I got into ska music just as the huge ska explosion hit in the mid-’90s. There was so much excitement surrounding the scene. Bands were touring all the time. Major labels were doing their best to snatch up the best of the best. The energy that pulsed through the scene was something special. Then, with a snap of their fingers, ska’s popularity waned and got replaced with swing revival and nu metal. And, just like that, it was over. To those not paying attention, ska was dead. True fans knew better though. Instead, ska was just a sleeping dragon just waiting to be woken up. Within the past two years, there’s been such a renewed energy with ska music that honestly reminds me of the joy I felt back in the ’90s. This reemergence has been fueled by newer bands like New York’s Title Holder.
Formed in 2020, Title Holder is the brainchild of Matt Sullivan, bass player for pop punk group Card Reader.
With Title Holder, Sullivan’s goal is to merge the love he feels for ska and reggae music, with pop punk. The To do this, he teamed up with Man Overboard’s Nik Bruzzese to record their debut EP. The veritable who’s who of the ska and punk scene doesn’t end there. Chris Demakes from Less Than Jake helped produce and arrange some of the music slated for the EP. Fellow LTJ member, Buddy Schaub also lends some trombone to the songs, as well as members of Streetlight Manifesto, Aaron West & the Roaring Twenties, and Keep Flying.
With so much talent included on this release, I can’t wait to hear the entire EP. Alas, wait I must. Thankfully, the band released their debut single today with a video. The song, “Animal,” is such a bopper. It has that ’90s third wave California vibe mixed with singable choruses and heartfelt melodic punk rock. It melds both worlds together in 3:20 of pop punk, ska perfection. It’s like Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, and The Menzingers all got together to jam.
If “Animal” is a sign of things to come for Title Holder, then we’re all in for a treat. Follow the band on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram so you don’t miss out on what the future holds for them.