The first side of Bob Marley and the Wailers's new Exodus is all Rasta anthems; the second is all love songs except for a reworking of "One Love" that's now called "One Love/People Get Ready." Exodus is presumably intended to emphasize that there are two sides to Bob Marley; because the first side is clearly superior to the second, it has rather a different effect. But the problems with this album go even deeper—for all that is good about Exodus, it is not a very satisfying album….

The album starts out beautifully. "Natural Mystic" is as passionate and haunting as anything he's ever done. But the next three songs suffer from singing that sounds either strained or barely there…. With the exception of "Waiting in Vain," the second side is quite forgettable. These love songs don't have the personal stamp of Marley's previous ones. The lyrics...