Iration - Iration (2018)

Although all members originally hail from Hawaii, the reggae-rock group Iration launched their career in Isla Vista, California, a college town near Santa Barbara. With their laid-back sound and pop melodies, the band was an instant hit on the California college circuit. In 2006, their growing fan base got a chance to bring a little Iration back to the dorm when the band released its New Roots EP. The next year saw them release their debut album, No Time for Rest, which featured a guest shot from reggae legend Mikey Dread. A tour with Pepper followed in 2008 along with the EP Sample This. Touring kept the band busy until 2010 when the album Time Bomb arrived. They revisited the EP format a year later with Fresh Grounds, while their 2015 release Hotting Up topped Billboard's Reggae Albums chart. A year later, they topped Billboard's Reggae Albums chart again with Double Up, an acoustic album featuring reworkings of past hits. The single "Fly with Me" appeared in 2017. ~ David Jeffries