Common Ground

Okay, so to be honest I never heard their music before the
Homegrown Music Fest, yet I listened intently front row as I bore
witness to something amazing. Five guys took the stage at 4:20 and
delivered the show that we all moved here to live and experience. What I
was being a part of was the live performance of the EP release of Cultivate,
Common Ground’s first foray into changing the landscape of our backyard.
Mind you, I loved the ambiance that was laid by the guys of the band, but I
had to listen to the EP full-scale through my
earbuds when I returned home. And listen
I did, over and over again. No matter how
down-trodden I felt, listening to the five
tracks of this EP would bring me back to my
own “common ground.” I can say, without
pretense, that this should be nominated for
the “Feel Good EP of the Year,” if that was to
ever be a nominatable category for a major
award.
The music on this EP reaches out
to all people, and proves the band’s theory
behind their music, which is that they are a
diverse group of people on common ground.
This began a virtual nonstop audible pleasure
trip for me as I listened to the EP continuously.
I speak of the experience in the past tense for
I have been relegated to listening to the songs
on iTunes. Why, you ask, is this masterpiece
just on laptop? I will tell you why (notice the
disdain in my voice).
An old friend of mine from Detroit wanted a break from the
frantic city life, a little beach therapy if you will. Picking her up from the
airport, the conversation, of course, turned to music. A mutual friend of
ours had just won the Detroit Music Awards Artist of the Year. Talk was
all about the way music was changing the very landscape of the Motor City
and we would never have that here. That was all it took. I had this. Hitting
play on the CD changer and turning up the volume to prove a point, we
made our way from RSW and headed south, determined to get to the beach
for sunset. Track one, “Live It,” was all that it took to change even the most
loyal Detroiter. It was with a smug expression of defeat that she said to me
on the pier that first evening, “Common Ground is amazing. I needed that.
Thank you.”
The next week was a series of trips to the same beach, to the pool,
to the tourist shops at Times Square at Ft. Myers Beach, each time playing
the five song EP nonstop. It became a standard for us during her visit.
Many great memories were created, and yes I am becoming nostalgic… not
for the aforementioned memories, for the EP itself! You see, as I was taking
Jen back to the airport, getting her bags from the back of the car, little did I
know that the city side of her came out as she hit eject and jacked my only
copy of Cultivate! Oh she will pay! At least I had burned the EP on to my
laptop, and having a new batch of memories in my head, I was ready to
experience Common Ground yet again, this time with a sense of bravado
fueled by the fact I was able to prove that southwest Florida has some of the
best musicians in the country.
Blown away is the best I can say. I have many tracks cross my
desk. Most are impressive and some stick in my head for months, yet, the
five songs that played out totally blew me away. Really. Period.
The first track, “Live It,” which is the editor’s favorite, makes
you want to just get up and live life and embrace those you love. This is
a common thread with this band, a group of guys who really are positive,
whom lyrically enforce being in touch with your fellow man. The third
track, “Stand Up,” cements the ideology of being a diverse grouping of
people on common ground…“
“Stand up, Cause you’re standing on common
ground
Get down, Cause you came here to hear the
sound
So bounce, Spread the lovin’ all around
Move to the music and dance to the sound
Stand up, Cause you’re standing on common
ground
Get down, Cause you came here to hear the
sound
So bounce, Spread the lovin’ all around
Move to the music and dance to the sound”
“Open Doors,” the fourth track,
continues to make you just want to party, and
hug the person next to you. I mean when do
you really hear a trombone at the heart of a
song that actually garners your complete
respect?
It’s refreshing to hear an entire EP that is so positive and upbeat.
Whether you listen to this EP while driving in the car, hanging on the
beach, or relaxing at home, it is sure to lift your spirits, “for sure.” The only
regret that I have from this experience is that I only had five tracks to listen
to, which left me wanting so much more. I found my new favorite band.
Thank you, Common Ground, for letting me into your world. As far as I
am concerned this EP is audible Prozac for the soul with no prescription
required. Take daily. Side effects may include excessive smiling, jumpy
happy toes, and general happy thoughts all day long. - SWFL Spot Magazine

A beautiful wise woman once told me “to truly appreciate Reggae music one must first appreciate a vacation.” I thought about that for a minute and I couldn’t agree more. Most of us take trips to the beach, the lakes, or just about anywhere warm with water. Let’s face it, the reason you’re reading this right now is because you like warm bodies of water and enjoy a vacation (even if it’s just a day on the lake). So what better way to enjoy those trips than with the soothing sounds of reggae? No stranger to the sun-filled weather, beaches and warm water, southwest Florida’s Common Ground has the roots to pack their music with the Reggae spirit. Their debut EP Cultivate is creatively mixed with a hint of Rock, Surf, Soul, Hip-Hop, Psychedelic, Blues, Jazz, Punk, Hardcore and of course Reggae. Check it out, you’ll be instantly hooked. - Alliance Wake

Check out Common Ground’s track Wisteria off their debut ep Cultivate. Currently working on their full length and releasing a music video early december these guys are definitely worth watching. We know its a little different flavor than we usually push but check it out, you’ll be singing it for the next couple days. - Hip Hop Mayhem