Dr. Israel: Inna City Pressure

There's something intriguing about a dub poet lurking in the heart of Brooklyn. Dr. Israel's hardcore lyrics focus on the same class tension, "inna city pressure," and ghetto turmoil that marks the best of Jamaica's storytellers, and, though he substitutes New York for Kingston, the strong sentiment doesn't stray one bit. Even before Israel unleashes an early cover of the apocalyptic reggae standard "Armagideon Time," he's made his point pretty clear: Guns and racism are ruining cities. Sadly taking a cue from gangsta rappers, however, a good deal of Israel's ire is directed toward police, as if inner cities would suddenly blossom without their presence, and Israel too often points to pot as a panacea. Furthermore, a cameo by the ubiquitous Rancid (which has enough trouble ripping off The Clash, let alone ripping off The Clash ripping off reggae) derails his thought train early on, and the album struggles to recover. But, this being the '90s and all, Dr. Israel (note: not his real name) does add technological twists to reggae's formal structure. Dub effects abound, and drum-and-bass breakbeats scatter like buckshot, so even if Israel's Rasta politics don't pan out, his music at least gives the impression of real revolution.