They've changed a few members over the years but the core of the group remains guitarist/founder Stephen "Cat" Coore, bassist Richie Daley and vocalist William "Bunny Rugs" Clark. They've added a few new players in the form of percussionist Ruption and keyboardist Noriega.

To celebrate their 37th anniversary last year, they decided to collaborate with some of their friends, and in some cases reggae royalty. Patriots is jammed with 13 sizzling tracks, in a couple of cases, a new look at some older tracks

With a theme of Patriots in mind, vocalist Bunny Rugs tells what led to the direction of the record. "Well, we wanted to do something for Paul Bogle, who we had written "96 Degrees�" about. And since this was our 37th year in the business, we felt we should probably tell the story again. So we had Stephen and Damian Marley re-record the song with us. And we decided to do a tribute to not only Paul Bogle who was a veteran patriot but we wanted to pay some respect to the younger patriots like the Tessanne Chins, the Tarrus Rileys, the Dean Fraziers, and the Capletons. And it just kept coming together. We did "Front Door" and Gregory decided to join us on that one. I wrote "Island Girl" a few years ago in Australia and when I thought of a rhythm and it was almost something like Toots would do. It just had a Toots vibe in the music. And he's my buddy. So we got him. And it just kept rolling. It kept happening like that you know? And we were just really happy with the results."

The record is bookended by the song "Spirit Lives", which originally appeared on the Hold on to Love album. Uplifting and guided by the golden voice of Bunny Rugs, it appears as the opening track as well as the closer in the form of a live track dedicated to the people of Haiti. Jr Reid and Inner Circle are featured on this song.

One of my favorite tracks from the record is next, "Revolutionary People" which is noteworthy for having legendary duo Sly and Robbie performing. Written by noted writer Richard Bell, the track is muscular with Cat's stinging guitar lines and Noriega's sweeping synth fills.

The cover of one of their biggest songs "1865 (96 degrees in the Shade)" features Stephen and Damian Marley and has a bit more of a laid back vibe than the original although the message is not lost. The late Gregory Issacs joins the band for a go with the catchy "Front Door", possibly his last recorded performance.

Tessanne Chin is an up and coming singer (she's already a star in her native Jamaica, as backup singer for Jimmy Cliff) and she really delivers some soulful vocals for the gorgeous "By My Side". Rugs matches the emotional level of the song and Cat throws down a tasty guitar solo on this one. Capleton joins the band for "Good-Hearted People" one of my favorite tracks with him and Rugs both putting on engaging performances.

Another gorgeous track, "Always Around" features Dean Frazier's distinctive sax playing, More new blood is included with Tarrus Riley (a former Busta Rhymes deejay) on vocals and this laid-back track goes down as smooth as a cold beer on a hot day. Toots (from Toots & the Maytals) lends his vocals to Island Girl, another great track.

I really love the guitar-driven "Freedom Must Be Now" which has Mykal Rose from Black Uhuru guesting on vocals. This is a really passionate cut and its lyrics really resonate in current times with the state of things in many nations.

A classic is covered with "You Made Me So Very Happy" featuring Marcia Griffiths from the I-Threes (Bob Marley back-up singers) and she blends with Rugs perfectly. Closing off the record before the aforementioned "Spirit Lives" is the instrumental "Patriots Theme" featuring Cat on cello and Jessica Yepp on violin.

Continuing to be the leader in reggae, Third World refuses to rest on their laurels. Patriots is a strong record with no passengers simply along for the ride, having the special guests is not a distraction or replacement for quality songs. They merely augment this quality lineup and I, for one, cannot wait to hear these songs played live.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Bunny Rugs � Time EP

As the golden voice of Third Word, Bunny Rugs has established himself as a true legend. His last solo record was back in the early part of the previous decade so he recently decided it was time for a new one. Time will be released later this summer but in the meantime he has put out a three-song EP to whet our appetites.

Based on the strength of these three songs, the record is going to be a real barn-stormer. These songs are varied enough to cover all of Rugs' strengths. First up is my favorite one, "Just Can't Deny". The first time I ever heard Third World's music was a life-changing event for me and that was based primarily on Rugs' voice. That same element is present in the vocal on this song. That edge, along with a soulful quality he employs is present in spades here. I cannot say enough about how great this song is.

The politically-charged "Kurfew" was written about civil unrest in Jamaica after last year's Tivoli Garden uprising. Reggae music is often about social issues and Rugs takes the opportunity to remind us that we live in complicated times. Switching gears to relationships, the last track is "Love is Blind". This one was written by Rugs and produced by Sly and Robbie.

All three tracks are wicked good and not only can Rugs sing the heck out of a song, he knows how to assemble an excellent package as well. Looking forward to the whole record.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Preview and purchase this Bunny Rugs CD at iTunes

Visit Bunny's official homepage here