Whenever I see or hear of someone saying ska music all sounds the same, I laugh in The Best of the Worst. Saying ska is generic is a stereotype and misconception leftover from the late ‘90s ska explosion. The truth is, most of those bands that came out during those years are long gone or have disowned their horns by now. The other truth is that we’re in the midst of a resurgence of some of the most dynamic bands ska music has seen in decades. One such band is New Jersey’s The Best of the Worst.
This six-piece masterfully blends ska music, punk, hardcore, metalcore, emo, and even some jazz for good measure. Written down, that sounds like a lot. For some bands, it might be. Not for The Best of the Worst though. They’re master technicians who masterfully merge all of those styles into one enjoyable listening experience.
The band recently released their latest full length, Better Medicine, on both Bad Time Records and Choke Artist. The album clocks in at a frenzied 30 minutes filled with boundless energy. It’s the kind of album that once you complete it, Side A gets flipped back over immediately. Your floors and glassware may not appreciate the impromptu pit in your kitchen, but them’s the breaks sometimes.
The album starts off with a more indie-influenced tune with “Short Change.” Vocalist Liz Fackelman laments on what’s gone wrong, and the beginning of the steps needed to fix it. As the song progresses, it loses the indie and transitions to more of a ska song. Then, it seamlessly transitions to the more ska punk “Wishing Well.” If you’re not paying attention, it’s easy to confuse the two as one long song because they just go so well together.
These perfect fits keep happening all throughout the entire 12 songs. Fackelman isn’t the only vocalist though. When not singing, Liz treats the listener to some of the heaviest trombone lines ever. When the horn line and the rhythm section comes together on these songs, it’s a thing of beauty. There’s just so much going on with each song. Breakdowns. Fast ska punk. More traditional horn forward solos (check out the openings to “Catch My Breath” and “This Morbid Life” for some highlights). Three lead vocalists! Seriously. Every single time you listen to Better Medicine, you will get a different experience because you catch something new each listen.
Another criticism of ‘90s ska is how sappy and goofy the lyrics could be. You won’t find that here. Lyrically, the songs are just as dynamic as the music that accompanies the words. A song like “Out of Mind” for instance acknowledges that time is finite, self-reliance is important, and sometimes you have to accept your past to embrace your future. The entire album is filled with these gems. It’s one that will make you turn inward and reflect, that’s for sure. These days, that’s not a bad thing. Talking about mental health and perseverance is important. Better Medicine is a challenging album in the best way possible. If The Best of the Worst is the future of ska core, then the genre is in good hands.