Young Tree (Young Tree, 1999)

While it hasn't necessarily shown itself commercially, there has been surge in American roots reggae during the 1990s and into the 21st century.  U.S.-based Caribbean emigrants aside, indigenous Americans like John Brown's Body, 10 Ft. Ganja Plant, and Soldiers of Jah Army have helped spearhead an underground return to the old school roots sound that has flown below a radar dominated by dancehall artists like Shaggy (zoinks!).  Add to that list of overlooked talent the group Groundation.  Having released several albums over the past 5 years, they have built up an ever-growing fan base drawn to their rich, authentic roots reggae rhythms.  Listening to Young Tree, which has been termed the first reggae "concept album" (although some consider The Wailers' Catch a Fire as such) -- revolving around said young tree, i.e., the Tree of Life -- you'd be hard-pressed to tell that they're not a veteran Jamaican act instead of a bunch of California kids who formed in 1998 at Sonoma State College.  The most immediately striking aspect of Groundation's sound is lead singer Harrison Stafford's impassioned wailing.  With his raspy yet melodic flow, he seems to channel Bob Marley, combined with HR's energy and a little bit of his own righteous, thoughtful, conceptual lyrics.  After listening to this album, I had to search out a photo of him to verify that he was indeed just some white American . . . not that there's anything wrong with that.  The power behind Groundation doesn't stop there, however; their music is enthralling and at times quite inventive, incorporating elements of jazz (the founding members of the group studied jazz in college) in tunes like the awesome "Dream," which travels seamlessly from jazz to reggae and back to jazz.  Even when they don't overtly throw in jazz, the entire Young Tree experience has a cool, expansive jazzy feel, as tracks tend to be long (often 6 or 7 minutes), spacious works with extensive instrumental spans that lend an improvisational "jamming" sound to it all.  From explosive start to staid finish, Young Tree is easily one of the best American reggae albums you'll ever hear.  There is little that any roots fan -- in America or anywhere else -- can find lacking here.  Fans of melodic, live-band roots acts like the more well-known John Brown's Body should certainly check out tunes like "Long Long Ago," "Confusing Situation," "Glory to the Kings," and "Groundation Chant."  Fantastic stuff.

Hebron Gate (Young Tree, 2002)

Hebron Gate continues in the same dazzling vein as Young Tree and Each One Teach One, further bolstering Groundation's status as one of the great unsung reggae acts.  Like Young Tree, Hebron Gate is thematic; while the former focused on the cycle of life, the latter is concerned more with the afterlife and the struggle to get to Zion.  The sound is the same the group's fans have come to love: vivid, live-instrument, righteous roots reggae with a slight (complementary) twist of jazz, feverish vocals, and thoughful (if slightly esoteric) lyrics.  The descriptive words just come rolling off the tongue when thinking of Groundation: bold, passionate, expansive, devout, uncompromising; they have that certain "it factor" that separates them from most other bands out there.  I can't help but think that if Bob Marley were alive today, this is the type of music he'd be making.  Although there are only 9 tracks here, they generally run over 6 minutes each (as with Young Tree), giving them a larger-than-life feel (appropriate, since the journey to Zion is a larger than life theme...).  As with the appearances of Ras Michael and Marcia Higgs on Each One Teach One, reggae legends Don Carlos and The Congos contribute vocals to Hebron Gate, but are not featured to the extent that the album cover implies; instead, they're relegated to the final two tracks.  Personally, I don't mind, but you Don Carlos and Congos fans should be aware of this.  Even disappointed Carlos/Congos fans, however, should be heartened by the quality of material on Hebron Gate (Indeed, hopefully featuring these two legendary figures will draw new fans to the band.).  This is top-notch stuff, only faltering ever so slightly in the final three songs.  I found "Jah Jah Know" and "Silver Tongue Show" to be the most delicious items on this hearty menu, but "Babylon Rule Dem," "Something More," and "Weeping Pirates" also satisfy.

We Free Again (Young Tree, 2004)

*Alternate Review*

Dub Wars (Young Tree, 2005)

It seems natural that Groundation, a group that produces some of the richest, most textured reggae music around, would eventually release a dub album.  Well, eventually is here, and so is Dub Wars, an intoxicating musical milieu showcasing 10 dubs of songs from the group's previous two albums, Hebron Gate and We Free Again.  Dub Wars is dub in its original sense -- warped instrumental versions of rootsy vocal tracks -- but you don't get the sense that these are mere rehashes of the originals sans vocals.  Rather, these dubs feel like continuations of the original tunes, as if the band just kept on jamming for epic 10-minute extravaganzas.  There's a jazzy, free-flowing vibe with multiple ebbs and flows and enough variation that even fans may not recognize the song until half way through.  Sure Harrison Stafford's voice, an instrument unto itself, is missed at times, but it peppers these tunes (along with appearances from Don Carlos, Albert "Apple Gabriel" Craig, and Cedric "Congos" Myton) just enough to satisfy.  You don't have to be a Groundation fan to enjoy Dub Wars (although it doesn't hurt), neither do you have to be a dub fan (again, though, might help); you just have to enjoy lush, meditative music.  

Upon the Bridge (Young Tree, 2006)

Groundation continues to shine as it continues with its vintage roots reggae vibe textured by jazzy underpinnings and a complex lyrical tapestry. Sure, there's some level of sameness in the sound of Upon the Bridge compared to previous albums, but I couldn't label this vivacious style stagnant; certainly, longtime fans should eat it up, and new listeners should be pleased to know that it's representative of their past greatness. The music is ever-"jammy" with extended instrumental breaks and songs that aren't constructed in the typical "verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus" format. The band takes its level of storytelling to a new level here, with the liner notes containing a short tale written as a companion piece to the album, tying it together with some of the elements from the group's previous works (there's even a map showing The Bridge, Hebron Gate, and Young Tree). If you've ever tried to wade through Harrison Stafford's dense, metaphorical, allegorical lyrics, this may help clear them up for you. Or perhaps not. Even if it doesn't, though, it still manages to enrich the fable-like realm in which Groundation's music lies. As is becoming customary, the group features a pair of legendary roots performers, this time Ijahman and Pablo Moses (Might this mean we could see a Young Tree release from one or both of them, as we did with The Congos? Dare to dream.). The two of them play a more noticeable role than some previous guests, Moses taking lead for a bit on "Fight All You Can" and Ijahman standing out on "Sleeping Bag-O-Wire." It's easy to take Groundation for granted, as Upon the Bridge is once again remarkably consistent; if they were ever to have an "off" album, we might feel as if the Earth had tipped off its axis. Particular faves include "What Could Have Been," "Me Na in De," "Ratant Crow," and "Nonbeliever." If you still haven't heard Groundation, now is the time: groundation.com.