Brian Baker on John Brown's Body

"When John Brown's Body first formed in the mid-'90s, the Boston-based band's only concern was spreading reggae's gospel. … Then came 2006. … Frontman Kevin Kinsella had already left the previous year, and harmony vocalist Elliot Martin admirably took the reins, but was suddenly confronted with the grim reality of throat surgery. Then came the big blow: Longtime bassist Scott Palmer died just six months after his cancer diagnosis. … They added bassist Nate Edgar, keyboardist Matthew Goodwin and horn players Sam Dechenne, Drew Sayers and Scott Flynn in the wake of 2006's turbulence. … Relentless touring honed JBB into a stellar unit — Martin's lyrics grew to incorporate cultural and political observation, and the band deepened its resolve to hybridize space rock and pure reggae. In 2008, with no label overseeing the process, JBB holed up for a series of no-pressure sessions and assembled their sixth studio album, Amplify. … The extra effort and the relaxation clearly paid off; Amplify debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's reggae charts and earned a spot on iTunes' list of best reggae albums of the year" ("Not Your Father's Reggae," New Haven Advocate, 2/4/10, p. 33).