Hailing from New Jersey, Joker’s Republic is a ska punk power trio on the verge of breaking out. After listening to their latest album, Necessary Evil, the thought of them being stars kept popping in my head a lot. Honestly, if we were in 1996 or 1997 in the middle of the Third Wave Explosion right now, they’d be snatched up by a major label in a heartbeat. They’re that good.
Necessary Evil is ten tracks of melodic ska punk fury.
More punk than ska, but the ratios work well here. On the ska side of things, I’m hearing Goldfinger and Less Than Jake as primary influences. Regarding their punk leanings, Joker’s Republic veers more towards the melodic pop punk side of the spectrum, which marries so well with their brand of ska. You’ll hear hints of Blink 182, MxPx, Green Day, Bad Religion, The Offspring, and Green Day. The band masterfully blends both genres into an album filled with melodic ska punk anthems about society, relationships, mental health, and politics.
When compared to their previous full-length, Falling Behind, it’s almost like a different band recorded each album.
There is a tremendous amount of growth exhibited on Joker Republic’s new album. Everything just sounds more clean and dynamic this time around. The songwriting was always top notch, but the way the songs are put together this time around makes for a very engaging listening experience. Another reason the band feels like they’ve reached that next level is because of who was behind the glass.
Having a producer so well-versed in the type of music Joker’s Republic creates is just another reason why this album is just so good. They enlisted the talents of Roger Lima, most known for his work in Less Than Jake and Rehasher. He’s also recorded and produced bands like The Suicide Machines as well. As an aside, Roger is quickly becoming my favorite producer in the independent music scene today solely based on his work on this album and on The Suicide Machines.
There’s just so much going on for this album for it not to be good – songcraft and producer.
Hell, Lima even brought Less Than Jake trombone player Buddy Schaub along for the ride. He plays the trombone on one of the standout tracks on the album. The song in question is “Necessary Evil.” It’s a ska-heavy track that is enhanced further by Buddy’s powerful horn blasts. Lyrically, the song goes into some heavy territory. The premise is musicians are writing similar songs because the world is a sad place. They’d love to write happy songs, or sing them with a smile, but our surroundings don’t necessarily allow that.
Another standout for me is “Politics STILL Belong in Punk Rock,” a direct follow-up from their previous album. It’s a blistering call to arms and a condemnation of racists, bigots, homophobes, transphobes, and other vile members of society. It’s a manifesto of sorts; pleading for human rights for all.
Whether you’re a younger punk fan, or an older hat like me, there’s something for you here.
Even in my 40s, I can relate to songs like “Woe is Me” and “Anxiety (Getting In My Own Head)” because I deal with issues brought up with both songs on almost a daily basis. Hearing songs you can relate to makes it easier to cope I think. That’s because it helps you realize you aren’t alone. Plus, a sign of true talent is when a band can touch on such deep topics, and make their songs catchy as hell in the process. Joker’s Republic does that in spades.
If you miss the ska-boom days and are sad most of the bands back then dropped the horns and went emo as soon as the trend died out, Joker’s Republic will fill that hole. I wouldn’t call them a nostalgia act though. They are firmly in the modern ska sensibilities where bands combine amazing musicianship with important lyrics. It’s an album that gets you thinking. It also gets you bobbing your head and dancing because it’s also a really fun listen as well.