The Israelites
Montego Bay (The Jamaican Persuasion)
Reviewed by Brian Vincent McGovern
Here's the latest from one of Christian music's first ska bands. Being a moron when it comes to the underground, I hadn't even heard of these folks until about two years ago. But in fact, they've been going strong for quite a while just above the underground - and they don't seem to be put off that nobody in mainstream Christian music has noticed them until now. My boss predicts The Israelites to be the next big ska band, and I'd say that after years of paying dues, they deserve it. This isn't the third wave rafter-swingin' energy you'd hear from bands like Five Iron, but rather, a mellow, more traditional form of reggae-influenced ska. Cool, swingy guitar tones chinka-chinka back and forth, and the rich bari sax and Hammond organ groove by (even grabbing the opportunity to play "Heart & Soul" during the bridge of "I Don't Know Why"). For ordering info, write: PO Box 9132, Whittier CA 90608