Reggae Outfit Gentleman’s Dub Club Fill ‘Down to Earth’ with Groovy Sounds (ALBUM REVIEW)

Gentleman’s Dub Club is a band that has moved pretty easily between genres in its 14 years together. From reggae to dub to jazz (with some electronic touches), the band has covered some musical ground.

Down to Earth is the band’s eighth studio album. With the band being locked down and unable to tour, the new album takes an introspective turn, but it is still full of the groovy sounds you have come to expect from this band.

The album begins with “Castle in the Sky”. It doesn’t take long to notice that his is a song driven by the rhythm section – especially the bass line. The rhythm section provides an infectious groove to the song and makes you want to turn it up. After leaning on the rhythm section and the vocals for most of the song, it takes a turn toward the psychedelic with the guitar part toward the end of the song. 

Two songs provide a great example of the range of this band. On the one hand “Night Shift” has dance club energy and is perfect for getting people sweaty on a dance floor. The contrast to that is the downtempo gem “More than Memories”. This song wouldn’t be out of place at all in a smoky room where people are getting nice. To put it another way, if Animal house were remade today, this song would be the perfect accompaniment for when the students get high with Donald Sutherland. 

Sometimes you hear a song and it’s an instant injection of good vibes. “Sunshine Revolution” is one of those songs. The title is apt because this is what sunshine would feel like if it were a song. It has a bouncy melody and a rhythm that makes you want to sway. This is a song that makes you want to get a drink, put your arm around the nearest person (social distancing be damned), and just enjoy the vibes.

While some albums have a prevailing mood, this album takes you through a variety of moods. In just 10 songs, the band takes you through songs that are sunny and upbeat songs as well as subdued and even medicated. The thing is, no matter the vibe of a particular song , you will find yourself grooving to it. The band should certainly be congratulated for accomplishing that particular mission. 

Photo credit: Honeybunn Photography

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