Syracuse Ska Forum

John Brown’s Body is pleased to announce the release of their new album AMPLIFY. AMPLIFY will come out on Easy Star Records September 30, 2008, in North America and Japan (followed by an early 2009 release in all other territories).

AMPLIFY continues an evolution in the band’s sound that started with Spirits All Around Us and continued through the 2005 Easy Star release, Pressure Points. It is an explosive album, featuring twelve tracks of drum & bass-heavy, dub-inflected electro grooves that make up the sound JBB is known for, with a forward-thinking, fearless approach to tempos, feel, and beats that expands the genre of roots reggae as a whole. Songs that have become recent live showstoppers like “Give Yourself Over,” “Zion Triad,” and “Push Some Air” are included, as well as many new songs guaranteed to move both long time fans and new converts, such as “Speak Of The Devil,” which features a vocal collaboration with Midnite’s Vaughn Benjamin.

JBB’s last album, Pressure Points, represented one more step moving the band from its roots reggae beginnings towards a more envelope-pushing, futuristic sound. Since then, JBB has gone through significant changes—including the death of bassist Scott Palmer (which is addressed in the song “Ghost Notes,” a touching track that evokes his spirit over music Bon Iver and Steel Pulse might have written had they produced a song together), as well as throat surgery for lead singer Elliot Martin and the departure of several band members. Emerging out of these changes, the band’s new line-up is an astonishingly focused and more experimental outfit ready to rock their fans like never before.

AMPLIFY will be available for pre-order through Easy Star’s web store in mid-July. Look for more info on the pre-order and other JBB news soon. JBB has already scheduled a number of shows in July and August, with a full US tour planned from late September through the end of the year. Dates will be announced in the coming weeks.

http://www.easystar.com
http://www.johnbrownsbody.com

I enjoy JBB don't get be wrong...but they are just too "hooked up with jesus" for me sometimes. I agree that the instrumentation on those albums really are amazing too...and I enjoy all the electronic properties of it.

they forgot to add that most of the album was recorded here in syracuse at more sound

is that where DIAW recorded?

they are just too "hooked up with jesus" for me sometimes.

can you explain that one to me pls? do you think the songs are christian?? a

i stopped listening to them when elliot went from tambourine to lead vocals. he's a nice guy , but not my type of singer. when he crept onto the mic i skipped those tracks on the cd and when he took over alltogether i just gave up. a

yeah - i would say some songs can easily be categorized as christian music...yes.

someone say jesus? i'd think that the majority of reggae music can be classified as "spiritual" in some way or another- i'm not the biggest JBB fan- but hey if they sing about jesus loving them vs jah praising ova us vs king django's entire roots and culture album- pretty much the same thing in my book... reggae music is extremely spiritual- down to the basic heartbeat of the music brought over from yoruba ceremonies....

I agree spirituality plays a big role in reggae music.

I guess I draw the distinction at the fact that albums like Django's roots/culture and most reggae seems celebratory to me - JBB comes off preachy to me. I should relisten I suppose - something rubbed me the wrong way in the past. Perhaps I was to judgmental.

no i'll agree w/ you- i haven't listened too much to the new stuff so I dunno what elliot is singing about- but last time I saw Kevin Kinsella's new band "food clothes and shelther" it was like jesus fest- very preachy- even the old JBB songs that he sang were a bit over the top... i actually had to go outside for a lil bit and sit in my car