If you’re a committed roots purist by way of Jamaica, then there’s always something vaguely unnerving about the idea of reggae being “rescued” by a bunch of white guys from say, Upstate New York. As it turns out, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad are neither revivalist nor unnerving, in part, because the band’s sheer musicianship goes a long way toward dispelling any concerns about their authenticity, and also because, after five albums of songs ranging from alt-country to straight-up rockers-style reggae, they’ve crafted a sound and a message that’s undeniably original. Make It Better, which was co-produced by the estimable Danny Kalb (known in particular for his work with Ben Harper), advances the mission with slick, wide-angled songs like the UB40-touched “What Kind of World” and “Greatest of Days”—a sun-splashy lover’s rock with a Tex-Mex guitar hook that showcases the honey-dripped vocals of bassist James Searl and guitarists Dylan Savage and Dan Keller. Of course, no roots band is worth its salt without a killer rhythm section, and Searl holds up his end with drummer Chris O’Brian, especially on the downtempo one-drop skank “Trouble Deep” and the trippy four-on the-floor groover “Walk Right Talk Right”—one of several tracks where the guest horn section also gets its due.