"Here To Stay" Review by Michael Cotton
Through The Roots
"Here To Stay"
Through the Roots is the latest San Diego band to break out of the ever-expanding So-Cal reggae-rock music scene, and their new EP epitomises the scene, laid back polished pop-reggae.
Led by lead singer Evan Hawkins, Through the Roots includes Bryan Jackson on bass, Brady O'Rear on keys, Chris Cruz on keys and guitars and Taylor Boatwright splitting vocal duty and drumming. Their latest releases is the four-track EP, 'Here to Stay' and is set to drop on iTunes July 12.
Title track, Here to Stay, opens the EP and is an upbeat and musically sound song. The guitar solos are worth a listen alone - mixing reggae beats with what sounds like Hendrix or Santana shredding the guitar. And this is the theme for the latest Through the Roots EP, musically they excel but the EP is somewhat let down by the lyrics.
Weekend is a prime example of this, the opening seconds of the track mixes keys and guitars to good effect before a steady reggae beat takes over. Musically the song is superb but lyrically it is just another tune about looking forward to the weekend, a theme which has been done a thousand times before.
And here lies the problem, for me anyway, for Through the Roots, musically they are excellent but like so many other bands in this genre they struggle with meaningful lyrics.
But saying that, it works for Through the Roots, they are simply supplying what many fans of the reggae-rock genre want, they want the songs about partying, the songs about smoking weed and the songs about hooking up. It's fun and honest music.
Reviewed by: Michael Cotton
Through The Roots Links
