The Aggrolites – Rugged Road

The Aggrolites have built a name for themselves by playing their unique brand of self dubbed “dirty reggae.” But their loyal fanbase has been less receptive to their latest release. I admit that I had read a pile of negative reviews before ever listening to the album and was already prepared to be disappointed before I even hit the play button. As I sat in the quiet that followed the last chord on the album, I was surprised to realize that I had just heard what was not only the best Aggrolites album to date, but the best reggae album in many years.

It is true that the album is decidedly different from their past releases, but the changes are nothing but improvements. The band has shifted their focus back to the roots of the music that they play, creating an album full of traditional Jamaican ska and rocksteady rhythms, with a healthy dose of catchy reggae.

The main arguments that many of the critics of this album had were the fact that it does not sound exactly like every other Aggrolites album and that the songs are for the most part instrumental. Like many traditional ska and reggae albums, “Rugged Road” is in fact mostly instrumental. But I argue that if the music is strong enough, there is no need for words. This is music to dance to, to surf to and to enjoy the sunshine to. Fans of legendary genre bands like Toots & the Maytals will enjoy these songs. There is not a weak track that can be singled out, even the 10 minute closer “Out of Sight” does not suffer from the length. “The Aggro Band Plays On” is an essential download for fans who insist on vocals with their reggae. “Eye of Obarbas” is sure to have listeners dancing down the street and “Enemy Dub” trumps anything Sublime ever put out. This album is an amazing collection of laid back island tunes that will likely be the soundtrack to my summer. Ever since picking up this album I have had to literally force myself to listen to anything else.