantasy
ProducerZadig, Toots Hibbert
Toots and the Maytals chronology
The Essential Collection
(2006) 		Light Your Light
(2007) 		Reggae Legends
(2008)

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

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

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Daily Mirror[10]
Edmonton Sun3/5[15]
The Gazette4/5[16]
Philadelphia Daily NewsB[8]
PopMatters7/10[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

No.TitleLength
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

  1. ^ "Duets infuse Jamaican musician's favorites". The Columbus Dispatch. 28 Aug 2007. p. 3D.
  2. ^ Markstrom, Serena (5 Oct 2007). "Musical legends come calling all in the same week". The Register-Guard. p. E10.
  3. ^ Danton, Eric R. (30 Aug 2007). "He Coined 'Reggae'". Calendar. Hartford Courant. p. 31.
  4. ^ Pemberton, Patrick S. (4 Oct 2007). "Reggae mon Toots marks a milestone". Ottawa Citizen. p. E9.
  5. ^ "Toots and the Maytals". Billboard. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Toots and the Maytals". Recording Academy. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Light Your Light Review by Steve Leggett". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Takiff, Jonathan (4 Sep 2007). "Toots and the Maytals, 'Light Your Light'". Features. Philadelphia Daily News. p. 43.
  9. ^ a b Gill, Andy (28 Sep 2007). "New Releases". Rock. The Independent. Postmedia Network Inc. p. 26.
  10. ^ a b c Martin, Gavin (28 Sep 2007). "Music: Albums". Features. Daily Mirror. p. 9.
  11. ^ Daniels, Jack (30 Sep 2007). "Play: Folk & Roots". Features. Sunday Mercury. p. 5.
  12. ^ Behe, Regis (11 Oct 2007). "Reggae". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
  13. ^ Labesse, Patrick (23 Oct 2007). "Toots & the Maytals Light Your Light". Culture. Le Monde. p. 27.
  14. ^ "Toots and the Maytals work the reggae beat". The StarPhoenix. 17 Jan 2008. p. D2.
  15. ^ a b Sterdan, Darryl (28 Oct 2007). "CD Reviews". Edmonton Sun. p. E13.
  16. ^ a b Dunlevy, T'Cha (1 Nov 2007). "New Music". The Gazette. p. D2.
  17. ^ McGuire, Colin (8 November 2007). "Toots and the Maytals: Light Your Light". PopMatters. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  18. ^ Davis, Clive (23 Sep 2007). "Toots & the Maytals". Features. The Sunday Times. p. 41.
  19. ^ Harrington, Jim (23 Dec 2007). "The Top 10". McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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