They've been called the "
Sly & Robbie of the tri-state area," but the
Dub Trio really have more in common with their fellow New Yorkers Droid, who also take music that is more commonly created using studio trickery and perform it not only in real time, but live on-stage. Bassist Stu Brooks, guitarist D.P. Holmes and drummer Joe Tomino (all of whom share keyboard and mixing duties as well) distinguish themselves from their modern reggae peers by their ability simultaneously to perform and remix their music, sometimes drastically and always in ways that surprise and delight. Their debut album is an outstanding introduction to their unusual style; it includes both live-in-the-studio tracks with minimal overdubs and also three live-in-concert tracks that demonstrate their impressive ability to re-create their unique sound in a concert situation. Highlights include the fun glitchiness of "Sick Im Kid" and the gorgeous atmospherics of "Casting Out the Nines," but the band really shines on the live version of "Sick Im Kid" and the two other live tracks. Very highly recommended to all adventurous reggae fans. ~ Rick Anderson