Artist: Dub Pistols Album: Worshipping the Dollar

Year: 2012
Duration: 50:25

Dub Pistols' Worshipping the Dollar: A Critical Review

Dub Pistols have been around for over two decades, and their unique blend of electronic beats, hip-hop, and punk rock has gained them fans around the world. Their latest album, Worshipping the Dollar, continues their tradition of genre-bending music, but with a strong political message. In this review, we'll take a closer look at the album's history, the music genre it represents, the standout tracks, and the innovative elements behind its production.

First off, a little backstory on Dub Pistols. The group was formed in London in the late '90s by Barry Ashworth, who was already involved in the music scene as a promoter and DJ. Originally, Dub Pistols were a duo consisting of Ashworth and engineer Jason O'Bryan, who has since left the band. In the early 2000s, the group expanded its lineup and started touring extensively, building a reputation for their energetic live performances.

Worshipping the Dollar is Dub Pistols' seventh studio album, and it sees the band tackling some big issues. The lyrics deal with capitalism, racism, and consumerism, among other topics, and Ashworth has said that the album is his most personal and autobiographical work to date. Musically, the album features a mix of breakbeats, dub, and dancehall, with guest appearances from veteran Jamaican vocalists like Horseman and Seanie T.

One of the standout tracks on the album is Dark Days, Dark Times, which features a haunting intro before launching into a propulsive beat. The lyrics deal with the state of the world today, with lines like Dark days, dark times / It's like we're living in a horror film. Another standout is Stand Together, which features a guest vocal from Rhoda Dakar, former lead singer of the 2-Tone band The Bodysnatchers. The track is a call for unity in the face of division and hatred.

In terms of production, Worshipping the Dollar is an impressive feat. Dub Pistols worked with a range of producers, including Steve Dub, who has worked with The Prodigy and Primal Scream. The result is an album that is both polished and raw, with a wide range of sonic textures. The album also incorporates samples from classic Jamaican tracks, adding to the sense of history and tradition that runs through Dub Pistols' music.

Of course, no album is perfect, and Worshipping the Dollar has its flaws. At times, the political message can feel heavy-handed, and some of the tracks blur together. However, these are minor quibbles in the context of an album that is both musically ambitious and socially conscious.

Overall, Worshipping the Dollar is a strong addition to Dub Pistols' discography, and one that deserves to be heard by fans of electronic music, punk rock, and conscious lyrics. Dub Pistols may have been around for over 20 years, but they show no signs of slowing down, and Worshipping the Dollar is evidence that they still have something to say.

Overall, Worshipping the Dollar is a strong addition to Dub Pistols' discography, and one that deserves to be heard by fans of electronic music, punk rock, and conscious lyrics. Dub Pistols may have been around for over 20 years, but they show no signs of slowing down, and Worshipping the Dollar is evidence that they still have something to say.