[.ca] Spirits All Around Us

white guys and jamaican accents?:
yeah...whats the deal with that? isn't this guy from upstate new york? someone should tell him that he's an amazing songwriter, and a captivating live presence to watch, but as soon as he starts spouting off about " 'i-tinually bringin me the mowwst iriee praises to all mi bredren.." he blows ALL credibitlity in the aformentioned realms... too bad, too...i really like listening to their stuff...but sometimes i cant help but laugh at the situation he presents. apparently shanachie felt the same...

a giddy celebration of love, life, and forward thinking -:
i can't quite figure out why this cd is getting the poorest reviews of all of JBB's albums. they are all equal in their mind-blowing capacities. yes, "AMONG THEM" was a ground-breaking roots -dub masterpiece with such classics as the title track, 'music is my only friend' and 'singers and players'. and "THIS DAY" is funky beyond funky. but "SPIRITS ALL AROUND US" sees the band reaching a new plateau in their creativity and unity in the common goal of spreading forward moving vibes and love for all. positivity oozes from the tracks. it sounds like they took a sunny summer day and filtered their tracks over it durning the fianl master. there are those who say Kevin Kinsella's songs on this album are weak and shy behind Elliot Martin's contributions. I beg to differ - some of his strongest work is on this album: (forward always/feel/eyes of the maker and of course, the super-moving garden tree.) and yes, Elliot blows us all away with "33rpm" and the barn-burning "original man" (speaking of original man - the bass line is so driving and hip-thrusting-funky that any hip hop musician would be drooling to have written it his/herself.) all of this mixed together - the elated music - the beautiful, positive words and obvious love the band has for their music - each other - their fans - their life and Jah - makes this one of the most heartfelt offerings to come out of any record label in many years. be warned - if you buy it, your life will be changed! this time is a precious time!!

Elliot Martin's songs shine, Kevin Kinsella's dimm:
The musicianship on this release is razor-sharp, as can be expected from JBB. The most welcome surprise here is Elliot Martin's performances: his lyrics are captivating and his singing powerful. Sadly, the majority of Kevin Kinsella's songs suffer from rather cheesy lyrics. I'd give this release 3 and 1/2 stars.

Brilliant:
If you've ever seen JBB live, then you know just how talented this band is. Their latest achievement, 'Spirits All Around Us', doesn't disappoint. Elliot Martin's vocals highlight the album on '33RPM' and the fantastic 'Ambrosia'. Their roots beats and positive vibes are what make this album great. But if you really want to experience what makes JBB such a memorable band, go see a live show and be blown away.

Awesome.:
Have been a fan of JBB since I first heard them. This is currently my favorite JBB album and has my favorite song by them (Forward Always) on it. They are awesome!