Spiritual Dancer (Blue Bitch, 2000)

*GUEST REVIEW*
Inner Vision's second album Spiritual Dancer opens up with a 3-part a cappella that segues into the brilliant and beautiful "Shala-la". The song could easily have been one of Big Mountain's OR Prince Malachi's -- that's how much potential appeal this group has. It's true, Inner Visions could very possibly produce a hit that was reputable on all sides. And this album is full of contenders. "Spiritual Dancer" is certainly rootsy and genuine, but it is also pop-reggae. On the album there is a perfect balance between love songs and conscious roots. The title track picks up from the reverberating voices of "Shala-la" and delves into a Bob Marley tribute/Zion-trodding anthem that talks about ganja, worship, morality, and upliftment. One of the things that Inner Visions is top notch at is mixing joyous emotions with serious concerns like consciousness: "How can you touch a spiritual dancer? / How can you touch a spiritual romancer?...Smoke a little it does no harm...some say they kill them...how can you kill Jah Rastafari?" Stylistically they stick to an up-beat/polished sound whether they are minor or major key based. "Whip Them" is an anti-Babylon song with a killer jazzy blues guitar solo. "Cool Reggae Rhythm" is a precious skanking celebratory song that manages to stick to a laid-back vibe and makes you "feel like dancing". In general, you will find guitarist Grasshopper to show an ability to hold down the riddim with all the licks that add texture to space here and there. He is equally expressive in his guitar solos which are typically overdriven, bombastic, and yet palatable. Often times when a band switches between lead vocalists, there is a discontinuity, yet, in the tradition of Israel Vibration and Nazarenes, there is a seamless-ness to these changes. Ras Paul's style is a mix of Burning Spear and Alpha Blondy while Grasshopper has a more lover's vibe like Horace Andy or Nazarenes. Backing vocalist/bassist Jupiter has a particularly sweet tenor that could only make a vocal line better. "Good Loving" is a great example of this; where he and Grasshopper sing "Oooh Shalala-lala," which provides a graceful base for Ras Paul's soaring vocals. Overall, the vocal mixing on this record mimics, in ways, the production style of Steel Pulse's early work, but the band's sound has less interplay between instruments. Like a lot of pop-reggae acts out there, they are not averse to utilizing cheap keyboard sounds. This is not entirely a bad thing, though, cause the keyboardist is adept at keeping the tone under control and making it meld with the rest of the instruments. Basically, Inner Visions are terrific arrangers. Of the two albums I've heard from them, Spiritual Dancer is more consistently the stronger. However, if you have the money, I also recommend Frontline. Also, Frontline is available for pretty cheap at emusic.com. 

- Trammell Scruggs