Sometimes artists are just so amazing that they transcend their genre. Bob Marley was clearly one of these artists.

With their 1977 album Exodus, Bob Marley & The Wailers created a masterwork not just of reggae, but of all music.

"There's a natural mystic blowing through the air," Marley sings at the beginning of the first track "Natural Mystic." Immediately his rhythmic voice entrances the listener as the song floats through the air just like his lyrics say.

"Natural Mystic" is just one of several songs on Exodus that deals with the attempt on Marley's life in December 1976.

On the ever-popular dance number "Jamming" Marley sings out, "No bullet can stop us now," as the bouncy music keeps the listener moving whether or not the lyrical message is fully-heard.

On the phenomenal, anthem-like title-track, Marley challenges his listeners. "Are you satisfied with the life you're living?" he calls out. The song jumps along for nearly eight minutes as Marley repeats his cries again and again. For a song that is so repetitive in nature, the length passes remarkably quickly. This is just further testimony to the sheer hypnotic power that Marley's music possesses.

Not all of the songs are politically charged assaults on Marley's attacker though. He also shows his romantic side with remarkable results.

On "Waiting In Vain" he moans of an unrequited love, "From the very first time I blessed my eyes on you, girl, my heart says 'follow through.' " The sad song leads the listener into the next three songs, all of which have a decidedly more upbeat outlook on life.

"Turn Your Lights Down Low" features Marley at perhaps his most unabashedly romantic as he slowly croons over and over, "I want to give you some love."

It's impossible not to smile during the classic "Three Little Birds" while Marley coos "Don't worry about a thing, cause every little thing is gonna be alright." It's just the ultimate happy song, as corny as that may sound. The song is a tribute to his backup singers, the I Threes.

On the final track from the original album, the movingly-simple, spiritually-oriented "One Love," Marley closes out his masterpiece with another lively number that should leave any listener smiling.

With the release of the Exodus (Deluxe Edition) last fall fans can now consume more than twice as much music with the 15 additional tracks.

The new tracks include B-sides, longer versions, instrumentals, live cuts, a session with legendary producer Lee Perry and even a radio commercial for the original album.

Nearly all the tracks are at the same outstanding quality as the original studio album and they all sound crystal clear. The highlights of the new edition are the five live tracks from a show in London during the Exodus tour.

It's hard to imagine, but with these additions the album that Time magazine called "the album of the century" has actually been improved.

Exodus serves as a clear example of how Marley's genius was one that could reach out to any music fan and perhaps that is why more than 20 years later reggae has still not recovered from his death.