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- Rootfire: Progressive Roots
Reggae music has historically been a tool for galvanizing people to fight against oppression and bring about social justice. During a recent interview for an episode of the Talkin’ Reggae podcast, host Jay Canter and I discussed our thoughts on how many current artists seem to be missing an opportunity to use this powerful medium to speak out against the greed and tyranny of the current political administration.… Read More
If you’re not familiar with The Medicinals, we strongly suspect you will be soon. While bandleader Dylan Savage’s other commitments may have limited their output to three tracks in their three years of existence, the quality of the music is making them a favorite of many.… Read More
“If you do care about retaining your autonomy though, you do so because you want to change the world with your music. You want to change a listener’s perspective through the beauty, or the shock, or the depth, of your expression, and give that listener a window into something more than what they already knew and felt.… Read More
Pacific wayfinding is an ancient art of navigating the open sea without the use of instruments. Throughout the centuries, Polynesian voyagers relied on techniques passed down generation to generation through chants, star circles, and stick charts to read natural signs to guide their way across vast ocean distances.… Read More
Regular readers of Rootfire content over the years may recall our coverage of Crazy Baldhead, the solo project of producer Jayson “Agent Jay” Nugent, perhaps more widely known as the guitarist of The Slackers. Thanks to these roles as well as his production work for other artists, Agent Jay has held down a strong presence in the NYC reggae scene for decades.… Read More
You may not be familiar with the band, “Reggae Workers of the World” (RWW if you’re in a hurry.) That’s okay — that just gives me more joy to be able to be the one to introduce them to you.… Read More
Many reggae fans like myself that got introduced to the genre through Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Culture, Steel Pulse and the amazing roots reggae artists that rose to prominence in the 70s and 80s were drawn to the music by its spiritual and socially conscious lyrics.… Read More
Last month, SunDub released their third studio LP, titled Shoot Your Arrow, following up their 2022 masterpiece, Spirits East Music with another gift to the reggae community. Under the expert tutelage of Sidney Mills (Steel Pulse), the Brooklyn-based group doesn’t necessarily create a new wrinkle in the modern reggae sound, but rather uses impeccable songwriting, musicianship and production to rightfully carry the torch of the best of roots reggae that has captivated fans around the world for generations.… Read More
Staying true to the high-energy early reggae music with which they’ve been dazzling fans for almost 25 years, The Aggrolites have released their seventh studio album, the aptly titled Super Atomic. The latest release from the Los Angeles group features 11 original tracks including four instrumentals, with the band continuing to draw inspiration from a narrow era of late 60s/early 70s Jamaican music while adding soulful Motown vibes to create their trademark “Dirty Reggae” sound.… Read More
Florida reggae is on the rise, with artists like Seranation, Kash’d Out, The Dub Collectors, Artikal Sound System, DJ Badda Skat and many more showcasing the variety and tonal diversity the state has to offer. But when a new band enters that mix, it rattles the foundation and reminds us that the sound is still evolving.… Read More
Rootfire first covered West Cork, Ireland-based artist, DMac Burns, back in September of 2023, when our writer Brendan McGinley authored a Video Premiere for his song, “Night.” At the time, the singer seemed to be just dipping a toe into reggae, but since then, the New York City-raised musician has leaned heavily into the genre as evidenced by the music he’s released over the past few years.… Read More
“[In] 2017, I drove to Palm Springs and told Sean about starting a band that mixed vintage reggae and ska with a touch of Conjunto accordion,” says Matt Hensley, legendary skateboarder and accordion player for Celtic punk band, Flogging Molly.… Read More