''Mystic Man'' is the fourth studio album by Peter Tosh. All songs were composed by Peter Tosh. It was released in

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the '' International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the '' Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the so ...

Rolling Stones Records Rolling Stones Records was the record label formed by the Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman in 1970, after their recording contract with Decca Records expired. The label was initia ...

(his second album for the label),

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, and Intel Diplo (in Jamaica). The album's cover photo, by

Annie Leibovitz Anna-Lou Leibovitz ( ; born October 2, 1949) is an American portrait photographer best known for her engaging portraits, particularly of celebrities, which often feature subjects in intimate settings and poses. Leibovitz's Polaroid photo of Jo ...

, shows Tosh's head in profile, with his head cupped in his hands, as if in prayer.Masouri, John (2013) ''Steppin' Razor: The Life of Peter Tosh'', Omnibus Press, Sw. Anand Prahlad, in his book ''Reggae Wisdom'', suggested that on this and previous album ''

Bush Doctor ''Bush Doctor'' is the third studio album by Jamaican reggae singer Peter Tosh. It was released in 1978 on Rolling Stones Records. The album features Mick Jagger as guest vocalist on one song, while Keith Richards plays guitar on two tracks. The ...

'', Tosh was seeking to portray himself in the role of "healer and prophet".Prahlad, Sw. Anand (2001) ''Reggae Wisdom: Proverbs in Jamaican Music'', University Press of Mississippi, , p. 38 The album peaked at number 6 in Italy, 17 in Germany, 25 in Austria, 27 in Sweden, 44 in the Netherlands, and at 123 on the

Billboard 200 The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of ar ...

. The album was reissued in 2002 with five bonus tracks.

Reception

Lester Bangs Leslie Conway "Lester" Bangs (December 14, 1948 – April 30, 1982) was an American music journalist, critic, author, and musician. He wrote for '' Creem'' and ''Rolling Stone'' magazines, and was known for his leading influence in rock music ...

, reviewing the album for ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'', saw ''Mystic Man'' as an improvement over ''Bush Doctor'' and viewed the 9-minute disco-driven "Buk-in-Hamm Palace" as the album's strongest track.Bangs, Lester
''Mystic Man''
, ''

'' (archived), Iss. 310, 7 February 1980. Retrieved 30 November 2018 via

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Jonathan Daümler-Ford, for the ''

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'', thought it lacked the immediate impact of the previous album, but "sneaks up from behind" with what he described as "one of the best reggae tracks I have heard ("Can't You See") and several close contenders", calling it a "slow starter but a strong stayer". Ralph Heibutzki, for

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

, saw the album as Tosh reasserting his "cranky contrarian militancy", "a proud declaration of Tosh's lifestyle, which he pointedly contrasts against Western consumerist decadence", viewing "The Day the Dollar Die" as a

roots reggae Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that deals with the everyday lives and aspirations of Africans and those in the African Diaspora, including the spiritual side of Rastafari, black liberation, revolution and the honoring of God, called Jah ...

classic. Dave Thompson saw the album as a disappointment, picking out "Jah Seh No" and "Rumours of War" as highlights.Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 291 ''

Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...

'' critic Robert Christgau wrote: "Mysticism should keep its own counsel; boast about it, translate your supposed experience of the ineffable into any but the most simpleminded ideology, and ninety-five times out of a hundred you'll sound like a smug asshole. Tosh's ever more preachy vocal stance does nothing for his dopey puns ('shitty' for 'city,' far out), his confused political-economic theories, or his equation of hamburgers with heroin. And his musicians sound like the bored pros rockers so often turn into."

Track listing

All tracks composed by Peter Tosh #"Mystic Man" #"Recruiting Soldiers" #"Can't You See" #"Jah Seh No" #"Fight On" #"Buk-In-Hamm Palace" #"The Day The Dollar Die" #"Crystal Ball" #"Rumours Of War" ;Bonus tracks on "The Definitive Remasters" 2002 EMI CD release: :10. "Buk-In-Hamm Palace" (12" version) :11. "Mystic Man" (long version) :12. "Fight On" (instrumental) :13. "Recruiting Soldiers" (version) :14. "Dubbing Buk-In-Hamm" (from 12" single)

Personnel

*Peter Tosh - lead vocals, guitar, keyboards *

Robbie Shakespeare Robert Warren Dale Shakespeare (27 September 1953 – 8 December 2021) was a Jamaican bass guitarist and record producer, best known as half of the reggae rhythm section and production duo Sly and Robbie, with drummer Sly Dunbar. Regarded as on ...

- bass guitar * Sly Dunbar - drums, percussion *

Mikey Chung Michael Chung (1950 – 28 December 2021) also known as Mao Chung, was a Jamaican musician who played keyboards, guitar and percussion instruments. He was also an arranger and record producer of Jamaican music, and worked with a wide array of m ...

- keyboards, guitar, percussion *

Robbie Lyn Robert "Robbie" Bernard Lyn is a Jamaican session musician who plays piano, keyboard and synthesiser. Biography Robbie Lyn is a popular Jamaican session musician, who has played with various session/backing bands including Now Generation, Soun ...

- organ, piano *

Uziah Thompson Uzziah "Sticky" Thompson (1 August 1936 – 25 August 2014) was a Jamaican percussionist, vocalist and deejay active from the late 1950s. He worked with some of the best known performers of Jamaican music and played on hundreds of albums. Biog ...

- percussion; repeater drums on "Fight On" *George Young - alto saxophone, flute *Howard Johnson - baritone saxophone *

Lou Marini Louis William Marini Jr. (born May 13, 1945), known as "Blue Lou" Marini, is an American saxophonist, arranger, and composer. He is best known for his work in jazz, rock, blues, and soul music, as well as his association with The Blues Brothe ...

- tenor saxophone, flute *Ed Walsh - Oberheim synthesizer on "Recruiting Soldiers", "Jah Seh No" and "Buk-In-Hamm Palace" *Barry Rogers - trombone *Mike Lawrence - trumpet * Sammy Figueroa - percussion; congas on "Mystic Man" and "Buk-In-Hamm Palace" * Clive "Azul" Hunt, Mikey Chung - horn arrangements *Brenda White King, Gwen Guthrie,

The Tamlins The Tamlins are a Jamaican reggae vocal group formed in the late 1960s, known for their hits such as "Baltimore", and their work with artists such as Peter Tosh. History The group originally comprised Carlton Smith, Junior Moore and Winston Mor ...

, Yvonne Lewis - backing vocals *

Keith Sterling Keith Sterling (born Keith Sterling-McLeod, January 1952, Kingston, Jamaica)Larkin, Colin (2006) ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'', 4th edn., OUP USA, , p. 743 is a piano and keyboard player. Biography Keith Sterling is a well-respected Jam ...

- acoustic piano on "Mystic Man" *Ed Elizalde - lead guitar on "Can't You See" ;Technical * Geoffrey Chung - recording, mixing *James Nichols, Michel Sauvage - assistant engineer *Dennis King - mastering *

- photography

Charts

References

{{Authority control Peter Tosh albums 1979 albums Rolling Stones Records albums