The Black Seeds – “Slingshot”
Why, it seems everyone and their cousin has a reggae band these days. Coming from the jazzy swingy new skool funky side is a band from Wellington City, New zealand called The Black Seeds. Boasting monster horn players, sophisticated arrangements and a scary solid rhythm section, they are not a simple reggae knock off, as they have been proving to a growing international following. “Slingshot” is their latest and gr8est, a powerful single with lyrics that work a karmic angle somewhat reminiscent of Peter Tosh’s “Downpressor Man” or The Heptones’ “Hypocrite.” Nice one.
The Black Seeds
“Slingshot” (mp3)
from “Solid Ground”
(Easy Star Records)
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Johnny Osbourne – “Night Fall”
Classic reggae in the lovers rock stylee. I love openness of the groove, like fresh air on a cool summer night.
Johnny Osbourne
“Night Fall” (mp3)
from “Can’t Stop Us Now”
(Easy Star Records)
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John Brown’s Body – “Give Yourself Over”
Rooted in classic reggae, yet crackling with contemporary sounds from top to bottom, this uplifting track by John Brown’s Body is a joyous outcry of defiance against inertia and apathy. There is little doubt where these Ithaca, NY gentlemen are coming from: they LOVE reggae, serving up their modernized version with reverence and an exuberance that can’t be denied. They can really play their instruments too – refreshing in a genre largely given to pure digital productions of late. The rhythm section is tight behind the vocals, the horn parts are dub glorious, and a jazzy guitar solo near the end tips their hand as equal part jam band. Good summertime music if I ever heard any.
John Brown’s Body
“Give Yourself Over” (mp3)
from “Amplify”
(Easy Star Records)
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