The new Madness album, “The Liberty of Norton Folgate,” is not scheduled for release until June of this year. However, the album can be downloaded via bittorrent using leading tracker sites. These days, it is not uncommon to see new albums available for download via bittorrent, usenet, and peer-to-peer networks weeks or days ahead of the targeted release date. The opportunities for leakage are ripe; from album reviewers, employees at the pressing plant, etc. Seeing an album available several months in advance, however, is rather unusual, as chances are pre-release copies have probably not been distributed, or at least not distributed in large numbers.

I’ve had a chance to preview some of the tracks, and so far I’d say the standouts are the poppy-sounding and somewhat anthemic “We Are London” and the classic-sounding “Forever Young.”

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.

I also stumbled on the official production blog for the album at http://skavoovie.us/. Be sure to check it periodically for updates.

Saturday’s show, being combined with the LA version of 3 Floors of Ska, featured a variety of acts including Raskahuele (Spanish for scratch-n-sniff), Hub City Stompers and Rice Rokit, in addition to DJ’s spinning ska, soul and reggae.

Of the six shows I attended, the LA 3FOS show was the highlight, as ska fans from all over southern California converged on The Knitting Factory to make for a sold-out show and high energy throughout the night.

Even the Victorville show boasted a fairly decent turn-out, and judging by the feedback from the bands, I’d say this tour shows that ska is anything but dead. Sure, ska may have slinked back into the musical underground (and perhaps that is where it belongs - at least for a while), but the core fans came out in force and showed their appreciation night after night.

Voodoo Glowskulls mentioned several times that this tour represented a full spectrum of ska; something that was quite evident given the variety of ska that was showcased by the headliners, and the warm reception received by all the bands on the bill each night.

What follows are just a few photos from some of the shows…

The Toasters at 3FOS, Los Angeles

The Toasters at 3FOS, Los Angeles

Bucket plays to the crowd, 3FOS, Los Angeles

Chicago’s Deals Gone Bad, 3FOS, Los Angeles

2Tone Lizard Kings warm up the crowd in Tempe, AZ

Raskahuele ruled the second stage at 3FOS, Los Angeles

The Ska is Dead IV tour kicks off in a couple of days, and the official website, skaisdead.com, has been re-vamped to mark the tour’s return after an absence of three years (the tour did last ran in the US in 2005, with a UK version in 2006).

This year’s version features The Toasters, Voodoo Glowskulls, and Deal’s Gone Bad. In addition, Mustard Plug, Buck-O-Nine and Monkey are appearing on short legs of the tour. Most shows should feature local support, and the Los Angeles show is also this year’s Three Floors of Ska event, which should make for a memorable evening of ska music as The Knitting Factory once again hosts a plethora ska bands and DJ’s.

The SID website features the latest news about the tour as well as an active forum, in which Dave Plug is soliciting reviews, interviews and news items. So if you have anything to contribute, click here for more details.

Last night was the culmination of the holiday weekend, and what a way to end the season - first the dramatic overtime victory for the San Diego Chargers over the Indianapolis Colts, and then a ska show at San Diego’s famous Casbah.

Opening the show were San Diego locals, Self-Made Men. The band features local ska fixture John Roy performing vocals and sax. The band plays a dynamic mix of traditional ska, reggae and calypso-influenced songs and flexes its musical chops across all styles. They definitely got the crowd’s attention, and I think that SMM will be building a strong core of supporters as they continue to gig and record.

Next up were San Francisco’s The Impalers, who showcased their brand of skinhead reggae, highlighted by the strong vocal performance by lead singer Cindy Chi. Fans of The Aggrolites and rocksteady/reggae will definitely want to check out this band. Judging by the packed dance floor during their set, The Impalers are well on their way to establishing themselves in the United States; having already toured Europe.

Finally, headliners and ska veterans The Slackers took the stage, and with the opening notes of their set, brought everyone in from the cold patio and back bar to pack the main room and dance floor. I’ve seen The Slackers several times before, but usually in an outdoor or festival-type setting. It was really nice to see them in the confines of a more intimate venue such as The Casbah, where they really took command of the room and put on a powerful performance. The energy level was high, the musical arrangements tight, and the crowd ate it up. All around the room people were dancing, swaying, and bobbing heads, all with smiles on faces. Whenever you have a strong lineup of bands like last night, you wonder if the headliner will be able to rise above the rest, and The Slackers certainly did that. Maybe it’s just experience, confidence, or longevity, but The Slackers showed why they have been main-stays of ska scene for so long and have maintained the status among top American ska bands throughout all the ups and downs of the ska music world for many years now, and hopefully, many years to come.

Craig says the song has been a long time in the making. “I started working on it around Thanksgiving of last year. A few years ago I had some chords and really sappy lyrics for a song I was working on, but couldn’t come up with a chorus. Then, I re-visited the music and found chorus, and scrapped the lyrics in favor of the new Christmas song. I realized that it would be too late to record it and release it in time for Christmas 2007, so I shelved it until this past October.”

About the recording process, Craig tells us, “Jeff has a small PC-based home studio and has been working on movie scores and other song ideas for quite some time now. Back in the days when we [Buck-O-Nine] were a full-time band, we would often get together and work on song ideas, then record them using an 8-track tape machine, so it was obvious that collaborating with Jeff would be a great way to complete the song’s arrangement and instrumentation. We work really well together, and it’s a totally different dynamic working with just one other person, versus the band environment where we have seven people contributing ideas.”

Regarding the idea behind the song, Craig continues, “The song is generally inspired by the alternative/new wave Christmas songs I’ve grown up listening to - classics such as Christmas Wrapping, Fariytale of New York, Father Christmas, So This is Christmas, etc. For several years now, I’ve wanted to put together a ‘new’ Christmas song - something that isn’t holly-jolly, but is more introspective and envokes thoughts about what Christmas and the holiday season mean to people. Given the uncertain times we live in today, it seemed an appropriate theme, although I didn’t want it to be pinned to specific current events.”

The mp3 of the song can be downloaded free from MySpace, and also listened to on YouTube, with an accompanying photo slideshow:

Via YouTube:

Boston’s Pressure Cooker has been performing and recording for over 10 years now, and has five albums under its belt, quite an accomplishment for just about any band, let alone one that focuses on old-school reggae and ska.

From the opening notes of just about any of their songs, the listener is immediately tipped that this band delivers excellent musicianship. Songs like “Burning Fence” showcase the power of the horn section, with rich harmonies and strong solo pieces. “Nuthin’ Better” opens with a surprising piano line that draws you into the song. The understated yet punchy horn accents provide a nice counterpart to the piano.

Presure Cooker performs primarily in the New England area, but has branched out as far west as Chicago. In addition, the band has supported such notable reggae acts as Toots & The Maytals, The Skatalites, Gregory Isaacs, and Culture.

Check out the band’s website by clicking here and you can listen to streams of their mp3’s. You can also click here to access their discography page, which features links for purchasing albums via CDBaby.com and iTunes. Definitely worth adding to your collection if you appreciate well-crafted old-school ska and reggae!

Band website: http://www.pressurecooker.net/

“…a great bill of California roots ska, rock steady and reggae. No big surprise - Chris Murray Combo will be headlining. We’ll come up with a nice surprise for the set though!!
http://www.myspace.com/chrismurray

In the middle slot is Boss 501, featuring Esco Chris, long time friend of Bluebeat Lounge. Boss 501 hails from Chico and Esco has been working hard to raise awareness of the music we all love in his new hometown by promoting and hosting monthly live shows. The band will be doing some recording on their way down south with Brian Wallace in Atascadero. expect some new material in the set, and a band that is pumped from having just been in the studio.
http://www.myspace.com/boss501

Opening the night are The Sidecars Plus! led by Abram, who many will know from his long running website Rude Roots. Abram is totally a roots purist, like many of us. Expect a great set of tasty vintage vibes.
http://www.myspace.com/thesidecarsplus

This is going to be a very sweet show. Come early to be sure you get in and catch every minute.
Peace,
Chris”