Living Legacy

Led by guitarist (and reactor-coifed) David Hinds, British reggae band Steel Pulse proved itself the musical and socially conscious equal of its Jamaican counterparts in 1978 with the stunning Handsworth Revolution. Twenty years and 14 albums later, the band remains the most internationally successful UK reggae group for the simple reason that--as demonstrated by this, the group's first live album--Steel Pulse puts on an extremely tight and dynamic show. The centerpiece of Living Legacy (which was recorded between 1996 and 1999) is "Medley Medley," a 14-minute excursion through a dozen of the nine-piece band's major and minor hits. What makes it all work is the combination of Hinds's politically uncompromising yet melodic songwriting and his distinctive, reedy voice. Everything else--wicked percussion, echoing breakdowns, metal guitar solos--is gravy. --Richard Gehr