This is part one of a three part series that had otherwise unreleased tracks from several bands. I will be posting the others two in the future.
I lamented in my previous post that I was disappointed that I had not found an unknown Ngobo Ngobo track, but this compilation has one - the song "Shades of Madness" was not on any other release that I know of. It's a good song too.
1 Ngobo Ngobo - So What
2 Arpioni - Noi Vogliamo un altro Mondo
3 Eskalator - Monster Mash
4 The Butlers - High Spirit
5 Skatala - Budapest
6 Engine 54 - A Rest
7 Ngobo Ngobo - Shades of Madness
8 Arpioni - Il Paese dei Balocchi
9 Eskalator - Shy Boy
10 The Butlers - Paint it Black
11 Skatala - Skatalahits
12 Engine 54 - No Duty, No Love
13 Loaded - Love Affair with Everyday Livin'
Ska has been dead for a while now. In the last ten years you had three choices:
* The screaming and yelling sort of "ska-punk", "skacore", or "crack rocksteady" bands that may be a bit unclear on the concept of what ska is.
* Incredibly talented but out of touch 40-somethings that feel ska should be about showing off their musical education instead of playing stuff people want to hear.
* Bands that were once successful trying to "cash in" on the success that they think they have now.
The Aggrolites (who are overrated because people tend to confuse authentic sounding instruments with authentic sounding music) are one of the few bands that made a bit of money and, for a while, everybody and their brother wanted to jump on the bandwagon hoping that they too will be able to break even on their hobby. People who once appreciated a ska beat sacrificed their integrity for over-played reggae instead. It got old real fast. But, sadly, these bands still called themselves "ska" bands and the youth of today - surely the group that should have been the driving force behind today's ska scene - didn't relate to this "old man's music" [Lynval Golding once called ska "Old Man's Music" - have we come full circle?]. "Ska of today is left in the hands of the older brothers and uncles who grew up listening to Streetlight Manifesto and Choking Victim.
Given both options - screamo metal with an occasional horn refrain and lounge music with a reggae beat, it's amazing to me that there is anybody left in the world playing ska at all. But there are. Ska just might be making a comeback. These are the bands I see leading the way:
[...or...in other words...Jason Duncan's favorite ska releases of 2012]
Electra from Israel
"For the Record" from the album Second Hand Love (2012)
Inner Terrestrials from London
"In the Name of the Father" from their first full-length Tales of Terror(2012)
BANG the Skillet from Delft, Netherlands
"Cool Cat" from their debut cd Do the Dishes
The Skatterbrains from Colorado, USA. They played in Boulder and Denver from 1981-1984. In 1984 they moved to Boston and recorded several tracks - with a studio drummer - then moved back to Colorado and continued performing a few more shows. The recorded tracks were not released until 2012. You can buy this cd HERE.
"We're Going Dancing" from The Best of The Skatterbrains
1 Skankin' With Skeletons 2 Sock It To 'Em J.B. part 3 3 Real Hot Day 4 Rhythm of Ska 5 Go Shoppin' 6 On the Rocks 7 Drunken Sailor 8 Rainy Blue Monday 9 Chicago 10 Irish Spring (Cathy and Grace)
