Customer Reviews

Build Nation

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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...

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.

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."

Reggae and hardcore punk? Yes, that is what the Bad Brains new album is all about! Sure it sounds strange, but the Bad Brains stuff is amazing. Although the whole album is good, my favorite song is either "Give Thanks and Praises" or "Pure Love." The album is completely different from anything out there right now and is definitely worth a listen if not a buy!

Man! This album is great from front to back, this shows that the brains still got it. The oldschool hardcore punk is still alive n kicking along with the rub-a-dub roots reggae stylings too. The reggae tracks are expecially great on this cd. Great album...highly recommended!

Except this one. I've been listening to this and the new Dinosaur Jr. CDBeyond, and the Brains album blows it away. While all of the Brains CD's with HR are great, this one is probably even better than Quickness, and maybe even as good as or better than i against i. I will acknowledge that HR doesn't have the scream that he used to have, but his singing voice is still solid, and, between the Brains musical chops and Adam Yauch's production, this album just smokes. I like punk and reggae, and the reggae tracks on this album are the best that the Brains have released, and yes, they can hold their own against the best new roots music out there today, like Midnite.
Scheme a Things
I'm just blown away that after all this time between albums, and all of the ups and downs that Brains have had throughout their career, that they can still put out music as vibrant, as on point, and as inventive as this album.

The music still carries a punch, but the vocals are weak. I can't tell if its poor production or HR isn't pushing his vocals. He could lay-off the effects on the vocals; it detracts more than it adds. I suppose that this is a good effort for a reunion CD. However, they could do better. If you want their best, get "Rock for Light", "I Against I", or "Banned in DC".

Bad Brains have always been rather tough to figure out, even as their influence extends across several realms of rock. Their interests in hardcore, reggae, and metal don't always gel into a cohesive overall sound, but on this long-awaited new album they are relentlessly pursuing all of their interests with a nearly flawless new focus. Somehow, Bad Brains make songs of different and seemingly incompatible styles work on the same album. Nobody else could sound even remotely believable jumping from hardcore punk to dub reggae to anthemic metal in successive songs. The band's always complicated lynchpin H.R. sounds rejuvenated and his lyrics and vocals have found a strong (but still as nearly-unhinged as ever) focus around Rastafari. Earl and Darryl jump from style to style flawlessly, and Dr. Know continues his savage mutations of every guitar style known to man. The band's diverse interests are probably combined most evenly in the opener "Give Thanks and Praise." "Jah People Make the World Go Round" is a high-flying slab of metal, and especially punishing hardcore workouts are found in "Expand Your Soul" and "Let There be Angels (Just Like You)." Meanwhile, Bad Brains lay down dub-inflected reggae like the best of the Jamaican masters in "Natty Dreadlocks 'pon the Mountain Top," "Jah Love," and the surprisingly sinuous "Until Kingdom Comes." And finally, the Bad Brains attack climaxes in the sinister and insistent "Universal Peace," the apocalyptic music of which belies the title perfectly. [~doomsdayer520~]

I like everything about this album except when HR pops up to do his singing which just happens to be in every song. HR has lost it plain and simple, his punk chops to be exact. He half sings his way through this album while the rest of the band is trying their hardest and succeeds to channel the old school Bad Brains sound. Don't get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for HR and he is a hero of punk rock but hes just lost his amazingly controlled, operatic singing voice of old. His voice nowadays is more suited for reggae. This is a nostalgic Bad Brains album for the long time fans. This should not be your first Bad Brains purchase. Get Rock For Light or Banned in DC. To sum it up, 2 stars for HR's performance on this album and 5 stars for the rest of the band!

I read all the reviews for this release and I agree that it's not the first Brains cd I pick up when I want to listen to them but it's still real good. We have to remember that bands cant keep putting out the same recordings every time, let's face it the only two bands that have ever stayed exact to their original sound with sucess are the Ramones and Slayer. If your a fan at all pick it up. "Long Live The Bad Brains"