Victims (Steel Pulse album)
Victims is the eighth album by the band Steel Pulse, released in 1991.[2][3]
Victims | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1991 | |||
Recorded | The Dub Factory & Central Studios, Birmingham, England | |||
Genre | Reggae | |||
Length | 63:25 | |||
Label | MCA[1] | |||
Producer | Steel Pulse, Paul Horton, Peter Lord, V. Jeffrey Smith, Stephen Bray, Michael Verdick | |||
Steel Pulse chronology | ||||
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The album rose to the No. 6 spot on the Billboard Top World Music Albums chart. It was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Reggae Album category.[4] The band supported the album with a North American tour.[5]
Production
The album was produced by Steel Pulse, Paul Horton, Peter Lord, V. Jeffrey Smith, Stephen Bray, and Michael Verdick.[6] It was divided into "Westside" and "Eastside" halves.[7] Stevie Wonder played harmonica on "Can't Get You (Out of My System)".[8] "Taxi Driver" is about taxi drivers not stopping for Black customers.[9]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [10] |
The Boston Globe noted that the album "contains searing raps against gang warfare, cultural imperialism and freebasing cocaine."[11] The Los Angeles Times called it "a quirkily inventive outing that manages to coalesce Caribbean, pop, hip-hop, rock, and funk elements while maintaining the integrity of its patented vocal harmonies."[12]
The St. Petersburg Times determined that "Steel Pulse has found a working formula for melding reggae roots with Club-MTV affectations."[13] The Ottawa Citizen opined that "pop and soul inflections dominate, often with reggae stuck in the back pocket."[14]
Track listing
- "Taxi Driver" – 3:40
- "Can't Get You (Out of My System)" – 4:06
- "Soul of My Soul" – 4:20
- "Grab a Girlfriend" – 4:07
- "Feel the Passion" – 4:12
- "Money" – 4:13
- "Victims" – 4:04
- "Gang Warfare" – 4:43
- "To Tutu" – 1:35
- "Free the Land" – 3:38
- "We Can Do It" – 4:01
- "Stay With the Rhythm" – 3:39
- "Evermore" - 3:28
- "Dudes" - 3:15
References
- Abbott, Jim (14 June 1991). "In the Bin". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 21.
- "Steel Pulse—Top Reggae Band". Afro-American Red Star. 13 July 1991. p. B6.
- Hochman, Steve (5 July 1991). "Steel Pulse Serves Up a Flat Set at the Greek". Los Angeles Times. p. F19.
- "Steel Pulse". Recording Academy. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- Joyce, Mike (8 August 1991). "The Reggae Beat of Steel Pulse". The Washington Post. p. D11.
- "Victims by Steel Pulse". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 28. 13 July 1991. p. 76.
- Burliuk, Greg (3 August 1991). "Short Cuts". Magazine. The Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 1.
- "Music". Part II. Newsday. 24 June 1991. p. 38.
- Norment, Lynn (September 1991). "Sounding Off". Ebony. 46 (11): 24.
- Victims at AllMusic
- Morse, Steve (30 June 1991). "Wrestling for the soul of reggae". The Boston Globe.
- D'Agostino, John (9 July 1991). "Reggae to Test Compatibility of Pops, Convention Center". Los Angeles Times. p. F1.
- Hall, Dave (19 July 1991). "Steel Pulse Victims". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 16.
- Erskine, Evelyn (3 August 1991). "Steel Pulse: Band on a seesaw". Ottawa Citizen. p. C3.