Roots Archives Forum

I am dissapointed at the lack of mention of modern roots music. For example, there is no mention of bands like Groundation or Congregation. Or bands that have been around, such as UB40 who have produced many exceptional albums. For example, Signing Off. This is one of UB40's finest albums. I just thaught it would be nice to mention these bands. Any response would be nice.
Thanks
-Dave

You didn't even mention St. Croix's Midnite. Shame on you. They are the definitive modern roots band. Top ranking. Sight up.

I agree with you that there are some great modern roots bands, and I too am a big Groundation fan. However, this site is dedicated to classic roots, and that's why mention isn't given to new roots bands.

Yeah Midnite is amazing and it's a shame that most people don't even know who they are. There's French group called Kana (sugar cane) who are also amazing. I heard them on a World Reggae compilation but I have been having trouble locating one of their albums.

Yes indeed, I have written about Midnite on the forum dedicated to them. I saw a band called Verdict a few nights ago, very good music.
Peace

Hi everybody,
I also love midnite but I just regret nobody talked about any other St Croix's roots bands. Haven't you heard about Mt Nebo's label ? And Bambu Station with his amazing album "One day"?
If you don't, let me encourage you to search, you'll easily find their website. They are all from the same crew and some of Midnite's musicians appear on this recordings, you can recognize their sound (in particular the drummer). Do someone knows about Matisyahu, the NY hassidic reggae leader ? Or about Ras Allan and his appalachian reggae ? Let's hope so.
Have a nice day everybody and keep medidating on this music!

Well if you say modern roots, you don't have to mention groups like groundation or midnite. I agree with you that these are great groups, but i think they play reggae in a kind of old fashioned way in the path of Bob Marley. If you talk about modern roots you have to mention jah cure. If you don't know Jah Cure, you must listen to his great recording "Ghetto Life". But I also have to mention great musicians like Sizzla with his great Albums "Black Woman And Child", "Bobo Ashanti" "Royal Son Of Ethiopia" or Capleton "Reigh Of Fire" "The People Dem". In St. Croix is a very good reggae music scene. Of course you already mentioned midnite. But don't forget batch ("who you are") and dezarie ("gracious mama africa") brilliant.

UB 40 is no roots reggae at all. For me they are just making reggae influenced pop music. That doesn't mean you have to be rastafarian to do good reggae music, but like jimmy cliff now, they are more pop than roots reggae and of course not modern roots.

hallo everybody,

Take a look to this spanish roots groups: Loud & Lone / Lone Ark. ....meditation, wonderful sounds.

From my point of view sizzla and capleton are not roots reggae music, and I have doubts about if they have something to do with reggae music.

Midnite fine.

irie¡

OK Sizzla and Capleton are also part of the dancehall scene. But they also recorded some fine roots records. Listen to the Sizzla Albums that i already mentioned and to the great capleton album "reign of fire". It was released last year and crowned by many reggae fans as the best roots album 2004.

I see that nobody reacted to the name of Bambu Station. If you love Midnite, you really have to listen to it : "One day" or "Talking roots" are amazing.
Sorry for Sizzla or Capleton, I just can't find no love in their music. As far as I'm concerned I call roots music a music which is rooted in the original spirituality and vibration of reggae. For instance I think Groundation is much nearer from it than Sizzla. Still, words are not so important.

for JOHN PUBLIC, sizzla is more like ragga dancehall schwagg. You heckle UB40, and I agree their later music is quite comercialized. But if you listen to their first album Signing Off, than you would change your mind about their music. Exceptional music.
Dave