Passafire

While many groups that mix reggae with rock go for the laid-back vibes and represent the permanent vacation lifestyle, the Savannah, Georgia-based Passafire prefer a more punchy, punky, and progressive version of reggae-rock. Formed in 2003 with the Savannah College of Art and Design as their home base, the four-piece launched their career through rigorous touring and a self-titled, self-released album that appeared in 2006. Two years later, they signed with fellow rock-reggae group Pepper’s imprint LAW and released their sophomore effort, Submersible, with Everyone on Everynight following on the label in 2009. With guidance from the people at LAW, Passafire formed their own imprint, Flame Guy Records, and released their fourth album, the Paul Leary-produced Start from Scratch, in 2011. Life on their own didn’t last long, and Easy Star Records signed the group in 2012. Their album Vines appeared on the label a year later, debuting at number one on the Billboard Reggae Chart. The band dropped an EP, Interval, in 2015, followed by their sixth studio long-player, Longshot, in 2017. ~ David Jeffries