Cd Reviews

This is our music review section of our page. We will be reviewing a lot of ska and some punk cds. This session we have three selections for you.

Various Artists
Skarmageddon 3

King 7 & the Soulsonics, the first band on this double cd, explain this compilation perfectly with their song, " Rude Boy Invasion". With 45 different bands, this album will keep you skankin' for a while. The guys at Moon Records made listening to ska even easier for everyone with this comp. This time, unlike the first two Skarmageddon cds, they split the styles to each of the cds. On the first cd you have the old-school and 2-tone styles nicely packaged for you, and the second cd has your ska-core and other ska styles. There isn't much I don't like about this cd. The music seems to have been mixed just about right. You aren't dancing your feet off one song then ready to go to sleep the next. That is something that really bothers me about a lot of the comps out now. This is a definate album for you to put on your dancing shoes. Also, if you are just getting into ska, this is a great cd for you. It really shows you what ska is about. What I am saying is, buy this album!

Adrian Brigman

Slow Gherkin
Double Happiness

In one word, WOW! This album proves that there are some talented musicians in the ska scene. Slow Gherkin is a nine piece band, and they seem to use every memeber to their fullest. "Double Happiness" can tell you a lot about this band. With 18 songs, how couldn't it? There were some songs I didn't like as much as others, but I didn't dislike any of them. I almost found myself shying away from the song," Cable", due to the pop feel of it. I still enjoy it though. These guys even give props to the Jewish community with their cover of the ever popular Jewish folk song, "Hava Nagilah." All in all I say that Mike Park, Asian Man Records owner, made the right choice in signing Slow Gherkin to his label. If you ever see this in your local record store, pick it up.

A.B.

The Toasters
Don't Let The Bastards Grind You Down

Ah, the Toasters. This band has been giving us their twist on ska since 1982, and now they are still bringing us the good stuff in '98. They have recently released this awsome album, otherwise known as "Illigetinis Non Carborundum." Rob "Bucket" Hingley leads this pack of American ska pioneers through another album of surprises. The song that really sent me out on a limb was "Woyay." You just hear this wierd music and a raspy voice singing, "Get on down, get on down," then all of the sudden you hear the always cool jamacian type vocals that has intertwined with Bucket's vocals on a lot of other songs through the years. I loved it. I would have to say that this album will get a lot of air play on Rudy's Ska Party. You can also keep an eye out for the "Don't Let The Bastards Grind You Down" video on your favorite video shows. With what the Toasters are putting out now, I hope to still see them playing in another 16 years.

A.B.