Ska music reviews

I love choking victim! They are on of the BEST bands i have ever heard. If you love ska/punk, like I do, you need to listen to Choking Victim (and also leftover crack). Also, dont listen to Koverkian death cycle, or whatever the guy below this said, they sound nothing like Choking Victim.

Choking Victim is a great punk/ska/crust band from NY.. too bad they broke up. But hey, the new band, Left Over Crack is just as good. This is a strong cd, but still not as good as " No Gods/No Managers". This is what ska should be.. through the guitar riffs, not with stupid horns. If you like Operaiton Ivy or Covorkien Death Cycle, you might wanna check this out.

Choking Victim is the golden mean of hardcore punk rock and new wave swanky Oi! The coarse, enraged lyrics along with its distorted (yet melodic),mindbendingly fast instrumentals will leave any crusty punker delighted. The songs are excellently written, and performed by a very talented group of musicans. If you like groups like Leftover Crack, Sham 69, and Mouthwash, you'll love Choking Victim!

What a joy it is to see this album. I pulled it out last evening and gave it the 100th or so once over and was still smiling ear to ear before, during, and after, the listen.

Ellis is the crooner par excellence in the rocksteady game, and this collection proves it and then some. His relationship with the legendary Duke Reid allowed Ellis carte blanche to do what he did best-not only write brilliant original tunes, but also take popular soul or R&B tunes from the era and making them so much reggae and his iwn that they superceded the term "cover tune."

And what tunes this lp has. Many cover tunes grace this lp, and after a few listens, one begins to appreciate Ellis' gift for making them his own. In many cases, including on Chuck Jackson's "Willow Tree," the Delfonics' clasic "La La Means I Love You," Junior Walker's "What Does It Take," and Blood Sweat and Tear's anthem "You Make Me So Very Happy," Ellis' renditions are so amazing that you almost forget that he didn't pen those tunes.

And the tunes he DID pen on this compilation are no less amazing. "Why Birds Follow Spring" is a gorgeous showcase for Ellis, as his voice fills the room, soaring over the equally great backing vocals. Other great originals include the understated "If I Could Rule This World," "Cry Tough," Ellis' reply to the Rude Boy movement (led by the Wailers) that he so disliked, "Can't Stand It," which U-Roy would make a hit in the late 70's, and Ellis' socially aware masterpiece, the touching "Black Man,White Man" (also known as "Black Man's Pride")

This compilation is a perfect look into the mind and inner workings of the Duke Reid era Ellis, who's voice insipred the likes of Gregory Isaacs and Dennis Brown, among many. The voice is amazing, as is the cd. A must have.

Not much to say except this is a gorgeously sweet, rhythmic album. Cream in your coffee, water clear as gine. I can go for weeks playing it every day.

Vocal based ska/rocksteady with little or no horns was a popular staple of jamaican music in the early 1960's. The maytals, the gaylads and the eithopians all had a gospel influenced style of ska.

Today it is very rare to find a ska band that plays this style of music. The bluebeats, however, do it wonderfully.

I own over 200 ska/rocksteady albums and the bluebeats "dance with me" ranks up there at number 2 (the maytals "blah, blah, blah" ranks at #1).

If you are just getting into ska music, listen to this cd with an open mind, because in time you will truely appreciate the brilliance.

The Bluebeats play true jamaican style rocksteady and ska (with a bit of reggae and dub as well), without falling into the trap of trying to sound jamaican - no mean feat! This CD is a soulful trip to the islands that will have you singing along with this tuneful and spiritual songs. The original numbers deal with everything from love and heartbreak to the homeless and the afterlife. Also included are some classic rocksteady and ska covers including "Down At The Trainline" and "The Fits Is On Me." As an added bonus, two dub versions are also on the CD. If you are a fan of true roots style Jamaican music or have started to listen to ska via the current third-wave, this CD will make a great addition to your collection.

I just bought this here CD and what a great find. Ultimately, all the TROJAN RECORD box set type releases that have been flooding the binds at your fave record store are worth every penny. This here CD is just another testimony to the greatness of the original sounds from Jamaica. If you are a real follower of the original SKINHEAD sounds of the late 60's, then buy this here CD and you will not be disappointed one bit. Plus, you will gain some of the rarer tracks from the original era. Check out the SKINHEAD box set from Trojan, as well. Buy them all. The RUDE BOY box set is another great find. So what you waiting for, if you love the original sounds and tried of all that ... retro or neo stuff, then pick this here CD up and quick.

....Skinhead Moonstomp isn't actually on this collection, but that is no great loss since it is available on so many other compilations.
There is a wealth of the rare, the obscure and downright fantastic on this 40 track double CD that will bring back many memories for those around in the early days of reggae. From the opening talkover, thumping bass and Hammond organ of Bunny Lee's 'Warfare', right through to the closing bars of Pama Dice's 'Your Boss DJ' you'll be tapping your feet and racking your brains with 'What other song used that riddim'.
There are a lot of original riddims here, The Corporation's 'Walking Thru Jerusalem', later to be immortalised by Tiger's 'Guilty' and Dandy's 'Shake Me, Wake Me', which became 'Reggae In Your Jeggae'. There are also some interesting re-uses of backing tracks. Hortense Ellis's 'My Last Date' done to Ken Boothe's 'Dark End Of The Street' and Bunny Lee's 'Annie Pama', an instrumental version of the Maytals 'Monkey Man' to name a few.

Plenty of other interesting tunes here to, especially the wonderful rendition of 'When The Saints Go Marching In' by Tommy McCook.
All in All a 'must have' for lovers of early reggae/

I think it is awesome they sound a little like the specials but with a tint of 3rd wave ska

I have listened to a lot of ska albums and this one particularly stands out with it's energy and pizzazz. Their songs have a certain flair that is almost like the Toasters but with a twist that certainly makes them a unique ska band.

Well, I bought this album twenty years after I was first into the Untouchables. In the 80's when I was in High School, I had "The Untouchables" Wild Child album on cassette and I played it so much that I actually wore the tape out. When I bought this CD so many years later it all came back to me and I remembered every song on the album word for word. This live album is so fun to sing to and even more fun to dance to. You can't help yourself from dancing to it. I just saw the Untouchables perform live at the Belly Up in San Diego and they rocked the place down. Everyone danced all night. It was fun to see the old ska scene 20 years later. This album brings back so many good memories of fun times! If you enjoy ska music, you have to get this album!

If you were into the local L.A. scene during the 80s ~ 90s, no doubt you would've heard of the UT's. A couple of my friends actually attended that show at the Roxy and claim it was one of best shows ever by any group. If you dig the ska/funk sounds of Fishbone, you will like the UTs. I view the UTs as an L.A.-centric version of Secret Affair/Mod-revival group. But their music definitely transcends L.A. This album does sum up the widely varying styles of the UTs - from the ska sounds to the Otis Redding cover, good ol' rock-and-roll, pure funk, to Mod sounds. Highly recommend this album.

As a student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo during the 1980's, I saw the Untouchables several times during their college circuit tours of the West Coast. A UT's live gig was an invigorating aural and visual experience. I was consistently blown away by their relentless energy, musicianship and showmanship. The last time I saw them was at "The Catalyst" in Santa Cruz, CA in 1992. Having owned this CD for nearly 10 years, I can honestly say that the music contained on "A Decade of Dance" faithfully captures the spirit and excitement of this fantastic, but sometimes overlooked, ska 'n' roll band.

"I Spy" kicks off the set with a mysterious keyboard intro and then explodes into a frenetic pace. The UT's keep the vibe positively upbeat throughout the CD, even on the sweet and slower-tempo gem "What's Gone Wrong". "Shama Lama" boasts some nifty guitar work and a nice trombone solo. The back-to-back punch of "Twist and Shake / Whiplash" is my favorite part of the disc. The horn section is phenominal throughout! The album closer,"I'm Not Your Stepping Stone", starts off with a fairly convincing guitar riff from Led Zeppelin's "Bring It On Home" before bringing the house down, and leaving the fans, myself included, screaming and sweating for more.

I doubt we'll hear anything new from the UT's in the 2000's, but I'm glad that I was able to see them perform, and am thankful that the essence of their live show has been preserved on this CD. If you're reading this review, I suggest you rush out and get it! Peace.

I've got three Skinnerbox[es] and this is the best but they're all worth owning. If this is third wave ska, there's a revisionary aspect that's deeply traditional, making me hear early Louie Armstrong all over the place.
I can't tell you where my mind went when I heard "Straight to Hell", a Clash tribute, but it was like hearing Turandot as jazz/punk/ska with a touch of Malcolm McLaren. Similar things could be said for other tributes, "You Rascal You" and "A Fine Romance" and "Uno, Dos, Tres".
As for the album's originals, standouts are "I've Got To Know" and the taunt-toast "Hepcat Season".
Sorry guys, but King Django makes other rocksteady attempts sounds anemic. But keep trying - if you're lucky, he's standing still.

Although I do have issues with the numbering of the songs on the back of the album, the music itself is excellent. From the oh too true question of "I Got To Know" to the trumpeting horns of "Straight To Hell", this album is a keeper. The tunes are catchy, and the [most of] the lyrics are well thought out and intelligent. A must have for the NYC Ska follower

Traditional roots at its best. Albert Griffiths voice shines brighter than the morning sun, with songs like "Looks Is Decieving" and "Bellyfull", this album remains at the top of my list and is a must have for any reggae fan. Surely the Gladiators have made Jah Proud.

I will save you valuable time by just saying you should buy this album.

For those of you who prefer longer reviews :

Wonderful music; excellent emotion; brilliant lyrics.

Most fans of ska, rocksteady and reggae will recognize the riddims that are the basis of these tracks. Studio One in it's heyday produced some of the most prodigious musicians and composers who cranked out new tracks at a prolific rate. On this CD you're hearing some of the finiest musicians of the day - The Sound Dimensions, The Vendors, The Eternals etc - these were the session musicians of the time for Studio One, all competent, talented people who formed many different lineups over the years. The CD is an excellent introduction to dub reggae -essentially the original track gets 'remixed' by the dub engineer who plays with the arrangment from the 4 track recording sending the drum and bass through echo, delay, reverb etc drops out the vocal, drops in the keyboards and guitar and gives the original song a who new 'version'.

this cd has 4 outstanding tracks -- trippy, a heavy beat, great melody, and even a surf-guitar beachy feel. everyone i have played this cd to has loved it. this is the best dub cd i have ever owned - no contest.

with King Django producing and assisting in the horn section, this album is one of the ripest to come from the stubborn records collection. I've also got thier vinyl EP, but I'm waiting for the turtable. I lament that these guys haven't stayed together as ska pop has died down, but "the Early Years" should stand the test of time if we can keep the thing in circulation.

All together, this is a jazzy and loose album, bringing in memories of the Miles Davis quartet and the Skatalites. I'd go so far to say that this is what "No Doubt" could have been if they tried hard enough and avoided being too commercial. It's worth the buy. I'd like to see what these guys are up to these days. I only wish there was a little more tightness in the lyrics.

Yes, after a year of trying, I have finally managed to get hold of this brills CD. Absolutely love it. 1st wave SKA sound at its best with the voice of an angel. Could have rivalled the one and only SLACKERS if they had not split up... So if any of the RADIATION KINGS are watching, reform and crack on with some more of your greatness, I'm sure Django wouldn't mind helping out again. All traditional SKA fans out there, get it, you won't be disapointed, you'll just love it. Play it LLOOOUUUDDDD!!!!

These are hardworking young musicians. This "album" has good laughs, deep thoughts, good meditations, rocks, funk, groove, and a house full of heart. There, that sounds good and abstractly accurate. I respect the rules of the english language, but freeform thought is not about being under command(HWM). These sounds are so good they'll keep you soft and warm, hot with energy(in YOU), cool with a never too late freedom and a sparkling eye smile at the sun's set or rise. OK, goodbye.