Before getting into this review, I feel like I need to set the stage a little. I’m from Ann Arbor, Michigan and I’m a huge ska fan. Originally, We Are The Union was based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. What I’m alluding to is that I’ve been listening to the band and going to their shows at places like The Blind Pig, The Loving Touch, and The Shelter for years. They seemed like they were just on the verge of really breaking in 2013, but instead, they went on hiatus.
The band that re-emerged in 2015 with the addition of Skatune Network themselves, Jer Hunter, had a newfound energy and passion. With 2018’s Self Care solidified that they weren’t really the same band anymore. Sure, it’s always going to be a blast to sing along to “MTV is Over, If You Want It” at a show, but as a fan of the band since the late 2000s, I can safely say We Are The Union is just better now. Their music feels more honest, intelligent, and slaps harder than before (as the kids might say).
Self Care ended up being my favorite album of 2018. It’s an album I point to every time someone tries to tell me ska is just goofy mozzarella music. We Are The Union tackles depression and mental health issues in an open and earnest way throughout that entire album. The butterfly that emerged from the hiatus cocoon pretty clearly showed their creative resurgence on that release. Self Care was just perfect from head to toe. In my opinion, it’s left some pretty big shoes to fill. The question left to answer:
Is their new album Ordinary Life up to the challenge? The answer, I’m happy to say, is a resounding yes.
The band hasn’t been been sitting idly by since the release of Self Care. There have been lots of great singles put out between then and now, but Ordinary Life is their first proper full-length since Self Care. This album takes things up a notch in the creativity department. While known as a ska punk band at heart, this go around, only half the album is officially ska.
The other half is a fun mix of dreamy power pop (“Make It Easy”), punk, and even a little bit of indie and emo thrown in for good measure. While the album focuses on multiple topics, the main through line is the public introduction of lead singer Reade Wolcott coming out as a trans woman. It tells her story and touches on the pain and the dysphoria involved with such a life change, but ultimately, it’s also a celebration of finally being able to live her truth.
Even though the band is on an entirely different level creatively these days, their core attitude still remains. Like on “MTV” mentioned above, Reade sings:
We’re Just Being Who We Are
And There’s Nothing You Can Say
Back then, it was a call out to playing the type of music they wanted and being who they wanted to be, and not giving a shit what other people thought. The song on the new album that closely resembles that mentality the most is “Boys Will Be Girls.” In it, Reade calls out the transphobes and bigots with a hearty fuck you that may just become a trans ska punk anthem. The song is catchy as hell and carries a strong message to boot about living your truth and living it loud and proud.
Well I’ve got some news for you
We don’t give a shit what you do
Or at all about youBoys will be girls
And girls will be boys
And everybody in between
We’ll all be who we want to be
While the album is about Wolcott’s journey, there are many indirect subjects she sings about that are all tangentially related to her entire experience. There are songs about break-ups and loss (the PUP-inspired “Pasadena,” “Everything Alone,” and “Short Circuit”). There’s also a continuation of the mental health themes from Self Care as well. “Wasted,” for instance uses intricate guitar work and an anthemic pop punk chorus to touch on loss and loneliness.
One of my favorite songs on Ordinary Life is “Big River.” Sonically, it’s heavily inspired by dancehall and rocksteady. It’s got a beat that will make you want to groove immediately, but when you’re sitting there with your headphones on and really listening to it, the lyrics are very relatable to everyone. The song talks about Reade’s feelings of disconnection with her true self. For her, the disconnection comes from feelings of dysphoria and depression. For you, your disconnection might be with something else.
So, while the song is tied to Reade’s personal experiences, the feeling of disconnection is one that everyone can relate to.
“Big River” also includes one of the simplest, yet most morose lyrics on the album in my opinion. There’s something so sad, yet so poetic with the line to me, that I found myself just replaying this song several times just to hear it again. With how important music is to me, the images it evokes break my heart. Jer Hunter’s horn blasts during the chorus put an even more pointed emphasis on the lyrics as well.
Are You Feeling Disconnected?
Out of sight. Out of mind. Wearing down.
Are You Feeling Disconnected?
Like a Song Without a Sound
With Ordinary Life, We Are The Union is right in the middle of a Renaissance of sorts. Ordinary Life is their most musically dynamic offering to date, and it’s a musical journey worth taking. The underlying theme is Reade’s journey to becoming her true self, but the magic of this album is that it’s so much more. First and foremost, the album is an absolute joy to listen to. The growth the band is showing here is so amazing to experience, especially for someone like me who remembers them from the basement show days.
Second, this album is the most polished We Are The Union has ever sounded. Jer Hunter is one of the best horn players in ska punk today, and they shine on every song. Brent Friedman and Brandon Benson provide the backbone and structure that each song builds upon, and Ricky Weber has riffs for days. Then, of course, there’s Reade Wolcott, who has a gift of making even the most challenging topics sound catchy and fun with her lyrics. As a unit, this is the best We Are The Union has ever sounded. They’ve really set the bar pretty high for the follow-up when the time comes.
On Ordinary Life, no two songs sound alike, and that will definitely reward those with open minds. There’s plenty of ska to keep the ska fans happy, but the rest of the album is such a mix of so many different styles that it’s a great gateway drug for folks who aren’t quite ready to jump completely into the ska deep end quite yet. On the flipside, I think it will also help open some ska and ska punk purists up to some new music genres as well.
I know I went on a discovery mission and found the likes of Carly Rae Jepson, Charli XCX, and Phoebe Bridgers after listening to Ordinary Life.
The songs are poppy and enjoyable on the surface, but they’re so intricate lyrically. It’s the type of album that demands multiple listens. In doing so, you’ll gain a true appreciation for everything We Are The Union is doing here.
Ordinary Life is a celebration of life, truth, and music. It’s a winding road that makes you pay attention to every zig and zag, ultimately leading you on the path to self-discovery. At the end of the day. it may also just become the most important ska release of 2021.