Eastern Surf Magazine 'Pick of the Month' (EARGASM)
VOLUME 14 ISSUE 104, 2005
Bob Marley planted the seed of reggae in the late '60s. And since then, countless artists and styles have sprouted from his legendary roots foundation. Today's reggae stars, such as Beenie Man and Sizzla, are branching out with dancehall hip-hop-influenced beats and chants. Damian Marley has blossomed by fertilizing his father's original hits with his own prolific Ragamuffin flows. But realistically, the genre's true growth comes from those who sow their musical approach--before they reap the fruit of their labor.
Enter ScholarsWord, modestly claiming. "We try to earn it ourselves." But it's their versatile, pure sound and grooving live shows that yielded the four-piece, East Coast squad their first disc, Tribal Roots, on the Virginia Beach-based Humble Arc label. Commanding lyrics and pulsing, melodic vibrations are just the beginning of what these dreadlocked troubadours put forth on their debut. The album's jumping rhythms--united with a positive, uplifting message--energize and enlighten the senses. Fertile drum and basslines pump hard enough to make even the most stagnant wallflower toe-tap to the tempo. The 12 tracks are strategically positioned to compliment Scholarsword's unpredictable harmonious assault. ,... Once you've caught your breath, there's a call to arms with compelling vocals over bouncing tunes like "Trixy" and "Can't Hold Me Down." You might even recognize the familiar heralding horns from Burning Spear's "Columbus" on their original jam "Gideon Boots."
So if you're lulled to sleep by reggae or think it's as repetitive as a CD skipping--buy this album. It will put a fresh, flavorful twist in your post-surf sundowner. These guys prove that reggae can't be classified in a sub-genre--while defining it with an unrivaled, fertile blend, which could only be titled Tribal Roots. By Mike Cianciulli
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ALLSTAR IS BORN
2005 ESA ALLSTAR TEAM/ BEST OF THE EAST PRESENTATION
VOLUME 14 ISSUE 103 March 2005
As day two of the January Orland Surf Expo came to a close, a standing room only crowd filled an outside conference room in anticipation of the premiere of what retiring Eastern Surfing Association Executive Director Kathy Phillips proclaimed, “a surf video like no other.” In fact, The Best of the East- The 2004 Easterns (produced by Aquafluence Productions and 5-X-B) rivaled the ESA “Allstar Team presentation as the event’s main attraction. Free hors d’ oeuvres and beer for those of age, combined with mellow vibes courtesy of reggae sensation Scholarsword ensured that the evening would be a fun-filled affair all the way around. Once the crowd was pumped up, ESA Competition Director/Allstar Team Coach Brian Broom took the stage to introduce the 2005 team, dubbing them the “Empire of the East.” Following the ceremony, the audience’s cheers of admiration turned into ultra-stoked hoots as the DVD began rolling. “Aquafluence and 5-X-B took surf videos to a whole new level, and the industry response was very impressive, “longtime head honcho Phillips praised, “It was a great night, one I’ll remember always.”- Mike Cianciulli
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