Bad Brains - Bad Brains

I fuckin' love this album. It's superfast funky Rock n' Roll with Rasta ideology, which let's face it, is quite unusual. Apparently this band were a freeform jazz band before starting Bad Brains which is not hard to imagine. They kick out these jams with tight precision which at this pace is not easy.

The first 5 songs are all equally fast and venomous but unlike other "snotty" punk this has a happy vibe which can even make me laugh. The lead singer has a great range which can go from mellow, almost soulful to deranged screaming very quickly.

It's not all great though and the middle of this album is a bit crap really with some average punk numbers and a couple of mediocre Reggae efforts.

It picks up again though with the great "I" and the classic "Pay To Cum". There's also the delightful, shimmering Reggae song "I Love I Jah". It stands up as a classic Reggae tune in it's own right. I'm sure the likes of Dennis Brown and Bob Marley would have been proud of it if they had made it.

My favourite Bad Brains songs are not on here though. Those are "Don't Bother Me", "I Against I" and "How Low Can A Punk Get" - some of my favourite rock songs ever! They can all be found on the CD - "Banned In D.C.Bad Brains Greatest Riffs" - also well worth buying.

Be warned though, this album sounds as though it has been recorded in a tin can giving it a very raw, unpolished sound. That's another reason why I love it!

A wonderful band who have had an influence on many contemporary bands. Don't miss the unique and exciting world of Bad Brains! Jah Bless !