Soundbwoy Killas

Album Review

If there's a better reggae band than Badfish in Orange County, most of the world had yet to hear about it. Actually, Badfish may simply be the best band in Orange County, period — for one thing, the band's reggae chops are impeccable, and for another thing, they don't limit themselves to reggae but veer happily into hip-hop and ragga at the drop of a backwards baseball cap and do everything with a remarkable level of both chops and hookiness. Too often young bands like this think that ancient history is Shaggy's first album, and their range reflects that lack of perspective. But the young whippersnappers of Badfish have done their homework and their music reflects a wide varety of influences, from 1970s roots reggae ("Don't Cry," complete with its old-school toasting and dubwise effects) to 1980s dancehall ("Mr. D.J.") and raggamuffin hip-hop ("Soundbwoy Killaz"). The whole album is peppered with exceptional turntablism (note especially the intro to "Whole Heap of Lovin'") and the program is augmented by a few nicely rendered dub versions. All in all, this is one of the most satisfying reggae releases of 2002. Highly recommended.