Search - Just a Fire :: Light Up

Deceptive Self-Promotion

05/05/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This album wasn't what I was expecting. I had read a couple of reviews including the band's bio on their record label homepage that touted them as "dub-inspired" and heavily influenced by other reggae-hybrid bands such as "The Police". The only thing "dub" about the album is that many of the tracks feature a repetitve bassline and it seems that the drummer has gone out and bought himself a piccolo snare. Beyond that, they are only reggae influenced in the way that say, Fugazi is reggae-influenced. For some that may be enough. Fred Erskine's vocals approximate the urgent warble of Ian McKaye's and they have just enough of an experimental tinge to keep it interesting. They are definitely not beholden to standard time signatures. After a couple of listens I began thinking that the album would have been a lot better if it were purely instrumental. Strip the vocals and Just a Fire would sound like a heavier, distorted Pell Mell. However, the lyrics make every track discordant and hard to focus on. Plus every song is overtly political which if that's your thing, cool...but be warned."