Bad Brains still has the brawn

Punk/Reggae

Bad Brains

Unlike previous revivals of this seminal Washington, D.C., punk outfit from the 1980s, this one has all the ingredients for success: the historic lineup of H.R., Dr. Know, Earl Hudson, and Darryl Jenifer; a cooperative indie record label in Megaforce; and superior production courtesy of none other than Adam Yauch, a.k.a. MCA of the Beastie Boys. And the music? Thrilling as ever. The band that launched a thousand hardcore ships has outlasted its scions, losing nothing in speed, intensity, and musicianship. If there's any mellowing at all, it's in the unremittingly optimistic themes of the songs ("Pure Love," "Expand Your Soul," "Universal Peace") or in the generous helping of roots-reggae tracks interspersed among the glorious noise, including the soulful closing anthem, "Peace Be Unto Thee." The juxtaposition of reggae and punk, both performed to the highest standards, was always the hallmark of this all-black, Rastafarian crew; though the pairing made sense in the context of the UK punk scene, it was doubly subversive in this country, challenging not only our racial politics but also a music scene obsessed with genre and category. If "Build a Nation" feels as refreshing as it does, it's partly for its reminder that rudeboys come in all flavors and that the paths to liberation are many, a message convincingly distilled by a foursome of old-heads who've seen it all. [Siddhartha Mitter]