Steel Pulse // Your House
I have unintentionally avoided the Reggae category. Steel Pulse is my favorite act behind Bob Marley. I listened to a good bit of Eek-A-Mouse, Toots and the Maytals in college. But Steel Pulse’s True Democracy and Smash Hits dominated my CD player. Their music is timeless. I highly recommend downloading Smash Hits.
Download
Steel Pulse – True Democracy (iTunes)
Steel Pulse – Smash Hits (iTunes)
September 18th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
this is better bc
September 18th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
agreed. steel pulse is also 2nd in my book behind bob. they rock!
September 19th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Nice to see some props for the boys from Handsworth (rough inner-district of Birmingham, England’s second biggest city) as UK reggae oft overlooked (cf Matumbi, Misty In Roots, Aswad, LKJ aka Poet & The Roots). The early albums on Island feature lots of quality – check out “Sound System” and the 12-inch version of “Babylon Makes The Rules” (Island put out a great anthology a while ago) – but 1982’s exemplary “True Democracy” album, released on Elektra in the US and featuring along with “Rally Round” and “Ravers” the superb “Chant A Psalm” – possibly their best song – is an absolute corker! Also of special note, if you can find it (my vinyl copy cost me £30 12 years ago), is Misty In Roots’ stunning “Live At The Counter Eurovision 79″ album – a firm favourite of John Peel and undoubtedly the still-exceptional live outfit’s finest hour (2 tracks from it are tacked onto the end of their recent “Roots Controller” album on Peter Gabriel’s Real World imprint. PG, please re-issue an expanded re-mastered version soon? Also recommended: Junior Byles’ 129 Beat Street Ja-Man Special 1975-1978 (Blood & Fire), Darker Than Blue: Soul From Jamdown 1973-1980 (Blood & Fire), LKJ’s Dread Beat An’ Blood (Virgin), Joe Higgs’ Life Of Contradiction (Pressure Sounds), Bunny Wailers’ Blackheart Man (Island) and recent compilation These Are Some Serious Times (XL). Forward the bass!