Deal's Gone Bad

By nature, the reggae genre can be limiting, at least instrumentally. That’s why Deal’s Gone Bad kicks ass. It finds a way to stick to the stagnant, three-chord structure of the genre while infusing a classic soul energy. In other words, its music is a lovely contradiction. Like what happened when someone found out sweet and sour can complement each other, Deal’s Gone Bad figured out laid-back reggae riffs can be balanced out with the fast-paced vocality of 1960s R&B. The effect isn’t as heavy as ska. Rather, it’s mellow but still energetic. Instead of coming off like yet another old-school mimicry lost in time, the band does something a little different does it very well. 

Updated 12/16/2011