I’ve discussed my distaste for the idea of authenticity in reggae music. And while at some times it is more than easy to figure out of a band hails from JA or some other place, as long as the musics sweet, it kinda doesn’t matter. Regardless, though, the eventual spate of UK bred reggae acts has had to deal with criticism like that. And while it might be rather baseless, it’s interesting to hear the difference between UK born reggae acts, immigrants to the UK who started bands and the folks from JA. Misty in Roots, though, might be the second out of those three options, but negative critiques of the group’s early albums should be pretty sparse.

It might be difficult to distinguish any identifying marks of the UK on these folks, although both of Misty in Roots’ first two albums were recorded live in and around Europe. It seems like an odd beginning to a recording career – the MC5 did it. But that Detroit band also had freeq power behind them. The auspicious beginnings to Misty in Roots, coming late in the ‘70s after punk’s embrace of the genre, may have given the ensemble an advantage that others missed cropping up a bit earlier.

Beyond the cultural baggage surrounding all of this, Misty in Roots were able to crank out some surprisingly strong discs considering the time that all of this was taking place. By the end of the ‘70s and the dawning of the ‘80s, it’s arguable that the genre had taken a nose dive. Some are inclined to disagree, but the live ’79 disc – Misty Over Sweden – finds the band working out a roots style that a great many were in the process of disregarding. There’re no electronic incursions into that real reggae sound to trouble listeners. And even better, the band goes in on a clutch of conscious tunes that touch on religion, the struggle of life and the ghetto in a broad sense.

After those first two live efforts, Misty in Roots took a brief sabbatical from recording only to return in ’82 with Wise and Foolish. Included amongst the trad rockers of the disc is the album’s closer, which I believe is a Wailing Souls cover, although I can’t quite substantiate that (anyone?). Continuing on with such a cogent approach spanning a few good years is surprising given any time period, but specifically the ‘80s. That disc’s closer even gets into a bit of live dub as the track moves past the six minute mark.

Surely there were other folks still trafficking in such JA sounds, but they may have been obscured by time as well. As for Misty in Roots and why they haven’t gained a larger following in subsequent years, only guesses can be made. With the rise of UB40 and Fun Boy Three after these recordings, though, the anonymity of this group is all the more frustrating. In the end it seems that they’re just another casualty of the music industry, unfortunately.