I saw the 2 Tone Lizard Kings play recently at a show in Tempe, AZ, and was impressed by their live performance. Many times with regional acts, you get young kids, still in high school, still trying to master their instruments and learn how to write a song; play on a real stage, etc. It can be more like watching people play “Rock Band” than watching an actual rock (ska) band.
These guys are different, however. They have performance chops and stage presence, and if they were to take the act on the road, the result would either be that they’d break up because they would start hating each other, or they would hone their skills even more and become a credible national act. Based on what I saw live, I felt compelled to pick up a copy of their CD, “Bombs Away,” and give it a listen.
To back-track just a little, whenever I see a band with a name that includes the word “ska” or something like “2 Tone” it immediately turns me into a skeptic. I honestly don’t feel that artists are doing the ska music world a favor by re-hashing the same tired themes that were laid out by pioneers of the traditional and 2 T0ne era. With “Bombs Away,” my main criticism is that too-often the songs fall into this trap. For instance, on “Useless,” the chorus refrains “It’s useless, ’cause I just wanna skank.” Let the music say this for you, and the audience will get up and dance. Another song, “Sally Brown,” is a nice traditional-style ska song, but the fact that is uses the familiar namesake popularized in the old Laurel Aitkin tune of the same name makes me cringe.
C’mon guys, dig deep and get creative with your lyrical content, and you can help push ska music forward. No one is expecting a ska band to re-invent the wheel, but many of the tracks on this album are just spinning the wheels. I understand that ska appeals to many fans because of the sameness of it: checkersboard patterns, pork-pie hats, suits, etc.; and that’s all fine, but it has to be done with a sense of originality and style, otherwise it becomes immediately redundant.
On the positive side, the musicianship on this album is solid, and songs such as the title-track “Bombs Away” - an up-tempo rockin’ number with great guitar and a catchy, anthemic chorus - are strong.
Another standout track, “New Man,” has a flangy reggae guitar flowing through it, and is accentuated by a nice punchy horn line and good arrangement. Its placement in the middle of the album helps break things up nicely.
The album ends with a respectable cover of The Pogues’ “Streams of Whiskey.” It’s always risky to cover a song by an iconic band such as The Pogues, The Clash or The Specials, so props to these guys for pulling it off.
Overall “Bombs Away” is a decent first-effort for a ska band that exists during a time when ska music seems to be neither on the decline or the rise. If the 2 Tone Lizard Kings continue to grow musically and lyrically, they will surely appeal to a broad audience. In the meantime, core ska scenesters should find plenty to enjoy, especially if you’re in the mood for a few drinks and a few laughs.
Tags: Ska Reviews // 2 Comments »
