Vancouver-Based Roots and soul explorer Buckman Coe is currently in the country to celebrate the release of his stunning new album Malama Ka ‘Aina.
The fourth LP from the environmentally and socially conscious roots and soul musician, Malama Ka ‘Aina is a danceable album filled with positive vibes, delivers its strength through the albums ability to thematically bridge participation in civil society and celebrate life, love, and humanity. It deals with the destructive nature of capitalism and corporate media while reflecting on the importance of community and the natural environment.
Bringing together progressive forms of soul, folk and reggae, this record is a manifestation of the artist’s spiritual nature, musical evolution and passion for social justice. To celebrate its release and Buckman’s Aussie visit, the songwriter has kindly penned a track by track run down on the LP which you can check out below along with the album stream. Give it a spin and if you like what you’re hearing pop by www.buckmancoe.com.
Malama Ka ‘Aina
This is my ode to the Big Island of Hawaii where I wrote a lot of the album. In Hawaiian the language it means ‘Respect the Land’. This song is about the need to travel for inspiration and to always respect the people and place you visit.
Courage
Originally this was a much more spiritually philosophizing type song and I rewrote it to be a love song. And how your partner should be someone who makes you feel more brave in the world.
Red Moon
This is one of the more reggae-fusion type tunes that plays with a time signature change 6/8 to 4/4. It has a cyclical view of time and our lives and loves.
False Flags
Probably the hardest hitting reggae song on the album, it’s about corporate greed and the use of mass deception to justify wars. And still upholds a belief that basic human kindness can prevail.
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Missing You
This is just a funky reggae track about missing your woman even if she’s a batshit crazy… because that often goes hand in hand with being a superfreak.
Carnival Ride
I wrote this one as protest song against the pipelines that are being proposed from the Alberta tar sands to the coast of British Columbia. It’s a worldy reggae track that really is about a global movement of people of all creeds against corporate greed and government corruption.
Que Nos Espera
This one was borne out of a nasty fever and a documentary I watched about our solar system being destroyed by a neutron star.
Love is Eternal
I wrote this one for one of the loves of my life even while our relationship had some fatal flaws. Doesn’t stop you from wanting it to work!
Rubber Bands
A left-field song on the album. Kind of Beatlesque and whimsical.
World Waking Up
This song is about the personal struggle of waking up to the state of the world, and not shying away from responsibilities of being engaged in a movement towards a more loving society.
Jah People
A blend of reggae, ska, and world-beat. This is a conscious roots reggae romp that we love to play near the end of sets to get people really dancing.
Trails of Light
This song was written for a young man in our community in Vancouver, Daniel Rezmer, who made a huge impact on the people around him in his 20-some years.
After All
This tune is a dreamlike waking up to a new world. It is more reminiscent of some of my psychedelic folk rock beginnings in my first two records.
Upcoming Aussie Shows
April 28th | Toff in Town | Melbourne
April 29th – May 1st | Mount Beauty Festival | Mount Beauty
