Led by the much beloved Richie Stevens, Smudge All Stars is a collection of well renowned musicians in the funk and reggae genres, with a sprinkle of everything in between.
‘Our Lives’ is the debut single from the group, showcasing the legendary Lee “Scratch” Perry, Dennis Bovell and Earl Sixteen’s talent to stitch together a mellow and funky jam. Few do it better, and Smudge All Stars is showing respect to these genres by recruiting such an inspirational army to share this music with.
Richie Stevens, when previously asked about Smudge All Stars’ goal and the single itself, said: “Reggae has a big place in our hearts by virtue of the cultural history in the UK. It was common for funk bands to incorporate reggae-flavoured music into their work, so we thought we would keep up the tradition. Lyrics written by reggae musicians during the 60s and 70s were ahead of their time, so this track is a continuation of a golden generation.”
The track ‘Our Lives’ looks to open the curtains and let the sun in during these trying times. Reggae and funk have always been wonderful for portraying certain emotions, and now more than ever, we welcome this tune bringing a smile to our faces.
This is, without a doubt, a feel-good anthem that aims to revive and revitalise the culture of reggae music, which one could argue has particularly been drowned out in the West by other styles of music. It’s a great song to kick off your day with a unique and positive vibe, and there’ll be a lot more coming when Smudge All Stars launch their upcoming debut album later this year.