Dorkgasm Gonzo Is God

A Riotous Cacophony

By

Michael C. Riedlinger

            In 2004, Skindred released their debut album, Babylon to some acclaim and little fanfare. They spent the next three years touring their asses off across the globe, keeping in touch with fans via the internet and promising a sophomore disc to rival their first effort. Now it is 2007, and that disc was well worth the wait.

            As difficult as it may be to believe, the band combines the hardness of AC/DC, the energy of Bad Religion and the lyrical smoothness of Bob Marley in one neat package. This reggae/punk/metal fusion works, and the band has refined its skills over the last three years. The album starts with a title track worthy of a single itself. “Roots Rock Riot” is danceable pit song. Equal parts groove and mosh, the song sets the stage for the following eleven tracks.

            The first actual single from the disc, “Ratrace”, has an infectious, driving guitar hook, and a chorus that’ll have you singing along in the car. You’ll also find yourself dancing in place a lot to the track, which could get interesting if you use public transportation and an iPod. The song immediately following that, “State of Emergency”, insinuates itself on your brain more than a bad Avril Lavigne song ever could, but it has touches of politicism on par with The Whalers and none of the vacuousness of the teen-punk-poseur.

            Speaking of Marley, Benji Webbe’s vocals are especially effective on the track “Alright”, another song that could stand alone as a single. Perhaps the closest the band comes to a traditional reggae or rock song on the entire record, “Alright” combines the aforementioned superb vocals with a determined beat and crunchy guitars. The damn song feels like the closing credits anthem to a movie that has a totally fulfilling, happy ending. Rock music that you can joyfully dance to is something of a rarity in this day and age. Mostly we get ballads from rock artists, while R&B and hip-hop stars cover the energetic dance stuff. For that reason alone, this album is worth picking up. At the very least, expect it to appear on people’s workout playlists very soon.

            One of the issues I had with Babylon was that only about half the album got me excited. Roughly half the tracks on their debut were passable, but they did not motivate me in the same way as “Nobody” or “Pressure”. Not so with Roots Rock Riot. Benji, Dan, Mikey, and Arya have grown as artists and should easily avoid the so-called “sophomore slump”. Some tracks, like “State of Emergency” or “Rude Boy for Life”, have more obvious reggae stylings, but still manage to incorporate a driving punk beat. Heavier tracks like “Killing Me” or “Spit out the Poison” avoid the threshold of scream-metal by virtue of Benji’s reggae infused vocals.

            The last two tracks on the record, arguably any band’s weakest point, are some of the strongest on Roots Rock Riot. One of them, “Ease Up”, could arguably be the best track on the entire CD. I know some who would rather wait for “the magic” to wear off before making a judgment, but I really think you should pick this record up when it drops on October 23 (22 October in the U.K.). Serj Tankian’s Elect the Dead releases the same day, but nothing I have heard from his record so far has moved me as much as this latest offering from Skindred. I love the political musing of America’s most successful Armenian rocker as much as the next person, but come the end of the month, four guys from the U.K. will have earned my dime.