Ska music reviews

I've owed The Reality of My Surroundings a few years now (it has the best songs I've ever heard from a non-mainstream band), and have heard the hits off Truth & Soul. I went to buy that CD from the used record store down the street, but they didn't have it, so I got Fishbone's s/t album instead. I had heard "Party at Ground Zero" before, and I've even seen the music video (crazy footage of the band and friends wearing fish heads while anticipating a nuclear war). Anyway, I loved the song with the video, but it's too repetitive without something visual to accompany it. It's still a good song (along with the rest), but I like a prefer many of the others more. My favorites are "Modern Industry" (where Fishbone salute their local radio stations as well as foreign ones from Sweden), the cool and laid-back "Another Generation", and the very funny "Lyin' Ass Bitch" (at first, I didn't realize the lead on the song was female and thought it was Angelo playing around).

Fishbone began their career correctly with this smoking EP. "Ugly" is a good song, with the sophmoric lyrics that pop up at least a couple times per every Fishbone disc. "Another Generation" is a good midtempo song which songs Fishbone's more serious side, "?" is a disposable novelty, "Party At Ground Zero" is a rock classic, truly a seriously great party song. "V.T.T.L.T.F.D.G.F" is a good rock song, and "Lying" is a funny ska song to close things out.

Just as on the cover of the record, ENERGY! Keyboards flyin', Saxs' flailin', jumpin', divin', spinnin', these brothas' never stand still! I saw them perform @ Roseland, NYC in 198??? I don't remember what year but I was frightened when I left the show. Eyes bugged out, 'fro discombobulated, couldn't walk straight. I should have called EMS on myself! My friend and I were both in high school when (I think it was) MTV played the video. Nope, sorry, it was Ralph McDaniels and Video Music Box. "Hey dude----What's Token"? ?(Modern Industry) was the song. They named lots of radio stations in the US. Great, energetic songs!

Submitted for your approval: 5 tracks of varying lengths and difficult horn parts, with lyrics that really make you wonder how emo this band really is. I know that sounds wacky, considering that the Mad Caddies, for all intents and purposes, are a Fat Wreck punk/ska band with blistering drum beats, super fast power chords, and a goofy stage show to be reckoned with. But come in closer, and take a look at just how emo the Caddies really are:

EXHIBIT ONE: Lyrics
Track one, "Falling Down" -- "the day we met upon a cold December, the day we met and I started to fall."
Track two, "Nobody Wins at the Laundromat" -- "A blackened wick is all that remains when the verdict has been sent."
Track three, "Something's Wrong at the Playground" -- "A cherry burning bright, but a future that's not."
Track four, "Destro" -- "I wanna see you when everything's gone."
Track five, "S.O.S." -- ok, so this is an ABBA cover. But ABBA was pretty emo, right?

EXHIBIT TWO: Liner Notes
Contained after the thanks list, there is a little note from a band member:
"[W]hat you hear on this record is not so much a labor of love as it is an impromptu jam. It is a spur of the moment thing we couldn't really recreate if we tried."
Does that not just completely sound like thrown-together emo supergroup Radio Flyer? Come on, you have to be starting to see it now. And finally, the final piece of evidence.
EXHIBIT THREE: Pictures
Inside the booklet, there are associated pictures put together, like in most CDs. Does this mean that all CDs are emo? No [although by the looks of it these days, that might change. Rap Rock can only live for so long. But I digress]. What is emo are two different series of pictures: one being the same shot from a live show repeated in a vertical row, each frame being a different color, the other being a line of photos running across the bottom of the booklet horizontally, each being a seemingly random shot of the outside and inside of a motor home. Fat has realized that emo is the next big thing, so It is only a matter of time before we see No Use For A Name in V-neck sweaters and Good Riddance in horn-rimmed glasses. Regardless, this EP still sounds great, emo or not, and it is a wonderful follow-up to "Duck and Cover."

An excellent CD that stays true to the Mad Caddies earlier releases, but with a little less on the ska side. Emo? I don't think so buddy. The difference is that emo sucks and this is awesome.

I am ecstatic about this EP, its all that I have come to expect. The guitars are heavy, the horns are smooth, and all sounds are true to mad caddie style. If you liked any of their other albums, then more than likely you will like this one.

When I first heard of the album's genre, I was a little bit of a skeptic. But, any true music connoisseur will appreciate the intermingling of vocals, guitar solos, and magnificient bass riffs. I recommend this ablum to almost anybody with a love of music who's sick of the androgyny on the radio airwaves. As their debut album, this one simply kicks. My favorite is definitely the 10th track, however the instrumental track could use some help. But they do get much better, as followed up by their next two albums, 77 days which has a little more Less then Jake influence and then going back their own sound with a more polished feel in Senka-Senrui. If you love ska with a taste of punk, you'll be hooked by this band. They simply rock!

A great great album! Kemuri is one of the best Japanese ska bands in Japan.How do I know? I have been to plenty of their shows in Tokyo and are even better live. Kemuri daiski yo! A must have Japanese ska collection!

This is an awesome cd of fast Japanese ska, with a little punk blended in, that features some of the best horns I've heard in ska. The vocals could be annoying for some people because the guy sings in English with a heavy accent,though I believe the accent kinda makes the music sound a little better. I recommend this album to fans of fast catchy ska-punk, who can also enjoy a few slower songs.

People who are thinking of buying this album should relly check out "Jump-Swing from Hell" by Lee Press-On and the Nails, and listen to their live cover of Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher" to hear a swing/Ska genera cover of 80's metal done right... The Mighty Mighty Bosstones did their song as if they were trying to be an 80's metal band, not the Mighty Mighty Bosstones covering the song... All the horns of Lee Press-On and the Nails, copying Eddie's (Van Halen) riffs made their cover great, but the horns are strangely absent from "Ain't Talking 'Bout Love", except in that quiet part in the middle, where they only provide a counterpoint to the lyrics... "Big Balls" by The Pietasters is good, you can't screw that song up, I think, and "The Final Countdown" by Furillo and "Kickstart My Heart" by The Porkers are hilarious, more parody than cover... Some of the songs (Like "Wanted Dead or Alive" by The Slackers) are almost unrecocnizable, but thats okay... It's kinda worth having as an unusual album nobody's ever heard of before, but it's a big disappointment after good ol' Lee and his Nails...

This CD strikes a good balance between showing respect for the music and having fun with it. Some of the songs are too metallic, rather than ska-tallic, but overall it's great fun.

This CD is just one of those CDs that if you like SKA and classic cover songs you'll love it. I saw Reel Big Fish in concert recently and they played the cover "Kiss Me Deadly" and everyone went crazy. I'd buy it just for the RBF song and the Johnny Socko song.

Don't get me wrong - I like JFC a lot - but the lyrics to their songs just aren't that original. The songs are catchy (especially One More Time and Something Good)... and the music is upbeat... but I can't listen to it more than once a week, you know? Give it a try, but I wouldn't by any means classify it as one of the greatest ska albums of all time.

Don't get me wrong - I like JFC a lot - but the lyrics to their songs just aren't that original. The songs are catchy (especially One More Time and Something Good)... and the music is upbeat... but I can't listen to it more than once a week, you know? Give it a try, but I wouldn't by any means classify it as one of the greatest ska albums of all time.

When I first listened to JFC I thought the music was kind of boring, but that time I listened to a tape. Now that I have the CD I really am surprised. JFC plays really good, catchy ska, hmmm, maybe ska-punk. The only reason I didn't put down 5 stars is, that I don't like the voice too much, but the music is great. If you don't have this CD yet I would recommend you to buy it - at least if you are somewhat into ska or ska-punk.

I�ve never heard about Kingchango before someone i like very much PI told me about this group and beleive me it rocks, with such a eclectic rithems, you�ll enjoy THE RETURN OF EL SANTO

King Chango & Return of El Santo are amazing cds to buy a mixture of salsa,cumbias,reggae & ska. Their upity vibes will get you going. Iv seen him play live a few times and he is even better live,full of energy.You will enjoy these cds much.Must buy to add to your collection.

I haven't listen to The Return of el Santo yet, but I did see them perform in Toronto, what a show! They are an incredible band with a lot of good energy and sense of humor. Not many people can jump as much as blanquito who also is a very kind individual. Their music simply is a reflection of what we all are and a severe revelion against ugly things in life. I found myself embraced by their lirics and the great rythem given to the public. Fack they are just adorable and the woman of the group is a gifted player... yeah! I am sure the CD is not a joke.

Going back to my high school days, I used to love this album, and somehow it crossed the nation from its California home to my Alabama one and changed the way I looked at horn sections in punk bands. I then went from one ska band to the other, this was 1996, and then it blew up that summer, with Reel Big Fish and the Bosstones getting airplay on MTV. Then every hack in hacksville loved ska, but no one ever really picked up on this band. And now, looking back over a sea of music I have listened to and the styles of music I prefer now, this particular album, along with Let's Go Bowling's Mr. Twist, are the only ska constants I keep in rotation. I also noticed later that the bald character on the cover is none other than Krillin of Dragonball Z fame with a Saiya-jin suit on. That right there was ahead of the curb as Dragonball Z didn't catch on over here for another four years.

This cd kicks ass! I love every song! A must have if you're into ska/punk.

If you are at all questioning which VGS CD to buy, make it "Who Is This Is?"! This is VGS' peak! No other ska/punk/indie band can compare to VGS' sound on this CD. If you have any doubts just check out the sample of Insubordination. Just get it, you'll see what I'm talking about.

14:59 along with extra songs!!! If you like "Sugar Ray", you'll like this!!!

This CD is very good but I think one of the songs isn't the greatest. Sugar Ray is very talented and if you love Smash Mouth you'll love Sugar Ray so I gave this 4 Stars.

How simpler can it be than to give this CD 5 stars. Kids at school used to make fun of me because 14:59 was more poppy than their previous releases, and I listened to it, BUT they don't know good music. This CD is not hard, and it's not dark. It's just plain a good CD.

AWSOME ALBUM, IF YOU LIKED ...AND OUT COME THE WOLVES. BUY THIS, NOT TO SAY THE BAND WAS TRYING TO SOUND LIKE RANCID CAUSE THEY HAVE THEYRE OWN STYLE ALL TO THEM SELVES.SONGS RANGING FROM SKA, REGGAE, 2TONE, PUNK, PUNK/SKA, AND ROLLS IT UP IN A GREAT PACKAGE.REBEL YOUTH IS AN AWSOME SONG. FOR FANS OF RANCID, CLASH,PENNYWISE,FISHBONE

Armageddon Massive is nothing short of a work of art. It is my fourth favorite album of all time, behind acts such as Metallica and Dire Straits.
From start to finish the album has the listener inthralled in the cool regae beats and edgy gutter-punk riffs. It is quite obvious the quartet took their cues from elders such as The Clash - with revolutionary anthems and tales of street living. (Except The Dingees are not British. Woo Hoo, score one for the American bands!!)
It would behoove those who enjoy Rancid and/or The Clash to give this masterpiece a listen, there are no let down's by this baby in sight.

The Dingees recorded `Armageddon Massive', their first album, with Steve Kravac (Bad Religion, MxPx) at West Beach Studios in late 1997. Hepcat and Jump With Joey contribute horns on the album. The band's sound reminds me most of The Clash with reggae added to the mix. The Dingees are surprisingly polished for such a young band. Reggae, ska and punk listeners should find something palatable here. This is one great album!

01. Wide Awake
02. State O Mind
03. Fat & Married
04. Curse
05. Since the Shortlong's Gone
06. La
07. Got Caught
08. Rok
09. Nothin's Alright
10. Johnny Dumbjokes
11. Hang Tuff Hold Tight
12. Cursed Again
13. Get Away From That Table
14. So Far
15. Fried Chicken
16. The Punisher / Downtown
17. Hot Dogs
18. Inside Me
19. Chumps on Parade (bonus track)

When I purchased this album back in '98 I had never heard of this band. I went to a local store and bought "Hello Rockview" which is a very popular ska album. I was chatting with the owner about good ska albums and he pointed this album out. It was only five dollars so I picked it up.

I was surprised when I first heard some of these songs. The horns were great and the music was fun and uplifting. Standouts include "Wide Awake", "Fat and Married", "Got Caught", and " Get Away From That Table." There are a lot of great songs on this album but those were the best.

Mu330 didn't just have all One and a half and two minute songs. Some of there songs were over three minutes long which gives this cd more lasting power. The only thing I disliked about this album was there were a couple of songs out of place and kind of dumb, like "Hot Dogs", and "Rok".

Overall this is a great ska album but it's a bit different so try not to shut this out the first time you here this.

Mu330 has their own distinct style of ska. Every album seems to show different facets of Mu330. Now this cd is pretty decent. There are some songs that i enjoy alot, like Short-Long, Hang-Tuff, Hold Tight, and Got Caught. Now, I know this is supposed to be a fun album, but sometimes it can get too annoying and disorganized. if you don't have their self-titled album or Press, get those first.