back to browsing

Inna City Pressure [Bonus Tracks] [Digipak] [Remaster]

Dr. Israel
1 disc

1. Inna City
2. Pressure
3. Doctor vs. The Wizard, The
4. Armagideon Time
5. Survivor
6. Coppers - (Brooklyn Version, featuring Rancid)
7. Life in the Ghetto
8. Revolution
9. Crisis Time (Duty Weapon)
10. Israel
11. Iron City
12. Together
13. Time
14. Junglist
15. Jacobs Ladder
16. Together (Version) - (Version)
17. Dubvivor
Read More...
Additional Info

Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): 8291
Credits

Producer Dr. Israel; ISH; Ticklah
Engineer Dr. Israel; ISH; Grace Falconer; Ticklah
Personnel: Dr. Israel (vocals, guitar, keyboards, programming); Lars Frederiksen, Tim Armstrong (vocals, guitar); Divaship, Vic Ruggiero, Soothsayer (vocals); I Dread (guitar, keyboards, bass); JP Sluys (harmonica); Martin Penna, Michael Wagner (horns); Patrick Dougher (drums); Ticklah, Ph-10, Ish (programming).
Personnel: Dr. Israel (vocals, keyboards, programming); Lars Frederiksen (vocals, guitar); Divaship, Vic Ruggiero, Victor Ruggiero (vocals); Patrick Dougher (guitar, drums); Martin Perna, Martin, Mike (horns); I Dread (bass guitar); Phil (drums); Ticklah (programming); Tim Armstrong (vocals, guitar).
Audio Mixer: Ticklah.
Recording information: BassMind; Coyote Studios.
Ensemble: Rancid.
Arranger: Ticklah.
In a rational world, this irresistible fusion of reggae, dub, hip hop and jungle would be on every radio station's playlist and booming out of every car stereo. Dr. Israel has one of the best voices around, a rich, warm baritone that can chant and declaim with religious fervor ("Inna City") or ring out tunefully with anthemic vigor ("The Doctor Vs. The Wizard"). On top of that, he's a fine songwriter, one capable of taking tired subject matter (the dangers of ghetto life, the blandishments of Babylon, racial unity) and investing them with fresh life and energy. He spends much of his time here in jungle territory, riding hyperkinetic rhythms and bottomless basslines with the gentle assurance of the best reggae singers, but there are wonderful stylistic digressions, including a Black Sabbath cover and a collaboration with ska/punk superstars Rancid. The Willie Williams classic "Armagideon Time" gets a long-overdue drum'n'bass treatment, and there are several fine dub versions. "Life in the Ghetto" is lyrically obvious and musically tedious, but it's the only misstep on this remarkable album. This is one of the best CDs of 1998. ~ Rick Anderson
Critic Reviews

Rolling Stone (2/4/99, p.63) - "...as catchy a fusion of dub-ragga weirdness and power-chrded rock as you'll ever hear....not since UNITY, by fellow New Yorker Shinehead a decade ago, has a raggamuffin sounded this original or this inspiring."
Magnet (Apr-May/99, p.67) - "...Wheter indulging the serene...or the freaky...Dr. Israel keeps things lively, and INNA CITY PRESSURE is like a trip to the local inceplex (in 3-D no less) without ever leaving the safety of your room..."
CMJ (11/23/98, p.3) - "...dancehall of Buju Banton, the psychedelic dub of Lee "Scratch" Perry, the anthemic politica of Bob Marley, and the rasta-core of Bad Brains are all represented on INNA CITY PRESSURE and sewn together with spools of hip-hop and high-speed jungle..."
Vibe (2/99, p.143) - "...N.Y.'s Dr. Israel closes the gap with the most fully realized statement from the underground massive in quite some time..."