Cincinnati’s finest and most popular Reggae crew, Super-Massive, will unveil its first album with two release parties this week — Wednesday at Stanley’s Pub and Thursday at The Mad Frog (where they’ll be joined by special guests Jah Roots, from Missouri).
Super-Massive — formerly known as Selecter — contains several skilled, veteran musicians from bands like Da Lemmings OnSombol, Ray’s Music Exchange, Zionites and Grand Oversoul, so it’s no shock that they’ve created a solid, eclectic collection of Reggae on their self-titled disc. Reggae grooves prevail on the album’s 10 tracks and the pristine vocals are drenched in Reggae soul. But, as the group members’ varying backgrounds suggest, there are a lot of other genres that inform the band’s sound. Rock, Jazz and Funk weave in and out of the supple rhythms like a boxer, but it is done so seamlessly, it all just feels like one big funky Reggae party. The band seems tailor made for not only Reggae fans, but “Jam band” fans as well, with flowing arrangements that leave a lot of room for extended jams and improv.
With the new CD’s crisp production, exceptional performances and outstanding creativity, Super-Massive makes it be known with this album that they are not only the best Reggae band in town, they are also among the best of any genre. (myspace.com/thesupermassive6)
More Local Notes
• Hip Hop MC/producer Ill Poetic — who recently released a new “mash” project combining OutKast with Nine Inch Nails that is getting major blog love — is moving from Cincinnati and hosting a going-away concert this Friday at Club Cue in Over-the-Rhine. The show will feature Ill Poetic (of course), Advocate and Niggod is Madude (featuring members of Five Deez and da muttss). Ill Poetic will be a bit of a nomad for a while, traveling to New York City, touring this spring, spending a few months in Columbus working on the next album by Illogic and then, ultimately, ending up in Chicago. (myspace.com/illpoetic)
• “The Lemonade Show” is a benefit concert at the Gypsy Hut this Sunday featuring great Hip Hop from IsWhat?!, the Kings of Tragedy (MC Till, Wonder Brown and Transcend) and M.O. The show is a benefit for Lemonade International, an organization that helps children in La Limonada, a ghetto in Guatemala City. For more on the cause, go to lemonadeinternational.org.
• Indie Pop duo The Seedy Seeds are all set to release their much-anticipated sophomore CD, Count the Days. The disc won’t be released until October, but fans can party down with the band this Friday at Shake It Records in Northside and hear the CD in its entirety. There will also be giveaways and free food and drink. The disc starts spinning at 7 p.m. (theseedyseeds.com)
• Saturday at Shake It Records, there will be a book release party for two new entries into the “33 1/3” series, a collection of books that dissect classic albums.
Author Bob Gendron did his book on The Afghan Whigs’ Gentleman, while Cincinnatian Jeff Roesgen has penned one for The Pogues’ Rum Sodomy & The Lash. Both writ ers will be on hand to discuss the books and the albums. The fun starts at 5 p.m.
