Boston reggae act Spiritual Rez has been serving up a blend of reggae, roots, ska, and rock since 2003. This April, they finish up the final leg of a tour in support of their 2014 record “Apocalypse Whenever,” traveling back up the east coast. Here’s a list of their April dates:
April 1, Asheville, NC, New Mountain Theatre
April 2, Charlotte, NC, The Rabbit Hole
April 3, Greenville, NC, Crossbones Tavern
April 4, Harrisburg, PA, Abbey Bar @ Appalachian Brewing Company
April 10, Boston, MA, Paradise Rock Club with Turkuaz, Tickets
April 12, Wilmington, NY, Whiteface Ski Resort
April 17, Bridgeport, CT, Acoustic Cafe
April 20, Providence, RI, The Spot
April 23, Brooklyn, NY, The Knitting Factory
April 24, Saratoga Springs, NY, Putnam Den
April 25, Burlington, VT, Nectar’s
Their record “Apocalypse Whenever” belongs in our Overlooked in 2014 series. It opens with spacey dub and rock and then immediate gets into the danceable grooves. The horn-heavy “Bring It On” and mid-tempo twangy ska track “Don’t Be Afraid” are the perfect tunes to usher in spring. They demonstrate their appreciation for reggae rhythms with the swaying “One Big Song” and then “Who’s Gonna Come” stepper/ska jam. The record gets adventurous again with “March of the Reptoids!,” the relaxed ska of “Let’s go Out with a Bang,” a rocksteady “Agapoula Pt 1” and frantic “Agapoula Pt 2.” “Worker Bee” finds them at their most rock-prog, “What’s It All About” proves they can write that epic ballad, and the record closes with the jovial, gospel-inflected “The Rapture!” Thematically, the record touches on all things related to the end of the world, as the title implies. I love a good love song as much as the next person but this is a nice diversion. Musically, I appreciate a band who’s not afraid to break out of the box while still keeping their reggae rhythms intact.
“Apocalypse Whenever” is available on Spotify, Amazon, iTunes, and CDBaby.
BIG TUNES: Bring It On, Don’t Be Afraid, Who’s Gonna Come
RIYL: Sublime, Fishbone, Rustic Overtones
Headlining their Boston date, Friday, April 10 at Paradise Rock Club, is horn-heavy Brooklyn funk Act Turkuaz. Tickets are on sale now and will run you $20.
“Bring It On”
Watch more videos on the band’s website.