Devolution is a painful process for many bands, often slipping into a period of releasing a series of bad records before descending into self-parody and, yikes, Greatest Hits Tours. (Shudder.) It happens to the best of them, and in many cases, the successes of the past aren’t even enough to make up for the sins of today. Starting out great is often the worst career move a band can make, with the full knowledge that it only gets worse from then on out.

Skelly Riot, a trio from Portland, Oregon is comprised of some of the better known reggae musicians in town. The reggae and dub influence is all over this 5 song EP, yet they integrate that sound with so many other genres that the end result is a refreshing blend of melody, rhythm, texture, and emotion. The upbeat and philosophical message of reggae is found in these compositions, most notably on “La Sangre Dulce”, where singer Chris Williams, through use of a talk box asks a series of inward-looking questions (“Where will we go when there is nowhere else to run?

A new album from Blue Planet Corporation.
A new double-album from Blue Planet Corporation.
A new freshly remastered double-album from Blue Planet Corporation.
A new freshly remastered double-album featuring classics and unreleased material from Blue Planet Corporation.

Honestly, I am a bit short on words to describe and praise this monumental release.

And now . . . we are in August.
I paid rent yesterday. Bloody rent. Rent is like a ghost; always lingering about when you wish it wasn't. You want to sleep. You want to go about your day. You want a simple answer to a straightforward question. The ghost is lurking and giving riddles. Bloody ghosts.