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This San Diego-based group first took its listener-friendly reggae sound to the top of the U.S. charts in 1994, when their massive hit remake of Peter Frampton's "Baby I Love Your Way" was featured on the Reality Bites soundtrack. Big Mountain's sure-handed way with a tune and sincere desire to spread the gospel of peace and brotherhood has remained intact, and both are quite evident on the crowd-pleasing pop-reggae of "Roots Of The Matter."
Formed in the mid-80s as the Rainbow Warriors, the group, led by vocalist Quino McWhinney (a Chicano who discovered reggae through a 60 Minutes segment on Bob Marley), changed its name to Shiloh and finally to Big Mountain. Wake Up, the band's 1992 album, contained the surprise pop hit "Touch My Light," which seemingly came out of nowhere to reach number 51 in America. The group then added McWhinney's brother James on percussion and ex-Peter Tosh guitarist Tony Chin to the lineup.
After its breakthrough 1994 hit, Big Mountain became a much sought-after concert attraction, and eventually landed a coveted headlining spot at Reggae-Sunsplash in Jamaica. The band also released two more albums of carefully crafted reggae on Giant Records, 1996's politically themed Resistance (which featured Sly and Robbie) and 1997's Free Up, before taking over distribution for the long-awaited Things To Come in late 1999. In the interim, vocalist McWhinney released a solo album, Mahalo.
"Roots Of The Matter" showcases all of Big Mountain's strengths. Over a crisp, hip-hop flavored rhythm track, the band lays a bright, relaxed melody and an equally sunny message of togetherness. "Love will make us stronger," McWhinney sings, and it certainly appears to have worked for Big Mountain.
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