Ignite the Fuse (Best Coast, 2005)

It isn't often that you encounter a pissed-off reggae band -- not pissed off in the sense that you just raided their ganja stash or asserted that Snow was a more accomplished musician than Bob Marley, but just pissed off in general, with chips strewn all over their shoulders. Nuffsed -- not to be confused with the Hawaiian group Nuff Sedd --is just such a band.  Hailing from Seattle, the city that spawned grunge rock in the '90s, Nuffsed seeks to package a similar amped-up attitude (too much Starbucks?) into their brand of music.  And as the title of their sophomore album Ignite the Fuse implies, they yearn to burn more than Capleton on a streak of pyromania.  They bring a punk energy to this album -- and presumably to their stage shows, which have gained quite a following in the Northwest -- but really, there's little rock 'n roll here; mostly a roots/dancehall/hip-hop fusion.  Ironically, as aggressive a stance as they relish, though, the tunes on Ignite the Fuse that work best are the more relaxed ones, like "Perilous Times," "Critical Living," the swaying "Lifeline," "Act Now," and the dreamy lovers track "V.I.P."  Perhaps this is because as unique and intriguing as it is to hear live-instrument dancehall riddims, the ones here lack a distinct hook to draw you in.  Furthermore, the faster tracks tend to feel crowded, like posse cuts in which everyone has to chime in.  And in the case of Nuffsed, "everyone" includes not only a singer, but also a DJ and another DJ/rapper.  As such, some songs feel unfocused (which isn't helped by several pointless interludes).  Lead singer Kofi Miller has a likeable, laid-back, airy style (a bit like Barrington Levy by way of Jamiroquai's J.K.), but with that sound and his conscious, Rasta-centric lyrics, he almost seems like he should be in a different band.  When the DJs kick in with lyrics like "I think a platinum bullet would go great with your brain," it's jarring, as if two disparate songs have been spliced together.  Still, it's evident that there's a lot of talent within Nuffsed; it just seems like it could be honed into a simpler, more focused sound.  But judge for yourself at nuffsed.com.