Andru Branch is the real deal, the genuine article, an authentic. Nothing else can be said of a reggae outfit that, in the words of The Sunday Herald of Kingston, Jamaica, “sounds like the Marley-inspired tunes all The World has come to know and love.”
Branch’s career was legitimized early on. His debut album What If I Told You was released by Jamaican label Kingston Muzik, It features members of Bob Marley’s legendary band The Wailers, and it was nominated for a Juno award in the Best Reggae Recording category.
After all that, it may surprise you to learn that Andru was born in Sackville, New Brunswick. What won’t surprise you is the amount of care, soul, and sheer quality that oozes from his latest work Weather The Storm.
Presented as “championing the preservation of authentic roots reggae,” Weather The Storm is a real triumph in style and tradition. For the most part, it sounds like an old roots record. Every aspect of the production: drums and bass, organ, horns, vocals, has been lovingly treated to reproduce those sounds. Modernity is only represented where desired, like in the clarity and depth of the audio. There is also a mild, self-confessed Pink Floyd influence to some of the record. This makes some parts take on a slight Dark Side of The Dub vibe.
The production follows the songs closely. Andru’s writing is straightforward. His songs channel themes of rebellion, unity, love, and endurance. They are very reminiscent of the old classics but updated for the times. We are talking about a record called Weather The Storm, after all, released at a time of unprecedented global turmoil. I really enjoyed the writing in “We Are One,” the opening track. Besides a universal message, it features a poetry and structure that stands in true homage of roots reggae’s best.
Unsurprisingly, I favour the instrumental number “The Storm.” Performances in Weather The Storm are superb across the board, but this track really drives the point home. The sax work by James Shaw is outstanding, and the guitar solos by John Parker and Seth Voliere are a joy. Guitar solos are an interesting aspect of roots reggae and having both clean and distorted solos make for a great salute to the history of the style. The rhythm section is rock solid throughout, and the drumming by Ibiko Pelle deserves special mention.
Overall, Weather The Storm is an easy recommendation for music heads, and an even easier one for roots lovers.