If you have not taken a moment to listen to one of reggae hottest upcoming bands, DUBBEST, you are seriously missing out on a musical experience reminiscent of true roots reggae. DUBBEST members, originally from Boston, are now residing in San Diego and have worked their way up through the ranks, currently finishing up a west coast run to promote the new album, Gold Fever.
The album dropped on November 1st and can now be found on all major streaming platforms. The full album features 12 tracks in total. With such a lofty rundown, we decided to review our three favorite tracks: “Better With Words”, “Daydream” and “Minute Longer”.
“Better with Words” is my favorite track on this album…
“Better with Words” is my favorite track on this album, so much so that I wanted to review it first even though it’s the 6th song on the album. It has a light, breezy reggae tone, reminiscent of 1970s Don Carlos. The song is about how sometimes our thoughts get ahead of our mouths and we aren’t able to articulate exactly how we are feeling or what we are thinking. We can feel stuck, like others around us are indeed better with their words. One of my favorite lyrics in the track is, “I tried to keep my composure // Feel me losing it over and over // Tried to speak, but I wish I was better with words.” How many times in your life have you experienced feeling like you just can’t get out what you want to say? That is what this song is about. “Every second of worry // Yeah, is just blown away // And to think I was so unsure // And, now, it’s all okay.”
We all were fortunate to get a chance to preview “Daydream”, the opening track off the album, when it was recorded as a Sugar Shack session a couple months back. This track just makes you want to dance on a beach in the middle of the night with a black sky full of bright stars above you. The opening keys really set the tone for the song. The lyrics feature loving phrases like, “Baby, can I take you to the dance tonight? // I want to rock you through the night // Can I treat you like you’re my woman? // And will you love me like I am your man?” This song is about waiting for your special someone to realize that you were the right choice all along and will get you dancing and singing.
Sometimes a moment is so sweet, we want it to last a lifetime… or at least a minute longer.
“Minute Longer” is a love song that reminds me of 1960s doo-wop, similar to Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. This song is the story of a night long ago spent with your partner in the rain and taking advantage of a moment to express those feelings of longing to that person. “Standing in the rain // Hoping it never dries // The feeling is alright.” Sometimes a moment is so sweet, we want it to last a lifetime… or at least a minute longer.
DUBBEST just finished up their fall tour, looking ahead to 2020 with performances scheduled at major reggae festivals like AZ Roots and Reggae Rise Up Florida. For more information on DUBBEST, visit the links below!
Purchase or stream ‘Gold Fever’ album:
Track listing:
- Daydream
- Terra Fermata
- Back from the Dead
- What If I
- Hot Sand
- Better with Words
- Bed of Thorns
- Sincerity
- Sauce
- Minute Longer
- Guilty
- Keep Waiting
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Disclaimer: All views presented in this album review are those of the reviewer and not necessarily those of Top Shelf Music.
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