Commemorating 15 years together,
Live at the Freight showcases the tragically overlooked
Marley's Ghost in all their versatile glory. Recorded live over June 14-15, 2000, at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, CA, the loose, warm atmosphere captures the true greatness of the notably eclectic quartet with 18 studio quality tracks that run just over 70 minutes. A true anomaly,
Marley's Ghost jump from pedal steel-drenched reggae ("Stir It Up," "One Love") to old-timey ("Dinah/Jordan Am a Hard Road" and jug band blues ("Old Plank Road"), never sounding even remotely awkward when maneuvering between some of the more disparate influences. Most impressive may be the a cappella renditions of "Story of Job" and the sea shanty "Fiddler's Green," highlighting the group's excellent four-part harmonies. Still,
Marley's Ghost is probably most at home in the realm of Western-tinged country-folk, where the majority of the tracks ultimately fall. For a band that is unlikely to ever release a proper "greatest hits" album, this set is as close to definitive as is likely to be released. As such,
Live at the Freight is recommended as both an introduction for the uninitiated and a centerpiece for hardcore fans. ~ Matt Fink