House of David Gang

A constant fixture in Toronto's touring scene, the reggae collective known as House of David Gang have the roots fundamentals down pat, no doubt. Reggae Warrior represents the band's earnest attempt to capture the same live vibe and energy on a full-length studio album, to raw results. Not that the record is lacking in authentic grooves; rather, the bare lyrical content feels somewhat disconnected from the lush instrumentation throughout, at points. Nonetheless, tracks like the upstart "This Fya," the earnest "Sunny Sunday Morning" and the wholly referential "Toronto, Ontario" are fun and pleasant musical dalliances in their own right that showcase frontman King Selah's vocal proficiencies. Reggae Warrior works to remind the reggae faithful of the earthy Queen Street West live vibe, while at the same time showing that the band's potential to deliver a modern classic is entirely within their reach.