Build Nation

Bad Brains | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 26, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Megaforce
• ASIN: B000PTYNJ0
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #142,317 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Give Thanks and Praises

2. Jah People

3. Pure Love

4. Natty Dreadlocks 'Pon the Mountain Top

5. Build a Nation

6. Expand Your Soul

7. Jah Love

8. Universal Peace

9. Roll On

10. Until Kingdom Comes

11. In The Beginning

12. Send You No More Flowers

13. Peace Be Unto Thee

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

These African-American Rastafarians didn't just originate DC hardcore in the late 1970s with their incredibly fast and brilliant "Pay to Cum" single; they set the bar impossibly high. That the group is not hugely millionaires-with-jets popular is one of the music industry's travesties. But they've always had as much a penchant for pissing off the shaven headed moshers at their shows (playing lengthy dub songs) as for giving them what they want (supersonic riffage). Much of the album employs the metal-tinged sound the group's been flirting with since they were on SST in the late '80s. A third of the tracks are reggae numbers, and while you're not going to sell off all your Culture LPs after hearing those, they are definitely serviceable. Build a Nation is not as great as the ROIR cassette, but it's the best album they've made in years, and shows the band in awesome form. This is thanks in no small part to the production efforts of the Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch. As this is their second best-sounding proper album--the first being 1983's Ric Ocasek-produced Rock for Light--it's clear that the band should work only with their celebrity musician-fans at the helm from now on. --Mike McGonigal

Product Description

Mention the name Bad Brains to any music fan today and you will get a jaw-dropping response! Considered by some to be the holy grail' of punk rock, Bad Brains are one of the definitive American punk groups who garner the same respect as the Sex Pistols, Black Flag, The Ramones and the The Clash. The Bad Brains iconic legacy brought a new dimension to music by melding punk and reggae into a innovative style that has yet-to-be copied. And with this new studio album, Bad Brains essentially returns to their core wit a raw analog-driven chaos produced by MCA (aka Adam Yauch) of the Beastie Boys.Build a Nation has clearly brought out the best in the band. All original members, Dr. Know, Darryl Jennifer H.R. and Earl Hudson, deliver an explosive arsenal of riffage and bad ass bag of voices. Producer MCA recorded the album at the Beastie Boys' Oscilloscope studio in NYC. It is the first studio album released by the Oscilloscope laboratories, outside of Beastie Boys' albums. Sometimes reactionary, sometimes volatile, Bad Brains simply define the American punk experience.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bad Brains at their best..., June 26, 2007

By 

D. Wees "Twice Nightly" (Barquisemeto, Venezuala) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Build Nation (Audio CD)

Rastafarians and hardcore punk rock. Crazy combination right? Well, the DC based Bad Brains are probably the only band who could pull it off. "Build A Nation" is an unbelievable album, from an unbelievably talented band. This CD, which features the four original members of the group, features 14 tracks, 9 of which showcase the hardcore punk rock sound that Bad Brains made famous over 25 years ago. The other 5 tracks are classic roots reggae songs, and in my opinion some of the best songs you'll find on this release. All 14 tracks are well produced, and well played. Bad Brains, despite their age, can still play music as hard and fast as they did back in the early 80s, and HR's voice is just as powerful and haunting as ever. Again, production and musicianship is top notch, making this one of the best Bad Brains records to ever be released. My only complaint is that the songs are very short in length (Pure Love lasts only 56 seconds). Other than that, this album is well worth your money, and any fan of Bad Brains or HR's solo stuff must own this. One love...

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I never thought I would say this, but H.R.'s vocals are not up to par., July 4, 2007

By 

David L. Smith (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Build Nation (Audio CD)

I am as big of fan of the Bad Brains as you're going to find, going back to the early 80's. In fact, to this day, the best show I have ever seen was the Bad Brains in 1984 in San Francisco. So, when this release came out, I was totally pumped and picked it up the on the release day. Unfortunately, this CD just hasn't clicked for me. As others have said, it's almost as if the band is trying to make one record and HR is trying to do something else. Lyrically, it's what we would expect: Religious undertones and positive messages. On the punk songs, the music is fast, although somewhat sloppy. The production by Adam Yauch is decent, although fairly straightforward and simple. The vocals, however, are 2 or 3 tempos below the music and there are heavy effects on the vocals, including delays up the wazoo, which just get silly. In one way I respect what the band is trying to do, but they just don't seem to mesh with one another.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Destroy Babylon, July 2, 2007

By 

Michael J. Rudnicki "mjr" (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Build Nation (Audio CD)

The band is on fire for the hardcore tracks, which definitely recall the ROIR sessions. HR, however, opts out of the rapid-fire delivery of yore and is content to repeat mantras or hang back and let the delay do its thing. It's evident that he's more into the reggae, which to my ears is the best the band has ever issued. Adam Yauch's production lends itself well to the reggae tracks-- filling them out with clavinet, brass, B-3, and other choice funky reggae and dubby spice. The reggae tracks sound so good that I'd almost rather hear the band do a whole album of them next time out (if there is a next time out). While HR sounds good on the smokin' rock tracks, it's obvious that he'd rather slowly and soulfully praise Jah than sing "Pay to Cum."