Roots of Creation - Rise Up Review
by Russ the Punk
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I've grown a bit disappointed with myself, to be quite honest. Three good reviews in a row is not in my character, but Rise Up by Roots of Creation makes the third straight solid album I've received for review. And these white boys make for convincing Rastafarians, were it not for the lack of pigment.
Roots of Creation is a damn good reggae band making damn good reggae music in an era where the genre has more or less fallen off the map. Bob Marley's Legend has sold upwards of twelve million copies, and novelties such as Matisyahu are generating interest, but for the real roots we here in America are left wanting. ROC play with a true heritage and yet are still adventurous; they are everything reggae should be and elude predictability. Everything flows smoother than water and, even if you're a dipshit conservative who hates the idea of human freedom, the music is simply appealing to the ear of man. I found myself getting lost in the balance and fluidity of these grooves more often than not; "Babylon" feels considerably less than five minutes in length with its sonic peaks and valleys.
The lyrics are equally strong. Although reggae and dub are simply not themselves without songs of innocence and carefree love, the politics are very subtle and sensible. The constant drone of "Babylon will fall" brings a smile to my anarchist face, and it's all politics with a small "p." Nothing is forced or ambiguous in dynamic, and everything is seen from the angle of the populace en masse. It's the sort of riotous feeling that stirs up one's soul, causing people to pump their fists worldwide and shouting "Hell yeah!" That's right, the Sixties are back, seventy-two minutes at a time. I especially liked the operetta of "Peace, Love and Music," an accurate retelling of Woodstock and its whorishly commercialized reincarnations of '94 and '99, in addition to the packaging and profiteering of revolutionary momentum everywhere. Such is reggae, such is music, such is life.
Some key tracks include "Rise up," "Babylon," "Peace, Love, and Music," and "Legalize and Tax It." Roots of Creation are: Brett Wilson (Vox/Guitar), Tal Pearson (Keyboards/Melodica), Mike Chadinha (Drums/Percussion/Vox), and Jey Felitto (Bass/Vox).
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Roots of Creation - Rise Up Label:Home Grown Music
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