The album offers rich roots reggae (almost) all the way with strong vocals by twins Jacopo and Lorenzo Garzia over equally strong backing – try Candela for one example picked at random – nice horns too here – and with some slight and appropriate modern touches in places. Songs like Propaganda and Warmonger just hit the spot every time and of course are sadly all too relevant these days.
We’ll Be Home brought to mind the sound of The Twinkle Brothers in the mid- to late- seventies – a particular personal favourite. Nice Latin flavours too on Isabela, with some Spanish lyrics, as there are also on Rub A Dub Suavecito. Changes closes out the album with a very, er, mellow ballad that almost harks back to pre-ska Jamaican R’n’B influenced music.
Guests include Hawaii’s Mike Love on Heavy Load, Romain Vigo on Pull Up and both Anthony B and Dub Inc. help out on Home And Abroad. This is a rather wonderful set – the sound may be tight but there is also an attractive looseness about the whole thing – it sounds as everyone concerned is having a ball making this. It is one hundred percent recommended listening, of course.