Spirit Electricity (1991, SST)

*GUEST REVIEW*
Seeing the legendary Bad Brains live is a incredible experience, and over four separate live albums, the band has never really been able to capture that experience perfectly on record...but Spirit Electricity comes close. Anchored by the bands best reggae song, "The Youth Are Getting Restless," which clocks in at nearly eight minutes, the disc captures both sides of Bad Brains -- the punk legends and the lifelong reggae fans...with both sides heavily steeped in Rasta philosophy. A combined reggae cover of The Beatles' "Day Tripper" and the Rolling Stones' "She's a Rainbow" is the other gem here. The cover, a live favourite, is yet another example of how distinctive the Bad Brains sound...even if they're playing someone else's music. Guitarist Dr. Know really shines on the reggae songs, using his jazz-fusion background and unique style of rhythm playing to beautify what would otherwise be fairly harsh songs. The punk side of things is pretty righteous as well. The version of their standard "Banned In D.C." found here is arguably the best recording the band has ever made, and the one-two punch of "Return to Heaven" and "Let Me Help" that kicks off the disc is incredible. Next time the band has a reunion tour (seems to happen every few years), check 'em out. If you can't do that, this is the next best thing.

- Sam Thompson

Rise (Epic, 1993)

*GUEST REVIEW*
Usually, when half of your band's members (including your distinctive vocalist) decide to call it a day, hiring bland sound-alikes is a bad idea...and Bad Brains' lamentable Rise is no exception. After iconic singer HR and his brother, drummer Earl Hudson, decided to quit the Rasta-punk icons, bassist Darryl Jenifer and guitarist Dr. Know decided to soldier on, resulting in one of the few low points in a stellar, decades-spanning career. New singer Israel Joseph I does an admirable job of mimicking HR's trademark yelps, screams, and wails, and drummer Mackie Jayson (who isn't even Rastafarian) is solid...but it just isn't the same. HR has one of the most distinctive voices (and lyrical styles) in popular music, and his seemingly telepathic connection with his bandmates (listen to their live records for examples) is something that can't be copied. Joseph I is clearly trying to write lyrics in the HR style, but he falls well short of his goal and ends up sounding a second-rate cover band frontman. There are a few high points on the record, including "Coming In Numbers," a killer hardcore track that exceeds expectations, and "Love Is The Answer," the sole reggae number, which recalls "Quickness"-era Bad Brains....but Rise was a mistake no matter how you look at it.

- Sam Thompson

God of Love (Maverick, 1995)

*GUEST REVIEW*
Although it failed commercially, this 1995 "comeback" record by the on-again-off-again punk/reggae legends features some of the band's most innovative work and is certainly their most polished studio effort. Part of the reason this major-label attempt at getting back into the spotlight was a sales dud is because of its high percentage of reggae songs. Almost universally credited with inventing the hardcore genre in the late 1970s/early 1980s, Paul "HR" Hudson and company have been known to express their devout Rastafarian beliefs via blistering punk rock, with the occasional reggae number sneaking onto each album. This time around, it's almost a half/half split, and the added budget due to signing with Madonna's Maverick label means the band's distinctive roots-with-edge reggae sound is a lot fuller, thanks to the addition of keyboards and a horn section. Tracks like "Overs the Water" and "Long Time" rank among the Brains' best reggae efforts, and some of the heavier tunes like "Thank Jah" show HR at his most lyrically righteous, chanting down Babylon and extolling H.I.M. with a passion that is often missing from singers who have been in the game as long as he has. Unfortunately, the classic Bad Brains material is so memorable that it's tough for the band to live up to their own standards, particularly on the punk side of things. God of Love may not be their best work, but it shows a new, reggae-heavy direction that, unfortunately, didn't get explored any further, as the band dissolved (again) shortly after its release.

- Sam Thompson

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I & I Survived (Dub) (Caroline, 2002)

*GUEST REVIEW*
Now, this was a good idea. During one of their many periods of downtime, the three instrumentalists in Bad Brains decided to feed their reggae addiction by releasing an entire album of dub tracks -- redone classics and new songs alike. Although singer HR (who is absent from all but one track) plays a large part in the Brains' distinctive sound, the rest of the band, all former jazz-fusion musicians, are phenomenal players who often don't receive the credit they deserve. I & I Survived gives Earl Hudson, Darryl Jenifer, and Dr. Know their chance to shine, as classics like "I & I Survive" are remade into hypnotic, grooving dub instrumentals. Complete with videos that can be watched on a computer, the disc really explores the band's reggae side, which is very under-represented on many of their releases. It's not as captivating to listen to as HR's insane rants, but the slowed-down pace and Jenifer's well-placed dashes of melodica and keyboards, plus guests including famed percussionist Larry Macdonald, make the record a joy to experience. Although "I & I Survived" is strictly reggae, punk classics like "How Low Can A Punk Get?" and "Gene Machine" are also given the dub treatment, with distorted guitar intros giving way to echo-heavy grooves. The new songs are solid, but the real highlights on this record are the rootsier versions of Brains reggae standbys like "Rally Round Jah Throne," which features a gorgeous horn intro and replaces some of its original menace with uplifting twists. This record may not appeal to fans of the Bad Brains punk sound, but for anyone who has loved their reggae flirtations, its a goldmine.

- Sam Thompson

Build a Nation (Megaforce, 2007)

*GUEST REVIEW*
It is easy to overlook the Bad Brains when it comes to reggae. Their influence on the world of punk and heavy metal has been so monumental and their albums lean so heavy on those genres that it is easy not to notice just how strong their dub and roots reggae efforts have been. The Brains' latest release, "Build a Nation," is no exception -- in fact, the 5 reggae jams (out of 14 tracks) on this album are the best this band has produced. The immediate stand-out is "Natty Dreadlocks 'Pon the Mountain Top," a bubbly, bass-driven jam where HR playfully toasts, mixing his distinct delivery with rather freestyle-sounding lyrics to expound upon his own unique take on Rasta ("Jesus Christ was the son of Rastafari"?). Tracks like "Jah Love" and the mellow "Roll On" only cement the fact that the Bad Brains may just be the best American reggae band ever.

- John Branson