Baked Potatoes, a relatively new group made their way onto the musical scene and is infusing traditional reggae sounds with ska, punk, rock and jam as they call it. 

“Loaded”, their newest project, though only 5 tracks, will have you guiltily repeating the songs at the end. Each, very individualistic with strong instrumental accompaniments makes for a refreshing listen.

The band’s lead vocalist, Pat Tierney has a charming warmth to his voice that seems to be on the cusp on the maturity but clinging to youth. It makes for a much more enjoyable listening experience throughout. 

The compilation begins with “The Builder’, a song with a strong reggae undertone but laden with the band’s own uniqueness. Pat tells classic love stories but with a certain playfulness that makes the song appealing. 

This leads to the more fast paced and upbeat “Postcard Song”. Only flaw is that the pace of the song sometimes made it hard to keep up with the lyrics but was compensated for by the flawless instrumental backing, especially with Joe Kaplan on the guitar. 

“No Shirt No Shoes” and “Unity”, the last two on the compilation adds diversity to the band’s sound which is very good at such a juncture in their journey. The drums on “No Shirt’ was the highlight of the track and was matched by the strong rock influence in “Unity” which made it a nice end to a relatively otherwise paced project. 

The standout track was however “Blue Dream”, a bluesy feel good song about the precious herb. The instrumentals though more potent in this track meshed perfectly with the vocals.

Overall, a well-rounded production showcasing variety and fusion in its best form: with reggae always on the menu, ‘loaded’ with all the fixings and accompaniments.

You can listen to the project below!