Reggae Revivalists, The Lions Breathe New Life Into The Clash's Dance-Punk Hit, "The Magnificent Seven" (Stones Throw)

It's no big secret that I've been laid up and out of work for about 2 weeks after having minor corrective hernia surgery; during my time off, I've sent out a handful of emails to my musical friends and acquaintances seeking out new music updates. The Lions founder and in-house producer Dan Ubick readily replied with, "Forthcoming music..... yes, the new LP "Soul Riot" is due out Feb. 10th on Stones Throw and I can confirm that we will be opening for The Abyssinians at Dub Club the following night (Feb. 11th) for the release party." Ubick additionally attached an audio stream of The Lions' early single, "The Magnificent Seven," a spirited cover of The Clash's 1981 Hip-Hop-tinged Sandinista! hit single. Not entirely unlike their Doo-Wop-drenched rendition of "Jamie's Cryin'" from their second album, The Lions are successfully able to amplify and honorably re-create The Clash's genre-blending, Reggae-indebted Dance-Punk sound. Dan Ubick and his ever-growing cast of world-renowned players "have managed to take The Clash's "Magnificent Seven/Dance" and give it even more of that crossover weird/eclectic/roots/dance/gritty bad-old-days-NYC-of-my-youth in such an honest in genuine manner," YouTube uploader Ben Velez ecstatically writes in his description. While we patiently await The Lions' third album, Soul Riot, and it's recently filmed lead video-single, their Stones Throw debut, This Generation, is currently still available in a number of varied formats; standard edition CD/LP packages, as well as an "old school"-stylized eight 45 7-inch box set, and This Generation In Dub, meticulously re-dubbed by Dub Club visionary, Tom Chasteen.