Almost two decades into an effervescent career, California reggae band and touring juggernaut Rebelution remains abundantly creative. Its members (singer/guitarist/lyricist Eric Rachmany, keyboardist Rory Carey, drummer Wesley Finley, and bassist Marley D. Williams) are as focused and committed as they are easygoing and laid-back. And they haven’t lost a step since Falling Into Place, their 2016 studio album, became the band’s fourth release to top the Billboard reggae chart, earning them their first ever Grammy nomination in the category of Best Reggae Album. 2018’s In The Moment, their 2021 studio album, while still rooted in the Jamaican inspiration that Rebelution’s songs and sounds have always paid homage to, takes experimental leaps and new adventures too, welcoming old fans and new audiences alike.
Iration has a natural affinity for reggae and island sounds. Their love and appreciation for music spans across a wide range of styles and genres including rock, pop, R&B and funk. Over the past 15 years, the celebrated five-piece have perfected their distinct hybrid style of music, blending all influences together as evidenced on their seventh, and most recent, full-length album Coastin’, a record about being thankful for the moments that we have. The Hawaiian-bred musicians look forward to spreading their original sound and ‘Aloha spirit’ all the while never forgetting to get a surf in when possible.
The Expendables have proven anything but in their nearly 25-year career since starting out as a spirited party band in high school covering surf-rock nuggets such as Dick Dale’s “Miserloo” and “Wipe Out” for birthdays and family gatherings. A quarter-century later, elementary school buddies have forged a unique original sound born in the laid-back beach life of their Santa Cruz, CA. hometown. The Expendables’ infectious hybrid of ska, surf-rock, punk, reggae and metal can be heard in their latest streaming track, “Surfman Cometh.”
Passafire’s single, “Keepin’ On,” serves as a mission statement for the veteran rock-reggae outfit as they continue to forge ahead through their second decade of reimagining the boundaries of the current rock-reggae landscape. Passafire released their 7th full length album, STRATA, in September 2021. Since forming in 2003, Passafire has released a total of six studio albums.