Various Artists

Stay Positive Summer Sampler

Stay Positive Records

(Stay Positive MySpace)

It has been a long time between releases from the Stay Positive camp, yet it is even longer since the Mystic Roots Band dropped its insanely popular debut studio album Constant Struggle. Therefore, it is a definite cause for celebration with the release of this Stay Positive Summer Sampler, a compilation that showcases some much wanted new Mystic Roots Band tunes.

All the usual Stay Positive suspects are also accounted for and there are some great additions - for example you certainly can't go wrong by throwing UK legend Pato Banton into the mix.

Opening with the big beat of Blessings (also featured on The Pier Summer Sampler) it is the first of many team ups between Pato and MRB featured here, including reworkings of classic Pato tracks Don’t Sniff Coke and Stay Positive.

In addition to Blessings and MRB classics Pass the Marijuana and Teach the Youths w/Barrington Levy, two other new MRB songs are included. The strongest being the inspiring Lonely Road with vocalist cootdog at the top of his rhyming game. The MRB live cover of Sublime’s Don’t Push is a highly energetic version and also definitely worth the listen.

The other artist featured predominately on the compilation is solo singer, Katherine Ramirez and while very talented vocally, the songs themselves are fairly standard pop affairs and not really my thing.

At the end of the day The Stay Positive Summer Sampler primarily showcases the best of the old and provides glimpses of the new from the MRB and sufficiently wets your appetite for a new Mystic Roots Band full-length.

Reviewed by Pilipo