“American roots reggae has rarely approached the heights of classic efforts from Jamaica, but count Washington, DC’s Soldiers of Jah Army–a bunch of white guys, incidentally, not that you would guess–among the exalted few who have captured the soulful swagger, pulsing rhythms and get-serious message of the genre’s very best. Start with the package: the cover art realigns Africa to the left of the map and the liner notes reprint every word of the poetic lyrics. The music, all 72+ minutes of it, proceeds through fourteen “chapters” of immaculately produced, simmering songs, each with its own catchy riff and hook. This is pure pop, but it’s the kind that entices you to listen more closely while you sway to its grooves, and it ages magnificently with each spin. All the pieces were written by guitarist Jacob Hemphill and/or bassist Robert Jefferson; Hemphill’s lean, soaring voice contrasts with Jefferson’s rougher-edged, toastier presence. Nice.”
Nils Jacobsen of All About Jazz
June 2006
Get Wiser is now available on iTunes!
