New Music 'Munday' 8 - John Brown's Body

Do you find that no matter what you like, there are always some haters out there? For example, I like American Idol, Kobe Bryant, President Obama, uh...Comic Sans and Pomplamoose. But others sure don't. Well, add this band to the list. John Brown's Body is a reggae band that some people love to hate. As far as I can tell, it's because the current members parted ways with the co-leader of the band, dropped their "roots" reggae sound, and started making smooth, studio focused albums. I suppose this is the equivalent of a hard rock band ditching the lead guitarist and doing an album of ballads. Maybe it's also because this is a reggae band made up of mostly white guys?

Now labeled 'Progressive Reggae' or 'Future Roots', John Brown's Body produces slick reggae with airy, catchy hooks, deep reverb, and a tight horn section. I first came across JBB's Amplify after getting into Easy Star All Star's Dub Side of the Moon.  Both bands are represented on Easy Star Records. Both bands have a similar sound. I bet you can guess what attributes I like about them. Yes, these guys sound great cranked up, or on headphones. Of course, this is assuming you like the music they're playing, or you're not a hater.  ; )

From a 2008 review of Amplify at baeblemusic.com

"The past few years have been particularly cruel to John Brown's Body. Back in '05, the Boston reggae band probably thought the only thing that lay in wait was the happy grind of touring in support of their fourth album, Pressure Points. Turns out, they'd have to endure the death of bassist Scott Palmer, the departure of several long-time members (including singer and co-founder Kevin Kinsella), and career threatening throat surgery for lead singer Elliot Martin.  

Yet here they are, three years later, soldiering on with a new lineup, and new album to boot. Setting an appropriately triumphant tone from the get go, Amplify is a thick, heavyset collection of reggae anthems that are strikingly contemporary in nature. Sure, tracks like "Be at Peace" and "Give Yourself Over" stem from classic, roots reggae influences. But JBB lift some serious weight on Amplify, beefing up traditional bedrock with a walloping, syncopated low end, a crisp, percussive shuffle, and big, bad, and bold brass horns. At numerous times, including during the title tracked opener "Amplify", a steady force rap invades the dub. "Ghost Notes" employs a good deal of rock balladry in its' instrumentation. And "So Aware" is flooded with the tasty, nylon grooves of a Spanish guitar. The result is a well informed release in which JBB truly excel as a full ensemble. It is also a fitting tribute to JBB's ability to weather the dark and stormy times. Their reward - and your's for that matter - is a compelling collection that let's some much deserved good vibrations do their therapeutic work."

 

This album is not a home run in my book, but there are several songs that I still enjoy after countless plays. Track 3 - The Gold kicks off with a Kung Fu intro. 'Nuf said right? But that leads into a 'reggae' track with hints of electronica, surf rock, and middle eastern music. My other favorite is Track 5 - Push Some Air. Cue the haters. This is one of the tracks that gets slammed by many reggae reviewers. For me, the vocal harmonies, the bass line and all the percussive sounds swirling around the mix landscape make this a aural treat. This song likely ranks in my top five of all-time best recorded and mastered songs. I often use it to test a new sound system. 

 

My Rating__6 out of 10         Headphones__ 8 out of 10