Jolly Llamas have new album in the can

JASON SCHNEIDER

(May 31, 2007) K-W Record, Nightlife

While they have had the distinction of being K-W's favourite reggae-rock band for many years, fans have only come to know the Jolly Llamas music through live shows. That's finally changed now that their long-overdue new record, Dread City Rockers, is available, and highly noticeable in its metal packaging.

It's just another example of the Llamas' unorthodox philosophy, and singer/guitarist Brent Hagerman says he and his bandmates wouldn't have it any other way. "It's been about three and a half years since we started making this album," he says. "I thought it would take about a year because we all have other things going on in our lives, but then it just became a lot longer."

Although the core group of Hagerman, drummer Ian Mollison, and bassist Chris Robinson did experience some changes -- not the least of which being the addition of beloved K-W singer/songwriter Scott Wicken on keyboards -- the band remained committed to recording their tried and true material in much the same way they have always played the songs live.

"I know that most bands tend not to want to play songs they've worked on for such a long period of time, but I don't really feel that way," says Hagerman, a true student of reggae despite his non-Rasta appearance. "Every song on this album is still part of our set, and it's actually more fun to play them now because of how we got to experiment with them in the studio. It was like they got refreshed during the recording process."

Hagerman credits the combined patience and enthusiasm of producer Brian Alexanian for keeping the project on track during the many sessions at his studio in Kitchener's Belmont Village. As an experienced engineer, he clicked into the Llamas' unique sound right away. "Brian toured with reggae bands and he spent a lot of time in Jamaica, so we had that connection when we started," Hagerman says. "It was like speaking the same musical language, and on top of that he was really open to trying any idea. Most of the time was probably spent that way, but it was really fun to have that freedom in the studio."

The songs hold up surprisingly well too, considering the political nature of some of the lyrics. In fact, the Llamas' long-held support of environmental causes -- the album's booklet was printed on recycled paper using Biogas energy -- has put them ahead of the curve in some ways. "I guess it says a lot that I wrote some of these songs in the early George Bush days, and nothing much has changed," Hagerman says.

"I think I've learned since then to make any political message I want to get across more general. We've always tried to strike that balance between having something to say, and just getting people to dance."

That balance remains the spirit of reggae, and in recent years it has partially been revived by bands like Bedouin Soundclash, who share many cross-culture similarities with the Jolly Llamas. While Hagerman doesn't expect his band to reach those lofty levels of airplay, he is optimistic that there are more opportunities for the Llamas than ever before.

"There's probably more interest in reggae now than there has been in a while," he says. "A lot of kids who grew up listening to ska have gotten a little deeper into the music, and what Big Sugar did was really important too. There's probably only a few bands like us in Canada, but we're starting to realize that there's a bigger audience for what we do in other parts of the world."

LIVE THE JOLLY LLAMAS CD RELEASE W/WELL CHARGED JUNE 7 STARLIGHT CLUB, WATERLOO $10 (ALL AGES) 9 P.M.