A year after their first EP release, the stakes remain high (and the hope, stacked) for High Hopes Band as the group prepares to drop their first album. The six Bostonians have claimed a traditional, reggae-inspired mix of vintage and modern sound. This Tuesday, the band will release Forever Love, an album packed with tracks reminiscent of Bob Marley’s earliest releases.
High Hopes Band pulls from the paths of many golden-era reggae musicians — Jamaican artists of the late 60s-early 70s who drew upon the Motown, country/Americana, and rock & blues movements of their time — and aims to fuse that classic, orthodox sound with today’s current styles. The result is an amalgam of genres: sweet hints of R&B, soul, and country music matched with spicy influences from second-generation Jamaican musicians.
The band features guitarist and vocalist Jason Dick, vocalist Sebastian Franks, old-soul keyboardist Paddy McDonnell, drummer A.J. Maynard, bassist Julie Feola, and percussionist R. Zeke Carlson (Papa Zekes).
When they’re not coasting through smooth reggae melodies, these fellas sing praise to Boston. They’ve been playing venues throughout Boston and New England for the past five years. Small venues? Not a problem. They’d even argue that Boston’s small footprint plays to their musical benefit and contributes to Boston’s merit as a great music city: “The network of supporters has become like family,” Jason said. He added that Boston pushes them to strive for their best because “the scene is inclusive, but still competitive.” Here, here to that.
When asked to describe their music without using traditional genre labels, High Hopes Band had quite the answer on hand: “River of sweet and savory rhythmic hypnosis.” Don’t believe them? Ride on down the river with their new and rootsy Forever Love. It officially drops tomorrow, but we’ve got an exclusive look at the album here on Sound of Boston. Check out these tracks for an intriguing ear party complete with messages of freedom, love, and justice, and the hypnotic beats of roots reggae.