In the pre-Internet age, it was policy for artistes to release a song prior to their new album. That strategy helped build interest in the broader project.

Better Chemistry, the reggae band from Southern California, are using their latest single Can’t Stop Thinking, to do just that.

The uptempo track is a precursor to Hope That It’s Real, their fifth album and first in five years. At the same time, Dave Monaco, Better Chemistry’s guitarist and lead vocalist, says the quintet has never focused on recording hit singles.

“As we strive hard to release quality music we don’t really favour one song to the next. Each song has meaning and its own flow. As we continue to finish our new album, Hope That It’s Real, we are trying to build a momentum. For every song we release we want our fans to love it as much as we do. Generating positive vibes and uplifting people’s spirits is why we work so hard to make music,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Can’t Stop Thinking is released through Tuff Gong International. It is a blend of the laid-back reggae synonymous with Southern California and the edgy Blue Beat that originated in England during the 1960s.

Monaco and keyboardist Chad Junkin are the original members in Better Chemistry which formed in 2001.

Casey Davis Jones (drums), vocalist Atara Phillips and bassist Martin Perez are the other official members of the band. Saxophonist Able Gonzales records and performs with them.

Better Chemistry cut their teeth on the Southern California reggae scene which has been fertile ground for reggae bands in the past 15 years.

That is also the training ground for acts like Rebelution, The Green and Stick Figure, who have dominated Billboard’s reggae charts for over a decade.

While not as commercially-successful, Monaco says Better Chemistry uses a similar formula to their West Coast colleagues.

“The secret is to be consistent and to make music that resonates with people — music that gets their attention. Stay true to who you are and what you do. It takes hard work, a team and dedication. There is certainly no easy road to success,” he stated.

Howard Campbell