Californian
reggae-pop
outfit
Rebelution
(
Rebby
to fans)) earned enough accolades after their superb 2007 debut to warrant some serious industry buzz. Where some bands would jump at the chance to take their music into the crowded mainstream on the back of a juicy major-label deal,
did just the opposite. Rather than give up the creative freedoms that are the very core of their signature blend of
contemporary reggae
,
rock
, and
hip-hop
, the Santa Barbara-based outfit chose the road less traveled and started its own label,
87 Music
. The hectic, two-year tour that followed the release of
Courage to Grow
served the band well, as the songs that comprise
Bright Side of Life
have that "lived in" feeling that can only come from an endless string of hot nights in strange cities. From the smooth confidence of the title cut to the slow burn of
"Dubzilla,"
have crafted another winner full of vibrations that are decidedly more than good. ~ James Christopher Monger