It's not entirely accurate to call John Brown's Body an anachronism, but it' s not entirely inaccurate either. This brand of reggae hasn't been played by any other band in almost 20 years; it's the style usually referred to as "roots" reggae, to differentiate it from the earthier and more percussive dancehall and reggae styles that developed during the 1980s and 1990s. "Satisfaction Feeling," with its slow-skanking rock-steady rhythm, could have been written and sung in 1975; "Poor Man's Prayer," with its flying-cymbals drum style, could have come out of Bunny Lee's studio in the same year (though the album's high production standards betray both songs as modern recordings). There's even an old-fashioned dub version of the latter song, complete with cheesy EQ and magically disappearing instruments. The reason it's not entirely accurate to call this band an anachronism, however, is that they manage to make such archaic music sound so fresh and immediate. That freshness and immediacy isn't quite as complete on this, the band's second album, as it was on Among Them, their previous effort, but there's absolutely no reason not to own both discs. ~ Rick Anderson
2nd Rel.From American Reggae Band
Recorded at Pyramid Sound, Ithaca, New York.
Personnel: Elliot Martin (vocals, tambourine); Kevin Kinsella (vocals); Lee Hamilton (tenor saxophone).
John Brown's Body: Kevin Kinsella (vocals, guitar); Lee Hamilton (vocals, tenor saxophone); Chris "C Money" Welter (vocals, trumpet); Elliot Martin (vocals, tambourine); Nate "Silas" Richardson (guitar, Clavinet, Hammond B-3 organ, Moog synthesizer); David "Solid" Gould (bass); Tommy Benedetti (drums).
Additional personnel: Paul Merrill (flugelhorn); Brian "Nozmo King" Thomas (trombone); Sam Godin (Fender Rhodes, melodica, Hammond B-3 organ); Fabian K. Alsultany (Clavinet, synthesizer); Josh Neuman (bass); Charisse Lucente, Yvette Lucente (background vocals).
CMJ (3/27/00, p.34) - "...An American reggae institution....proves that the group is every bit as down-home and soulful as its musical forefathers."
Good, But Not Their Best I bought this CD after enjoying the newer John Brown's Body CDs, "Pressure Points" (the newest and best, 5 stars), "Spirits All Around Us" (also a very good 5 star CD)and "Among Them" ( 4 stars), in that order. It is a good CD which gives you a glance into the development of this groups music.
JBB, like other USA based reggae artists such as Big Mountain have successfully managed to create a whole new chapter of reggae music. Their music has just the right blend of traditional drum and bass roots reggae, with a crisp horn section and intersting sound effects. They also do very well including a good variety of their very own original music within each CD. These guys really have a good solid sound and I look forward to their future CDs.
Submitted by FLYPD (Detroit, MI, USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Back to real roots, real rock, ....real reggae! hey,
if you're into roots, this is the cd to get. it is awesome, arranged w/ a wide variety of sound. a very colorful album, filled w/ uplifting melodies. in a world where technology has an influence on our music, this album takes you back. Back to real roots, back to real rock, back to real reggae!!! Submitted by rasta (ewa beach, HI) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Good, But Not Their Best
Back to real roots, real rock, ....real reggae!
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