Israel Vibration ADD

Review

Album Review: Israel Vibration - Reggae Music Never Dies

02/27/2025

by Angus Taylor

In 1979, “Wiss” Bulgin, “Skelly” Spence and “Apple” Gabriel of Israel Vibration were at Tuff Gong recording their second album Unconquered People. Wailers musical director Aston “Familyman” Barrett was playing the bass. Bob Marley, according to Wiss, was listening upstairs in his office, and told his staff that this was exactly the kind of music he liked to hear in his studio. 

So it's fitting that, 45 years later, in the year Bob would have turned 80, sole-surviving Israel Vibration member Wiss has released their latest album Reggae Music Never Dies - produced by Fam’s son Aston Barrett Jr. The project feels even more poignant for including the final songs written and sung by Bulgin's colleague Cecil “Skelly” Spence, who died in 2022.

The album is co-produced by Aston with Henrique Pesqueira and Rafael Costa of Brazil’s Riddim Agency (the latter helping with recording engineering duties). Unlike, say, 2010’s Grammy Nominated Reggae Knights, which included forays into other styles of music to broaden their audience, roots rock reggae and rub a dub are the order of the day. Perhaps due to Skelly’s contributions being cut short, it’s a trim, traditional LP length set of ten tracks. 

Aston plays almost all of the instruments. The riddims are soulful, organic and nicely crafted, overlaid with soft horns from frequent Israel Vibration session saxman Dean Fraser, plus Randy Fletcher and Okiel McIntrye, and at times, in a nice nod to Bob, the familiar gibber of the cuica friction drum. Understandably absent, given Aston’s involvement, is bassist Flabba Holt of Roots Radics, a longtime Israel Vibration collaborator on tour and during the group’s well regarded 1980s-90s Renaissance on RAS Records. However, his Radics colleague Dwight Pinkney lends his mellifluous guitar.

Wiss sings lead on his songs, adding his own backing vocals or augmented by Carol Dexter in an I Threes style. His messages tend towards being encouraging, conscious and mindful. They touch on the need to be aware of your surroundings (single Wake Up), the influence of others (second single Don’t Let Dem Make Them Do), gun violence in Jamaica (the binghi-meets-early-reggae-and-ska-fused Gun Hawk) and the value of plant life (Herbal Cure). 

Skelly’s songs visit time-honoured universal topics. He continues the natural, herbal theme on the blissful roots rub a dub of Natty Farmer, while the anthemic title track Reggae Music Never Dies, addresses the long-lasting nature of their music in the face of hardship and unfairness from the '70s till now. 

Skelly’s yearning and grainy vocals have been deliberately left as they were when he ceased to be able to record. They have a slightly muddy, rough demo quality, but it makes the experience all the more affecting and sums up what a commemorative work this is. 

During their time as a duo since Apple’s departure in 1997, Skelly and Wiss tended to write separately. Due to Skelly falling ill, an exception is made for opening track Next Generation, where Wiss puts his lyrics about elders shepherding the youth to an unfinished melody by Skelly. 

Another combined effort is reassuring nyabinghi drummed closing track After The Storm, featuring Aston on guest vocals. It begins with a spoken message by Skelly - telling his fans to stay safe in these strange times. The speech harks back to the pandemic era but feels moving and just as relevant today. 

From contracting polio in childhood to getting ripped off by various producers and management, from the acrimonious split with and death of co-founder Apple Gabriel to Skelly's passing, Israel Vibration have had a challenging history. This pleasant, lovingly assembled album is a reminder of their early days working with the Wailers, an uplifting coda in their latter career and a nice epitaph to Skelly at the same time. Its strongest songs will be a worthy addition to setlists on Wiss' upcoming tour.

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