From Jamaica and pockets of interest in the United Kingdom, reggae has spread across the world since the ’70s to become the voice of the oppressed and their sympathizers. In New Zealand, reggae found resonance among the native Maori as well as Kiwis of European heritage. The Black Seeds are among the island nation’s most popular apostles of Bob Marley. On Solid Ground, the band sticks close to roots reggae and lovers rock on some numbers, while seamlessly blending the rhythms of Jamaica with soul music on other songs whose strong melodies and solid hooks lift them above easy pigeonholing.
