By: Tracy Keyser
For Seth Caro, frontman of Venice Beach Dub Club (VBDC), music isn’t just a vibe – it’s a vessel for truth, reflection, and transformation. This summer, the Venice-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist unveils VBDC II: Time Marches On, the long-awaited sophomore album from the genre-blurring reggae collective known for its lyrical depth. With this release, the message rises even louder than the melody. Rooted in reggae, with a loyal fan base, the VBDC II album serves up a fusion of punk rock, blues, and even hints of country. And if the first two singles —“Stay Cool” and “Find Out”—are any indication, listeners can expect a sonic journey that is the perfect record for summer 2025.
“This album was a huge undertaking because every song has to sound new and different… yet fit together to be experienced as a complete album,” states Caro. “I’m incredibly grateful to be making music this good…because I used to struggle to write. These lyrics are the result of three years of reflection, reading, processing trauma, and the hard work of becoming more truthful – with myself and with the world. I feel lucky every day to collaborate with wizards like Benji and Big G. Between the three of us, we are making some serious music.”
While VBDC II is rooted in reggae, the new album dares to expand into unexpected terrain ranging from punk rock and blues to country. Caro says some songs have electronic textures inspired by Daft Punk and feature house-driven electric piano grooves. But dig deeper, and the real magic reveals itself in the lyrics.
Lead single “Stay Cool” is a laid-back, dancehall anthem perfect for long summer beach days, while “Find Out” features underground Hip-Hop legend Dizzy Dustin of Ugly Duckling, bringing infectious rhymes and unexpected swagger to the mix. Together, the tracks preview an album full of standout collaborations – Keith Murray, Marlon Asher, and Simpkin Project among them – with even more surprises on the horizon. Beneath the surface, though, it’s the lyrics that carry the album’s true weight…introspective, lived-in, and years in the making.
Caro, who has described himself as “a real songwriter in an age of cookie cutter sound-alikes,” often takes years to finish a single verse. “The hooks come to me unsolicited, I will just start humming a melody and the words just sort of come naturally, but then the verses have to be earned,” he says. “Sometimes I need to live more, read more, reflect more, before I can write the verses. I like to sit alone and think through philosophical ideas, so time creates my lyrics, I can’t rush that process.”
Photo Courtesy: Seth Caro
Songs like the title track “Time Marches On” are deceptively light on the surface but heavy beneath. It’s a song about existential weight: how even the smallest choices we make ripple out into the world in ways we rarely understand. “It took me three years to finish the second verse,” Caro admits. “The last line—You never know who’s little eyes are on you, watching how you move and studying things you do, every chance that you take, every choice that you make, every opportunity and every mistake—just didn’t come for years. But when it finally did, everything clicked.”
This attention to lyricism has earned VBDC a super loyal fanbase that sees Caro not just as a frontman, but as a storyteller. Much like Swifties decode Taylor Swift’s heartbreak ballads, VBDC fans look to Caro’s songs not just for sound, but for insight—a lyrical window into his soul and, by extension, our own. His struggles, growth, and hard-won truths are filtered through reggae and rhythm, revealing something universally human beneath the beat. And Caro doesn’t hide from that. “If you want to get to know me, really know me,” he says, “listen to the music.”
VBDC first broke through with their breakout single “Jah Rx” in 2018, which was remixed with a feature from golden-era rapper Keith Murray for the forthcoming album. In 2022, VBDC’s follow-up EP and album solidified their place in the reggae scene, led by the breakout track “Purebloods”—a lockdown-born anthem that debuted at #1 on iTunes Reggae. The song stirred conversation for its unapologetic stance on personal freedom. For Caro, writing “Purebloods” was bittersweet: tackling a polarizing subject like the vaccine meant risking backlash, but staying true to his voice and convictions mattered more than playing it safe.
At the core of VBDC’s signature sound are longtime collaborators Gary “Big G” Larason (producer/lead guitarist) and Benji Hamlin (bassist). Big G brings unapologetic solos that echo classic rock glory, while Benji brings head-bopping bass lines that nod to ska, funk, Afrobeats, and even disco – each track sculpted to feel both standalone and part of a larger, immersive experience.
Photo Courtesy: Venice Beach Dub Club (VBDC) / Seth Caro
In a world where style dominates and substance often takes a backseat, VBDC II: Time Marches On is a reminder that songwriting can still be sacred. That lyrics still matter. That it’s still possible to make music that moves you, and makes you think.
Catch the music videos for “Stay Cool” and “Find Out” now on Instagram @VeniceBeachDubClub, and stream the full VBDC catalog on Spotify and YouTube. The new album drops summer 2025. For fans of soul-searching lyrics and genre-bending rhythms, the wait is almost over.
