Reviews
Dale and the ZDubs breathe new life into ska with “Off the Rip”
Dale and the ZDubs breathe new life into ska with “Off the Rip”. The Washington, D.C.-based reggae rockers first album since 2016’s “Tuna” completely delivers with rocking jams, vocals, and energy that will pump you up no matter the time of day! The 12 track LP is one of my favorite releases of the year, and elevates the band to new heights.
Album Review: Revisit the emo years with Nathan Aurora’s Pop Punk Goes Reggae!
The well anticipated arrival of Pop Punk Goes Reggae will hit you right in the nostalgic feels. I’m sure not many reggae fans started off as reggae fans, especially if you can sing along with every song on this album.
Album Review: Bumpin Uglies strips it all off with “Underdog: The Acoustic Sessions”
Underdog: The Acoustic Sessions is a carefully curated collection of BU past favorites plucked from albums across its discography, supplemented by a handful of new recordings to get lost in for the first time. The previous releases have been completely stripped of their former sounds and replaced by Hardesty’s full and unabated angst, joy and emotional outbursts; a soulful display of what seems to be overflowing from the locked box on top of his shoulders.
Ballyhoo! is ready to fight for what’s theirs on Shellshock
Ballyhoo! is ready to fight for what’s theirs on Shellshock. What do The Elovaters, Kyle Smith, Iya Terra, HIRIE, Tropidelic and Bumpin Uglies have in common? If you guessed that they’ve all got a spot on Ballyhoo!’s fiery new album, Shellshock, you’re entirely correct.
Album Review: Bumpin Uglies perfect the band’s sweet spot in “Mid-Atlantic Dub”
“Mid-Atlantic Dub” is the jamming new Bumpin Uglies album and I’d have to say it’s my favorite album from the band yet! It takes years for a band to find its sound and perfect it, and “Mid-Atlantic Dub” highlights Bump Uglies grooving sweet spot blending reggae, rock, and pop music.
Album Review: Punk, Reggae, and DIY attitude, Kyle Smith’s debut album is far from a “Lost Cause”
Reggae and punk rock music have long been intertwined. Both cultures embody a DIY attitude and a rejection of social norms that divide and oppress, and though the exact expression of this rebel mentality and promotion of a more equal and inclusive community differ between the two, the common ethos they share has led to amazing music combining the genres for decades. For many reggae fans their initial introduction to the genre came through punk; whether it be from classic punkers like The Clash, third wave ska bands like Reel Big Fish and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, or current artists blending reggae and punk such as Slightly Stoopid. Such a musical journey is shared by this reviewer as well, with my personal introduction to reggae starting with the punk band NOFX, which led me to bands like Sublime and The Expendables, further leading to Rebelution, and from there the whole genre opened up before me. I am far from alone in this experience, one which I especially share with my fellow West Coast Americans.
The combination of punk and reggae is far from over, and there are amazing new artists continuing this legacy that you should be aware of.The combination of punk and reggae is far from over, and there are amazing new artists continuing this legacy that you should be aware of. Enter the great Kyle Smith and his debut full-length album "Lost Cause".