True Democracy cover

True Democracy

Released

Steel Pulse came out of the gate with three albums of steadily-increasing depth and quality, and then they made their masterpiece. True Democracy finds the band striking the perfect balance of pop production (courtesy of Karl Pitterson) and dread messaging: singer David Hinds calls out promiscuous women, alcoholic men, the police, and Babylon generally, with a brief foray into meta-reggae (“Ravers”); percussionist Alphonso Martin makes a brief appearance on one of the album’s finest songs, the sweet lovers rock anthem “Your House.” True Democracy marked a high point for this prolific and highly influential band.

Rick Anderson

Recommended by

Suggestions
Underwater Dub cover

Underwater Dub

Sly & Robbie
Outside the Echo Chamber cover

Outside the Echo Chamber

On-U Sound, Coldcut
Becoming a Cliché cover

Becoming a Cliché

Adrian Sherwood
Free from the Dungeons of Dub cover

Free from the Dungeons of Dub

International Observer
Ska 'N' B cover

Ska 'N' B

Bad Manners
Breaking News cover

Breaking News

Clinton Fearon
Big Up! cover

Big Up!

Dr. Ring Ding, Dr. Ring-Ding & the Senior Allstars
Pleasure Dub cover

Pleasure Dub

Tommy McCook, Errol Brown, The Supersonics
Running Through Walls cover

Running Through Walls

Jah Sun, The Rising Tide