Bad Brains - Build a Nation Review
by Travis Becker
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Few bands elicit such a response at the mere mention of their name, as do Washington D.C.'s Bad Brains. Almost universally revered as one of the true heavyweights of American Punk Rock, the Bad Brains have spun a chaotic course throughout their now twenty-five plus year history. Now, with Punk Rock existing as little more than a historical epoch like the Bronze Age or the Mesozoic, the Bad Brains return with their original lineup to cast their lot into parade of nostalgia acts trying to cash in.
Not so fast. With their new release, Build a Nation, the legendary DC punkers stop way short of cashing in, just don't expect Banned in DC or Pay to Cum. To be fair, Bad Brains haven't been on the "as fast as possible, as loud as possible" band wagon since the early 80's. Anyone who has followed the band since then will know that the band began to experiment in more purely reggae sounds at times and more decidedly heavy metal leaning recordings at others, depending on which members of the band were present and dominant. Build a Nation brings together these two seemingly combative formats into an eclectic, if not entirely focused, record that is, if nothing else, purely Bad Brains.
Build a Nation provides reason to celebrate right out of the gate in that if features the original lineup of H.R., Dr. Know, Earl Hudson, and Darryl Jenifer. While many of the records Bad Brains have released over the years have been serviceable, it's been a rarity that the entire original lineup has been able to deliver an entire record. Between H.R.'s rather notorious legal and chemical run-ins and the sharp division in philosophy between the caustic singer and guitarist Gary "Dr. Know" Miller, reunions have come and gone, but nothing as coherent and listenable as Build a Nation.
Woven throughout the sonic tapestry is the constant message of positivism that Bad Brains have held onto throughout their run as Punk icons. Borrowed heavily from the Reggae culture that informs so much of their music, love and peace dominate Build a Nation thematically. It's the "unity" Operation Ivy was getting at all those years ago. Whether on pure Reggae tracks like, Jah Love and Natty Dreadlocks 'pon the Mountain Top, or heavier numbers like Pure Love and Universal Peace the message always remains upbeat. Even amidst music that feels and, at times, sounds like destruction and chaos, building, not tearing down, wins the day.
A point of interest for some may be the production leant by Beastie Boy Adam Yauch (MCA). It isn't particularly for me, but it is a relief that their utter pretentiousness didn't seep through into the Bad Brains good times and fast chords vibe.
Listen to Bad Brains records and you can hear the sounds of hundreds of Punk bands being born, just for hearing something so intense and important. While Build a Nation may not have that sort of impact, it is a very good record that should please longtime fans and more casual punk listeners who have been exposed to the core of their sound through bands like Rancid. Definitely worth checking out, but if you take in the show-don't be too anxious to get a front row seat. Let's just say I've heard stories about H.R., drugs, and microphone stands that tend not to recommend it, unlike this album, which is easily recommended.
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Bad Brains - Build a Nation
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