A look back, an acknowledgement of the present and a hope and guidance for the future. Lacelle “Wiss” Bulgin is now the only remaining original member of the Israel Vibration vocal trio, with Apple Gabriel having left in 1997 (he died in 2020) and Cecil “Skelly” Spence died in 2022. However, the latter still makes a significant contribution to this set, as he had laid down vocals on three tracks – which admittedly probably would have been re-recorded later – but which sound fine and unadorned in this setting.

And that setting is very much the classic Israel Vibration approach. Plenty of horns (Dean Fraser among them) and bright, pleasing rhythms (veteran guitarist Dwight Pinkney is also here), with conscious lyrics throughout. Take a listen to Different Enemies maybe, with its nods to Bob Marley’s outernational sound, and the I-Threes like backing vocals of Carol Dexter, or the herbal ode, Natty Farmer and the title track, a tribute to resilience.

Wiss takers the majority of the lead vocals of course, also continuing the deliberate, well-reasoned, conscious approach of an elder, never hurrying his message, even on an up tempo tune like Gun Hawk. That Bob Marley reference earlier was intentional too. The set is co-produced by Aston Barrett Jr., yes, the son of Wailers long-time bass player “Familyman” Barrett who recorded with Israel Vibration at Tuff Gong back in the late seventies. Aston Jr. also provides a strong lead vocal on the celebratory closing track, After The Storm, a fine and uplifting close to a very listenable set.



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