Vex (album)

Last updated

Vex
Spvex.jpg
Studio album by
Released1994
RecordedGrove, Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Genre Reggae
Length60:35
Label MCA [1]
Producer Steel Pulse, Stephen Stewart
Steel Pulse chronology
Victims
(1991)
Vex
(1994)
Rage and Fury
(1997)

Vex is an album by the English reggae band Steel Pulse, released in 1994. [2] [3] The album peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart. [4] [5] The band promoted the album with a North American tour. [6]

Contents

Production

The album was produced by the band and Stephen Stewart. [7] The band added dancehall sounds to its traditional reggae. [8] "New World Order" criticizes the Clinton administration. [9] "No Justice, No Peace" was inspired by the 1992 Los Angeles riots. [10] Tony Rebel contributed to "Bootstraps". [11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [12]
The Indianapolis Star Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]

The Edmonton Journal noted the "gentler ... smoothed-out sound." [14] The Chicago Tribune deemed the album "equal parts love songs and personal, social and political manifestos," writing that "luckily, even the topical material is eminently groovable." [15] The Gazette wrote that "lead vocalist David Hinds has one of the most expressive reggae voices around and his band is as tight as a fist." [16] The Indianapolis Star stated that "Vex finds Steel Pulse succeeding in delivering tough messages in an accessible musical framework." [13]

Track listing

  1. "Bootstraps" – 4:48
  2. "Back to My Roots" – 4:59
  3. "Islands Unite" – 4:20
  4. "Better Days" – 4:50
  5. "In My Life" – 4:36
  6. "Endangered Species" – 4:34
  7. "New World Order" – 4:30
  8. "X Resurrection" – 4:34
  9. "Whirlwind Romance" – 4:56
  10. "No Justice, No Peace" – 4:43
  11. "Dirty H2O" – 4:19
  12. "Dub to My Roots" – 4:58
  13. "Dubite" – 4:18

References

  1. Roberts, Michael. "The Real Steel". Westword.
  2. "Steel Pulse Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. "Reggae Veterans Steel Pulse Plan Nearly Nonstop Tour". MTV. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022.
  4. "Singles". Weekend. Orlando Sentinel. Billboard. 14 October 1994. p. 15.
  5. Top Reggae Albums. Vol. 106. Billboard Magazine. 29 October 1994. p. 73.
  6. Carter, Kevin L. (11 November 1994). "Steel Pulse". Features Weekend. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 15.
  7. "Album reviews — Vex by Steel Pulse". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 45. 5 November 1994. p. 94.
  8. "Perfect Sound Forever: Steel Pulse". Perfect Sound Forever.
  9. Morse, Steve (15 November 1994). "Steel Pulse's political reggae: survival skill for '90s". Arts & Film. The Boston Globe. p. 74.
  10. McDonald, Sam (18 November 1994). "Steel Pulse Keeps Racing". InRoads. Daily Press. Newport News. p. 16.
  11. Professor Skank (25 November 1994). "'Vex' Steel Pulse". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 8G.
  12. Vex at AllMusic
  13. 1 2 Konz, Joe (5 December 1994). "Steel Pulse 'Vex'". The Indianapolis Star. p. D4.
  14. Levesque, Roger (30 October 1994). "Steel Pulse: Vex". Edmonton Journal. p. D9.
  15. Kening, Dan (25 November 1994). "Steel Pulse, Tuesday at Park West...". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. P.
  16. Feist, Daniel (3 December 1994). "Steel Pulse Vex". The Gazette. p. D4.