Dragonfly

Ziggy Marley’s first album without the Melody Makers offers him the opportunity to outstep not only the legacy of his father, but the boundaries of reggae itself. Working in close collaboration with R.E.M. producer Scott Litt and a host of guest musicians (including guitarist David Lindley, and Flea and John Frusciante from the Red Hot Chili Peppers), Marley uses Dragonfly to pursue a range of musical backdrops. “Melancholy Mood” is slow-burning soul, while “I Get Out” features a barrage of guitar straight out of Nirvana. “In the Name of God” has the monumental, climaxing pulse of a U2 song, and its bold refrain refuses to be overlooked: “All religion should be wiped out / Save the people stand and live / What divides us is an illusion / Made up by men in their confusion.” “True to Myself” and “Good Old Days” sound nothing like the reggae anthems for which Marley is famous, but they nonetheless feel like the most appealing and engaging songs of his career. On the whole Dragonfly has an organic, acoustical flavor, and its easygoing tone obscures the fact that this is Marley’s most daring album to date.