“Amplify is a daring record with an overall vision to avoid the rut that North American reggae bands often find themselves unable to climb out of…the sound of a band recreated, retooled and refreshed.” - Exclaim Magazine [Canada]
“JBB is an eight-piece outfit that delivers some of the most forward-thinking reggae music in the world today.” - LA2DAY
“Amplify is some of the most invigorating, progressive reggae released in some time.” - All About Jazz
“Amplify is tight, well-produced and thought-provoking.” - Revue
“Instead of relying on traditional foundations to create their songs, Martin takes the band’s old world foundation and builds a complex and multi-genre crossbreed that places the band squarely on the forefront of the world music arena.” - Sentimentalist Magazine
“Amplify …. fuses Kweli-like beats with Massive Attack funk…Invokes the tripped-up rhythms of Radiohead” - Weekly Dig [Boston]
“…the band’s energy is soaked up and spread out in all the right places, never allowing Amplify to slow down and catch its breath. A heck of an achievement…” - Glide Magazine
“Their stage presence is something to be witnessed. No member goes unnoticed. The bassist moves to his steady beats. A focused drummer‚ bouncing keyboardist‚ and a grooving guitar player make up the colorful background. Adding to all that are three intense horn players moving and grooving up front along with an emotive‚ charismatic lead singer leaving no shortage of visual stimulus onstage.” - State Of Mind
- Popmatters
Resonate
John Brown's Body Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We retake the airwaves that create false media.
We can infiltrate your brain, recall your cellular.
Erase the border, it is just a paper barrier.
We rip the speakers and we penetrate the dome.
We release CDs that dislocate the skin from the bone.
The flow communicate through history the mysteries of old.
Absolute belief. I know I feel it in my soul.
I collect respect, you elect to steal the show.
I can give it to you strong to play the music on command.
Harmony increase as we move forward to the goal.
Said we never retire. Said we ever survive.
Sound system never dissonant so let me describe.
And every night the people revive.
Sound system keep them guessing.
Won't you let me in?
Soundwave. They come to kiss your face.
So let the vibe resonate.
Soundwave. They come to kiss your face.
So let the vibe resonate.
We know brute force before we go to beat.
Let them know fear.
Their border not out of reach.
We coming ready.
Ready? Are we ready?
We know brute force before we go to beat.
Let them know fear.
Their border not out of reach.
We coming ready.
Ready? Are we ready?
We complete the cicruit.
Can't you see the lights are on?
Power amplifier, pick up the microphone.
So I beg you break it down.
Operator, kill a sound.
I can be the bridge to lead you to a higher ground.
See the frequency will resonate with everyone.
And even if it survive for when our eyes are gone and done,
I create the waves that will invade your choromosome.
How could you have hoped to move the power of the sun?
??? through the walls of stone
We come from beyond so put me on the number one.
I can be the breeze that's moving through the outer room
And it's climbing in wherever through the wire run.
Said we never retire. Said we ever survive.
Sound system never dissonant so let me describe.
And every night the people revive.
Sound system keep them guessing.
Won't you let me in?
Soundwave. They come to kiss your face.
So let the vibe resonate.
Soundwave. They come to kiss your face.
So let the vibe resonate.
The lyrics to John Brown's Body's song "Resonate" are a powerful call to action to take back control of the media and music industry, and to use it to spread positive messages and break down barriers. The first verse talks about how they generate breaks for mixtape listeners, which could be interpreted as creating opportunities for new artists to be heard. They want to retake the airwaves from the false media that is often disseminated, and use their music to infiltrate listeners' brains and recall their cellular memory, or perhaps to awaken their senses and remind them of basic human emotions and feelings. They also encourage erasing borders, whether physical or mental, as they are just paper barriers that can be broken down with the power of music.
The second verse talks about the power of the sound system to create a resonance that can move people to action. They are not retiring or giving up, but rather they are ready to continue fighting with brute force if necessary. They want to complete the circuit and turn the lights on, representing the power of their music to enlighten and inspire. They are operators of the power amplifier and are ready to kill the sound of negativity and hate. They observe that frequency resonates with everyone and can even penetrate our chromosomes, as a way to move people on a deeper level. They have hope for the future and even suggest that they could move the power of the sun and break through walls of stone.
Line by Line Meaning
We generate the breaks for mix tape listener.
We create the perfect beats and music for those who love to listen to mix tapes.
We retake the airwaves that create false media.
We take control of the airwaves from those who make misleading media.
We can infiltrate your brain, recall your cellular.
Our music can get deep into your brain and remind you of your memories.
Erase the border, it is just a paper barrier.
We ignore the borders that separate us and see them as insignificant.
We rip the speakers and we penetrate the dome.
Our music is so loud and powerful that it can break speakers and enter your mind.
We release CDs that dislocate the skin from the bone.
Our music is so intense that it can make you move your body spontaneously.
The flow communicate through history the mysteries of old.
Through our music, we can communicate ancient histories and secrets.
Absolute belief. I know I feel it in my soul.
We have complete faith in our music and believe it to our core.
So who can bring the energy up in the dance?
We want to know who can get the crowd excited and dancing.
I collect respect, you elect to steal the show.
I earn respect through my music, while you try to take all the attention.
I can give it to you strong to play the music on command.
I can provide you with powerful music to play whenever you want.
Harmony increase as we move forward to the goal.
Our music creates more harmony as we work towards our goals.
We know brute force before we go to beat.
We understand the power of force before using it to win.
Let them know fear. Their border not out of reach.
We want our enemies to fear us and know that we can cross any border.
We coming ready. Ready? Are we ready?
We're coming prepared. Are we ready to fight?
We complete the circuit. Can't you see the lights are on?
Our music is at full strength, and you can see the energy it creates.
Power amplifier, pick up the microphone.
Our music is amplified by powerful microphones.
So I beg you break it down.
I'm asking you to break down the music so we can analyze it.
Operator, kill a sound.
Someone needs to take control of the music and lower the volume.
I can be the bridge to lead you to a higher ground.
I can guide you towards better music and a great experience.
See the frequency will resonate with everyone.
Our music will connect with people emotionally and mentally.
And even if it survive for when our eyes are gone and done,
Our music will survive even after we're gone.
I create the waves that will invade your choromosome.
Our music can change your DNA on a microscopic level.
How could you have hoped to move the power of the sun?
You can't compare to the power and intensity of our music.
??? through the walls of stone
Unclear meaning, cannot provide an insightful rewording.
We come from beyond so put me on the number one.
Our music is one-of-a-kind, so we should be at the top of the charts.
I can be the breeze that's moving through the outer room
Our music can be like a refreshing breeze that fills the room.
And it's climbing in wherever through the wire run.
Our music can spread and climb through any kind of electronic device.
Sound system never dissonant so let me describe.
Our music is always harmonious, and I want to describe it to you.
And every night the people revive.
Our music rejuvenates people every night.
Sound system keep them guessing.
Our music keeps people on their toes and guessing what will come next.
Won't you let me in?
Can you please allow me to play my music and enter your mind?
Soundwave. They come to kiss your face.
Our music is so powerful that it can feel like a wave washing over you.
So let the vibe resonate.
Allow the energy and emotion of the music to affect you deeply.
Contributed by Kaylee W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.