Handsworth Revolution

In the 1970s, England’s reggae scene was second only to Kingston’s in its richness and depth. And at the very top of the heap of UK reggae bands was Steel Pulse, a Birmingham-based outfit with an unusual depth of musical and songwriting virtuosity. Frontman David Hinds had a jazzy delivery and a deep well of righteous anger, and he drew on all of those elements to produce sharp protest songs like the title track and the classic “Ku Klux Klan.” Handsworth Revolution was melodically rather dry compared to Steel Pulse’s later work, but it remains a classic of the UK roots genre.