Stick Figure have done more with the standard reggae musical template over the course of their album Set In Stone than most other reggae artists have done over their course of their career. In fact part of me really doesn’t want to call Stick Figure a reggae band. These guys so easily bring other musical influences to the table that it will make your head spin. From psychedelic rock to electronics Set In Stone is laying down the future of reggae one track at a time.
Stick Figure are seemingly, very interested in diversifying
their sound and exploring other musical areas with an intriguing curiosity. They venture like bards across the musical
landscape trying things on for size and adapting whatever they find and like to
their sound. For the most part
everything they try succeeds. The first
song alone is what I suspect it would sound like if Pink Floyd hung out with
Bob Marley and did loads of acid. Where
they sort of get cliché is their lyrical prowess; songs about pot love is just
so trite and yeah I know it’s reggae…but knowing that this is the sound of the
genre in space it seems like they could diversify their lyrics a bit as
well. Anyway, it’s a nitpicky thing and
doesn’t take away how musically awesome this record really is.
You might think there’s very little left to explore within
the somewhat tired genre of reggae, but Stick Figure have found ways to
energize the genre and make it feel and sound completely different. They’re super creative songwriters,
imaginative musicians and so open minded that they’re willing to give anything
a shot. I never thought that I would
like a reggae record as much as I do Set
In Stone but these guys have brought something to the table that’s original
and refreshing and knocked it out of the ball park.
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