If any band ever carried the spirit of Morphine in their blood, it has to be New Zealand reggae-inspired outfit The Black Seeds. Musically the connection is subtle; vocally, Barnaby Weir exhibits the easeful, country-tinged, downtrodden-but-hopeful tendencies of Mark Sandman. Had that man not passed on a decade prior, you'd think he just reappeared somewhere just south of the Shire. Sure, comparisons are awful when dealing with a group as talented as the Black Seeds. This one, however, is an honor--Morphine was a damn good band, and Solid Ground (Easy Star) is a damn fine record.

What I loved about Morphine was how much they did with so little. Much the same can be said for The Black Seeds, friends and former band mates of Flight of the Concords. Pulling from a basic selection of vintage ska, dub, and reggae, New Zealand must bump to this band live. The record is thick, bottom-heavy, and melodic. If not for Fat Freddy's Drop, I might claim this is the most inventive thing out of the South Pacific in decades. They might not be as diverse as Freddy's, though what they do--thoughtful, catchy songs rampant with horn lines and stomach shaking bass, not to mention Weir's excellent voice--they do very right. The guitar and skank they pull off on "Take Your Chances" would make Lee Perry proud. Hard to turn off, easy to repeat.