Build A Nation

1977年にラスタファリアンの4人によりワシントンDCで結成され、今なお多くのアーティストに影響を与え続けているUSハードコアのオリジネイター、バッド・ブレインズ。そのオリジナル・メンバーによる、およそ10年ぶりとなるスタジオ・アルバムが発売!! しかもプロデュースは、彼らの大ファンと公言するビースティ・ボーイズのアダム・ヤウク！ベースのダリル・ジェニファー曰く「アダムは1stアルバムのヴァイヴに現代的なタッチを加えてくれた」。猛烈に速く激しく、ブラックならではのグルーヴ感溢れるハードコア・チューンとレゲエ・ナンバーが並列したクラシック“BB”スタイル。徹頭徹尾生々しく凶暴な、正真正銘のバッド・ブレインズ・サウンドが2007年に堂々復活!!

Rolling Stone (p.72) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "This reunion disc, with fan Adam Yauch producing, explodes and skanks like their classic records." Spin (p.92) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "BUILD A NATION roars and throbs with vintage fire. H.R.'s vocals, dub-echoed and buried, sound like they're transmitted from Olympus." Entertainment Weekly (p.136) - "Bad Brains' most cohesive effort since 1986's watershed I AGAINST I." -- Grade: B+ Uncut (p.89) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "A return to snappy punk riffs and dub vocal effects..." Alternative Press (p.174) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he Brains are back and sounding remarkably sweet..." Vibe (p.72) - "[W]hile the album finds them flexing serious reggae chops, NATION really thrives on aggression, reveling in those moments when all hell might break lose." Kerrang (Magazine) (p.47) - "[I]t's the backing that makes Bad Brain an untouchable proposition, their righteous clatter deftly delivered."

Considering that the Beastie Boys were a fledgling punk group before they were rappers and MCA (Adam Yauch) was often seen slam-dancing front and center at Bad Brains' legendary early performances, he would seem the perfect candidate to produce and resurrect the newly reunited group. In truth, he does a fantastic job capturing Bad Brains on Build a Nation, and they rock nearly as hard as they did in their glory days before they switched to funk metal -- Yauch explained that his goal was to replicate the raw sound that he remembers from their live shows and the first self-titled Reach Out International Records tape. Although the group recalls some of its best hardcore roots with an added concrete-shattering low end not found in a lot of its early recordings, the problem is that frontman H.R. simply doesn't have the energy or larynx that he once did, and has to resort to a lower octave and sing in an Anthony Kiedis "Give It Away" vocal style. But who can blame him? It was over 25 years ago when he unleashed his furious shriek and wide array of spastic crooning voices, and it takes a young man's fire to spew microphone venom with that ferocity. Often, he moans his vocal lines in an imitation Lee Perry reggae voice (even on the punkier songs) and has to resort to a lot more studio trickery and delays to make up for his lack of dynamics. This washy style of singing doesn't always feel completely appropriate, but it fits perfectly when the Brains flip the switch to their reggae grooves, which now sound more authentic than ever. This should be no surprise since their last album consisted of only dub music, and their yellow, red, and green album art looks remarkably like a Marley bootleg with a track listing that includes "Natty Dreadlocks 'Pon the Mountaintop" and "Jah People Make the World Go Round." Since the album was recorded at the B-Boys' Oscilloscope Laboratories, many of the reggae numbers have elements of the Beasties' instrumentals on The Mix Up; it sounds like keyboardist-for-hire Jamie Saft may have borrowed Money Mark's organ while Yauch added some of the percussive instruments laying around the room for a few numbers. Even when the washed-out dubby vocals coincide with thrashing guitars, the heavy songs work remarkably well, too. The combination of the two styles makes for an interesting result, especially in "Let There Be Angels (Just Like You)" and "Universal Peace." While Bad Brains never quite match the intensity of their early days, this is easily the best record they've released since Quickness, and maybe even since I Against I. Fans of H.R., Gary, Darryl, and Earl should be happy to hear that they're finally back on track and sounding relevant again. ~ Jason Lymangrover

〈なんじゃこりゃ?〉―― バッド・ブレインズを初めて聴いた時、その強烈なエネルギーと独創的なサウンドをどう受け止めていいかわからなかったものだ。パンクとラスタファリズムをハイブリッドした彼らの神々しい音楽は、世界中の人々にいまなお衝撃と影響を与え続けている。そんな誰もが真似しようとも到達すらできない前人未到唯一無二の音楽が、完全なオリジナル・メンバーで戻ってきた!　結成30年、通算7枚目となる新作は、彼らを師と仰ぐビースティ・ボーイズのアダム・ヤウクが制作を全面的にヘルプ。一貫して変わらないポジティヴでスピリチュアルなヴァイブは、聴けば聴くほど〈バッド・ブレインズ〉だ。初期の音源を彷彿とさせる荒々しいエッジの立ったプロダクションの復活が本当に嬉しすぎる!
bounce (C)KATOMAN