Fans of self-contained band EarthKry were left disenchanted when, amid their latest US tour, the members announced the cancellation of gigs as the world locked down because of the impact of COVID-19.
Looking for a silver lining, the band, who had been touring non-stop for the previous four years supporting the debut SURVIVAL album, took advantage of this isolation to spend time with their growing families and work on new projects. On February 12, EarthKry released their second single in four years, titled Ms Mary. The single is a part of a six-track EP that is an ‘ode to rocksteady’.
Speaking on the EP, keyboardist Phillip McFarlane explained the song’s meaning and inspiration.
“It is one of those songs that can be interpreted as a marijuana song or a love song, the listener gets to choose. It is art, therefore it is subjective. The style is rocksteady … we want to focus on authentic Jamaican reggae music,” he said. “Since the beginning of our career, our aim has been to trod in the footsteps of such great as The Wailers and Black Uhuru, to name a few. We want to preserve those sounds for other generations alongside those legends.”
