The Lions

The weeping steel guitar of "Thin Man Skank” and dub-wise Aggrovators style set the musical tone on the Lions’ debut disc, Jungle Struttin’. Mixing vintage reggae with funk, Afrobeat and world music is nothing new but the Lions, whose ranks include players from Breakestra, Orgone, and other California nouveau funk notables, authentically reproduce and infuse these 11 tracks of classic Studio One and Black Ark reggae with fresh musical twists. For example, the brassy dub bounce of "Jungle Struttin” echoes Connie Price & the Keystone’s blaxploitation soundtrack vibe. And "Sweet Soul Music” channels a ’70s Dennis Brown lovers rock moment, but with an odd roots and rhythm all-stars-influenced one-minute dub-shot. Elsewhere, the deeply rootical "Lankershim Dub” is a dead-on Augustus Pablo East Of The River Nile-era melodica groove. The funkiest moment here is the rock-steady cover of Vicki Anderson and the JB’s "Think (About It).” Jungle Struttin’ is a decent roots reggae flashback.