AUGUST 2008 ONLINE EDITORIALS

Dubskin - Love In Spite Of

By Erik Myers

Two years bumming around the Fort Collins scene has been time enough for roots reggae five-piece Dubskin to get the rhythm right for their debut album.

Much of that time has been wisely spent with producer Derek Vincent Smith, a local connoisseur of electronica melodies who has engineered tracks for Lyrics Born and Josh Martinez. Smith pulls the best aspects out of the catchy synth he knows so well and wraps them around the band’s classic riddim rock, creating a splendid smattering of aesthetics.

The first third of the album is enchanting. Opener “The Overture” is a breezy wake-and-bake instrumental that sets the attitude for the rest of the tracks. Falling in line is “Words Power & Sound”, featuring vocalist I.fficial (real name Jamal Skinner) at his best, slamming the powers that be with extra energy provided by backing keys and bass. Here he drops tone-sharp verses with a cool maturity, stressing the necessity of using one’s skills to make a difference: “Graduate from school, no cause for celebration, we must inspire the next generation.”

The best thing about Love In Spite Of, however, is the shared spotlight, exampled on “Jah Love Dem”: I.fficial’s reverberated rhythm dances sweetly with the tangy bass picking of The Dean (Dean Curtis). Throughout the album, JahSonic (Jason Wieseler) provides the cruising echo effects that yearn for the twilight of a Caribbean coast.

The members of Dubskin pride themselves on staying true to the roots of roots reggae, as they should; their Rastafarian-inspired sound is helping polish FoCo’s spot on Colorado’s music map.