Roots Revealers – Sweet Jamaica

With an album title like Sweet Jamaica it might surprise you to learn that Roots Revealers in fact originate from Texas and were formed by Caucasian brothers Chris and Josh Mundahl who now reside in Kingston. The Sunday Gleaner featured an interview with the pair last summer in which it was revealed that they had been listening to reggae from an early age, being influenced by the likes of Bob Marley, Culture and Burning Spear, with both also becoming so immersed in Jamaican culture that they grew locks and joined the Rastafarian movement. The locks have since gone, but the Rastafarian belief and sentiment is still there.
The sound they have created here is defiantly a sweet Jamaican rootsy one, a kin to the Mighty Diamonds I would say. Their riddims are original and well crafted and to which they add a clean vocal style with patois edge. The album is gently paced with some of the songs like the title track having a real feel good brightness about them. There are a few collaborations on here from the likes of Ras Goudie, CP Inc. & John TI plus of old style rub-a-dub dancehall from Chak Demus on ‘Sweetie’.
There is a serious side to the Revealers amongst these easy flowing vibes with tracks like opener, the simply titled ‘No More Killing’, the anti-authoritarian ‘Freedom’ and the everyday concerns of ‘Worries and Problems’ plus the acoustic and soulful ‘No Easy Life’. I believe this is their first album although they have been releasing material since 2005, it's been a long time coming, and good things come to those prepared to wait......

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