Reggae for the intelligentsia: trad reggae rhythms fused with the sounds of 1960's dance vinyl -- Soul, pop, ska, and country

14 MP3 Songs
WORLD: Reggae, ROCK: Ska



Details:
This is something new.

Drawing inspiration from 1960s vinyl, Mass. Hysteria have fused soul, British invasion, and (yes, even) country FM radio staples with the raw, danceable Jamaican import shellacs from the early days of Reggae. Recorded in just two-and-a-half days, Mistress and Men has an indie-rock sensibility for lo-fi chic, but teems with tones, textures, and rhythms brought alive by a field trip to South America - where the LP was mixed by Victor Rice at Studio Rocha in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Dubbed "Reggae for the intelligentsia" by Face Magazine, Mass. Hysteria has cultivated a following that extends far beyond the reggae/ska scene. With an aura termed "garage-rock chic" by The Boston Globe, the band has gigged with Ted Leo/Pharmacists and The Dismemberment Plan, developing a feel for mainstream independent music that shines through on their Mistress and Men.

Mass. Hysteria formed in 1999 in Brookline, MA. After the heavy touring and radioplay which supported their first LP, 2002's Waiting for the Day, MH released a limited-edition EP of dub/techno remixes, titled Waiting for the Dub. This early collaboration with Sao Paolo, Brazil-based world music svengali Victor Rice foreshadowed his key role in folding together the influences which makes Mistress and Men so unique.