Album Review: Punk, Reggae, and DIY attitude, Kyle Smith’s debut album is far from a “Lost Cause”
Photo courtesy of Kyle Smith.
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.
Enter the great Kyle Smith and his debut full-length album "Lost Cause".
Now you may be asking something that his fans have turned into an unofficial official slogan... "Who the f**k is Kyle Smith?"
A singer/songwriter/guitarist, Kyle hails from Ventura, California, and has been making quite the name for himself with incredible live shows, killer music, and a DIY mentality that would make any true punker proud. Kyle has remained an independent artist, selling his own merch, doing his own marketing, and creating an incredibly loyal fanbase that he has created himself from the ground up. He effortlessly blends reggae, punk, ska, and rock, often drawing from a tumultuous past and a battle with addiction to create great music straight from the heart. With fantastic talent filling out his band, Chris Nishida on bass and Scotty Beatz on drums, Kyle was able to produce an album 100% worth checking out.
"Lost Cause" starts out with the awesome track "Hallucinations". This song was a great way to kick off the album and let the listener know what is about to follow. "Hallucinations" features a quality reggae groove, punchy horns, and heavily distorted rhythm guitar lines. Kyle shows off his guitar chops with a killer solo and makes sure you know he has a rock background by including classic bends and tapping.
Smith brought on the Bumpin Uglies and Howi Spangler of Ballyhoo! for the song "Sinkin’", a breezy reggae track featuring a chord progression with a tiny amount of dissonance that keeps the track bright and melodic while also making it wonderfully intriguing. Both Brandon of Bumpin Uglies and Spangler do a great job on their verses, perfectly complimenting Kyle's vocals on the chorus.
Following "Sinkin'" is the killer tune "7 Sins" featuring Fatlip and George Spits. We love albums that flow well from start to finish while also featuring tracks that differ enough to keep the record interesting. "7 Sins" uses harmonic minor, half-whole diminished type scales in its melody and harmony lines, a musical technique that gives the song a more Eastern feel (at least to Western ears) and really makes the track shine.
"Wicked Ways" featuring Iya Terra's Nick Sefakis shares a similar musical sensibility as "7 Sins" while also including a 90's west coast hip hop style synth that fills out the instrumentation perfectly. Nick and Kyle trade-off vocals/lyricism well and dynamically, helping make "Wicked Ways" one of our favorites on the album.
Proceeding "Wicked Ways" is the punk track "Tired". Kyle really shows off his punk rock talent and ability to write catchy vocal melodies on this song. "Tired" sounds like it could have been on one of blink-182's early albums Cheshire Cat or Dude Ranch, and we absolutely love it.
Keep an eye out for Kyle Smith, because we're sure reggae fans will be hearing much more of him in the years to come!
To check out Kyle's music and find out about tour dates go to www.KyleSmithJams.com
Sinkin' is the Daily Reggae Song of the Day.
By Chris Lawrie.
