Strength to Survive: Deluxe EU Version

Last year, Virginia-based reggae outfit SOJA (Soldiers of Jah Army) released their fourth album Strength to Survive. The title was a nod to the Bob Marley & the Wailers album Survival, pronounced ‘the greatest reggae album ever’ by SOJA's lead singer Jacob Hemphill. This accolade indicates the kind of reggae SOJA aim to produce. Survival marked Marley's transition from peacemaker to militant revolutionary, with his involvement in Zimbabwe's liberation struggle giving the role an immediate reality. Musically, Survival emphasised the horns – the supporting tour was the only Wailers tour to feature a horn section. Herein lies SOJA's most successfully borrowed aspect; both albums share a brassy, strength-in-numbers style warmth.

But Hemphill's lyrics don't cut to the action like Marley's did. SOJA seem to have an agenda – with rich people, oil users, tobacco smokers, TV watchers and warmongers coming under their fire. It all comes across a tad adolescent, despite Strength to Survive being a rounded demonstration of how rich, diverse and uplifting good reggae can be. This EU exclusive release has been enhanced by four acoustic tracks, a re-recording of ‘Nothing Changes’ featuring French band Dankil and a further remix featuring German reggae singer Gentleman. The acoustic tracks provide a mellow and less anguished end to the album. ‘Prison Blues’ puts the listener in the more realistic opinion that the world isn't as screwed up as SOJA usually make it out to be, with Hemphill's voice – probably SOJA's strongest asset – sounding at its best.