Positive Vibrations

Shortlisted for Best Music Book * The Penderyn Music Book Prize 2023 *
Music and politics are inexorably intertwined in Jamaica. Whether focusing on the roots reggae of Bob Marley and the Wailers in the 1970s or the reggae revivalists Proteje, Jah9, or Chronixx, one must immediately recognize that Jamaican popular music lyrics both stimulate and reflect on Jamaican political behavior. In Positive Vibrations, Borthwick provides a thorough investigation of the relationship of Jamaican politics and music . . . Borthwick creates a delicate balance between the musical and political discussions. That balance makes this volume uniquely readable for those who study the Black Atlantic, reggae music, or the politics of postcolonialism. Recommended * Choice *
In Positive Vibrations, Borthwick's excellent new history of reggae music – the putative soundtrack of Rastafarianism – and its historical and political importance since its inception in the early 1960s, the author demonstrates respect for the music and the faith that inspired it even as he examines the flaws and contradictions in both . . . They aren’t likely to read a lot on summer break, but I think the world would be a better place if every college kid grooving to Marley, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, and others took the time to learn there’s a lot of heart behind the soul of their poolside-kegger soundtrack. Positive Vibrations is a good place to start. * Washington Independent Review of Books *
Taking as its starting point that reggae is rooted in the forced migration of Africans during slavery, Positive Vibrations offers a non-standard exploration of reggae’s evolution and its problematic relationship to politics . . . A readily accessible, nuanced and thought-provoking read, it offers much for fans of the music and reggae scholars, as well as those interested in post-colonial theory and the politics of liberation. * David Katz, author of People Funny Boy: The Genius of Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry *