HERE'S A REVIEW OF THE NEW RECORD, in case anyone's interested:
Okay, let's get a few obvious things out of the way. First, HR is back, but so is some of the much maligned reggae. Although I know this will bum a lot of people out who might have been looking forward (or not) to this record, I will say it's not the reggae of old.
Unlike previous outings that had the band sounding like the bastard child of Bob Marley, Build A Nation seems to only incorporate a flavor of reggae into what is otherwise a pretty hard driving record that spends most of its time paying homage to the band's punk/hardcore roots. This is quite evident in the first track that in its first few seconds sound like a burner's dream, but quickly turns into a full throttle two minute throwdown.
Unfortunately, HR's voice is not the unbridled, incoherent, gutteral howl evidenced in Bad Brains' earliest material, but he still makes an irreverent sound befitting of the material. What is immediately obvious when listening to the record is the influence of Adam Yauch (MCA of the Beastie Boys), who produced the record. A number of the songs sound reminiscent of the punk-style toss offs like Sabotage, Heart Attack Man and Time For Livin', which have appeared on the Beastie Boys records over the years.
That said, it should not come as a surprise that there are (for better or worse) a few reggae-esque interludes that also sound very much inspired by the instrumental tracks often included on the Beasties' albums. Before this revelation scares anyone off, it's worth noting that these songs are far from the missteps made by the Bad Brains on other albums, and more of a link between the albums standout hardcore tracks. In all, the album actually sounds as if the band was interested in getting back to basics, while also giving a gentle nod to their previous forays into reggae beats. It is easily the best thing the Bad Brains have put out in 20 years, and it deserves a listen by those interested in music of this ilk. 3.4 out of 4
06-11-2007
BAD BRAINS! 
