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Method of Defiance: Jahbulon

M.O.D. Technologies

If you’ve followed bassist and producer Bill Laswell during any phase of his 30-plus year career, then you know it’s rare for him to take part in a vocal-driven band. The timing seems right, though, for Method of Defiance. Fronted by not just one, but two lyricists with demonstrative streaks, M.O.D. tempers a postmodern message of resistance with a get-up-and-party attitude, funneling dub, dancehall and drum-and-bass grooves into a bottom-heavy onslaught that flows back to Black Uhuru, Massive Attack and Laswell’s own Material collective. Of course, it also helps to have players like Laswell, Brooklyn-based drummer Guy Licata and keyboard legend Bernie Worrell in the fold. Behind such provocative fare as Doctor Israel’s “Patterns of War” and Hawk’s growling toasts on “No Justice,” the band churns up an uneasy but somehow inviting dystopian mood that rings stark, bold and brutally honest in these weird recessionary times.