Welcome to “Ska, Punk, and Other Junk!” With this monthly column, I’ll highlight all of the cool things I discovered in the ska and punk scenes each month. And, because I listen to more than just those two genres, I highlight some other junk I discovered along the way too! (NOTE: Not actually junk. I just wanted to go with the rhyme). There’s so much cool music out there these days. This is my attempt to cover as much of it as possible.
Hopefully, you find your new favorite band – or at least some cool new tunes to enjoy.
I don’t know if you would consider this a trick or a treat, but this month’s column might just be the biggest “Ska, Punk, and Other Junk” to date. I really try to keep these as tight as possible, but everyone who released amazing music this month must have known spooky season is my favorite time of year. So, while reading about each featured band might be a trick for you, it was definitely a treat for me to write about them.
Here’s to finding something great to listen to, and here’s to not getting rocks in your pillowcase when you go trick-or-treating this year.
Happy Skalloween!
Ska
Atlas & Oracle – Greed and the American Dream
With Greed and the American Dream, power-pop ska collective Atlas & Oracle finishes up their 777 series. For the uninitiated, the goal was to create seven EPs, each with seven tracks. With this conclusion, we’ve hit the jackpot as the band created songs unlike that have come before it.
Atlas & Oracle has picked up the tempo and unleashed a bit more aggression than usual. Don’t worry, the musicality is still there, and the velvety smooth vocals you’d come to expect are also present. What’s new is a more ska-punk forward sound, as well as a lack of synth.
The group is trying new things with their music, and at this point, I’m pretty sure they could do anything, and it would sound good. They haven’t been shy about discussing politics and socioeconomic issues in their songs before. But this EP digs into those concerns more than on any previous release. You’ll hear tracks about the fallacy of the American Dream, the division between the Haves and Have-Nots, and a jazzy ska number about the greed that’s prevalent in our society.
At this point, I will listen to anything from Atlas & Oracle because they just continue to excel and top their previous releases. What a great band.
Barbicide – Songs About Heartbreak & Nazis
I first saw Mephiskapheles live in 1997 opening for GWAR. The entire time Meph was onstage, they faced an extremely hostile crowd who wanted them off the stage immediately so the Scumdogs of the Universe could come out and kill some things onstage. Through the boos, GWAR chants, and flying debris, the band played with a certain intensity. When the set was over, they made sure to give each and every member of the audience the two bird salute as the band walked off stage.
Founding Mephiskapheles members Brendog Tween and Mikal Reich bring that same attitude and passion to their new band, Barbicide. Their debut full-length is just as confrontational as you’d expect it to be coming from former members of a Satanic ska band.
Songs About Heartbreak & Nazis takes on topics like the rise of the alt-right neo-fascists, mental illness, capitalistic greed, and the inevitability of getting older. The songs on this album are equal parts passionate, irreverent, and theatrical. The drama comes thanks to the talents of Irena Hyena, whose grandiose and operatic singing voice blesses the album with its presence. The album has the cheeky vulgarity of Rocky Horror Picture Show and John Waters films, mixed with perfect musicianship.
The band demands your attention with this album. At times, you might hear some first-wave ska, but in a blink, it’ll shift to bratty punk rock with an “oi oi oi” chorus or guitar-forward ska punk. Another special treat for old heads like me: Songs About Heartbreak & Nazis includes horn work from the original Mephiskapheles horn line. They sound as good as ever. I can’t wait to hear what Barbicide has up their sleeves for the follow-up.
Eric Daino – Book of Spells
The ghosts and goblins throughout addressed Book of Spells are bigotry, police brutality, racism, transphobia, wealth inequality. Eric Daino opens the project with “The Black Wind Howls,” an instrumental track right up there with classic instrumentals from bands like Hepcat and The Slackers. It’s a great opener that set the mood for the rest of the album. Since the titular “Black Wind” delivers some severe wickedness, Daino quickly whips up “Protection Spell.” That up-tempo ska song pleads for help from the evils in the world so we can all live our best lives.
Daino keeps it going with “Q Tone Ska,” an organ-forward New Tone track about building community. The music switches to a more aggressive ska-punk and ska-core sound for “Hex the Police.” Daino shows off just how talented they are by showcasing mastery in just about every ska sub-genre. The subject matter for everything on this album is so important and so timely, especially with where America is headed.
I’ve been a fan of The Holophonics for a bit now, but this is my first time actually hearing an Eric Daino solo project. Whether they’re alone or sharing the stage with their band, Eric Daino is one of the talented musicians in ska today.
Half Dizzy – “The Faceless” featuring Vic Ruggiero
Until I heard this song, I was unfamiliar with Half Dizzy. One week, I’m going to see Vic Ruggiero play a local bar. Next thing I know, I’m getting fed ads about a new song featuring Vic from the Slackers. That song turn out to be “The Faceless.”
Half Dizzy is a five-piece ska-punk band that offers up solid production, anthemic choruses, and a healthy dose of grit. The song sounds like Rancid meets The Last Gang, but with way more upstrokes. Adding Vic Ruggiero on vocals just adds an even more diverse dynamic to their song. On the surface, the song can be enjoyed as a spooky track perfect for Halloween, but when you dig deeper, Half Dizzy has a lot to say about society.
Lo(u)ser – “If You Find Me” featuring Super Cassette
If you’ve followed Lo(u)ser’s musical output since his first release, “If You Find Me” shows noticeable maturation. Have no fear, it still feels like a Lo(u)ser song – all the way to the chiptune and Mario Brothers sound effects. This new tune sounds more Reggie and the Full Effect and Jeff Rosenstock than Super Gwario Kart. One thing that remains similar between the old and the new is Lo(u)ser always finds the best guest features. This time around, it’s Super Cassette, and they’re a perfect fit.
I really enjoy the growth on “If You Find Me.” It makes me eager to hear what Lo(u)ser has up their sleeves next. They’ve never put out a bad song, and I don’t expect them to anytime in the future.
Mega Infinity – Chaos Magick
When I heard Mega Infinity was working on some new ska tunes, I was immediately intrigued. Up until now, they’ve been one of those “skajacent” bands that have essentially been adopted by the ska community. With good reason too. Not only are Michi and Diglo great musicians, but they are tremendous supporters of the ska scene. They go to shows, promote ska bands to the masses, book shows, and invite bands onto their Twitch streams all the time. So, when Ska Punk International announced they were releasing Chaos Magick, I thought it was a perfect match.
Chaos Magick is ska like you’ve never heard it before. The tracks here are unique, but carry the spirit of the genre with them at all times. The EP consists of four tracks: Three originals and a ska punk cover of “You Oughta Know.” When it comes to covers, I want the band to make the original their own, and Mega Infinity definitely did.
For the three originals, the band enlisted assistance from labelmates Simple-Minded Symphony and Common Sense Kid. The title track is an earnest and endearing dedication to the scene. The idea is that all the support feels magical. Musically, there’s a nice juxtaposition of shoe-gazey ska upstrokes that escalate to a much heavier chorus.
The standout on the EP is “Dude Poisoning.” It has heavier guitar work throughout, which fits the topic of the song very well. The song features Michi being completely real about the misogyny and harassment they’ve experienced in life and in the music world. Their frustration and anger is pretty evident, especially when the song breaks from their normally melodically flowing voice to a desperate yell.
And it wouldn’t be a Mega Infinity track without some experimentation across multiple genres. Not only does Common Sense Kid share a few verses on the track, but they morph the track from heavier ska song into drum-and-bass tune. That playfulness adds additional dynamics and listener enjoyment to the entire project.
PWRUP – Just Devils
PWRUP’s full-length debut is going to become the measuring stick that future ska-core projects are measured against. It’s that good. Just Devils has absolute respect and love for the genre woven into each and every track. At times, you’ll be treated to a more melodic or psycho-ska sound, but that quickly shifts back to hardcore punk and metal. The breakdowns are brutal in the best way possible and fit in perfectly.
At first, the music punches you in the face with its power, and once you get back up from the mat, you get knocked down again by the subject matter. Songs cover the gamut of topics like wealth inequality, the politicization of taking care of each other during the pandemic, and perseverance in the face of everything that’s just going to shit around us.
If it wasn’t enough to just have PWRUP melt your face off, they invited some pretty big heavy hitters for features. Bands like The Best of the Worst, Dissidente, Voodoo Glow Skulls, and Death by Stereo lend a hand. To be completely honest, PWRUP probably didn’t need to add a bunch of guest stars for the album because they’re so talented on their own. But, I’m so glad they did. The tracks with featured guests add a brand new dynamic to the album.
This one is a special release. It will really elevate Ska Punk International as much as it will elevate PWRUP.
The Dirty Notion – False Starts and Broken Hearts
I live in the same vicinity as The Dirty Notion, so I’ve had the pleasure of watching them live and listening to their music since their inception. So when I heard a new was on the way after a five-year hiatus, I got extremely excited. With all the Detroit Metro area bands that lean more towards traditional ska, rocksteady, and reggae, The Dirty Notion doesn’t get the attention they deserve.
That should change with False Stars and Broken Hearts. There’s a desperate and raw honesty in lead singer Scott Vesey’s vocals. He’s not afraid to open up and just really pour out his soul. This is especially prevalent on songs like “Tore My Heart Out,” and “Stay Away.”
If you’re a fan of the more traditional side of the ska and rocksteady spectrum, this record is a must-listen. To be quite honest, I now put Vesey and his band up there with the likes of Jesse Wagner and The Aggrolites, as well as Obi Fernandez and Westbound Train. I’ll always be a fan of songs like “Gone” and “Two Whiskeys,” but I’m really digging the more dialed back and intimate feel the band has on the new album. False Starts and Broken Hearts shows a real growth in The Dirty Notion as a band. I just hope there isn’t a five-year gap before the next one.
The Kilograms – “Who Am I”
One of the biggest ska fans in the United States goes by the name Michelle Ska. Michelle lives in Maui, and due to the wildfires, her life has been turned upside down. Members of the ska community have banded together to offer as much support as possible, including a new compilation of music from a veritable who’s who in the ska scene today. With all compilations, you’ll always find one or two bands you weren’t familiar with before. On the Black Sand Relief comp, that band for me is The Kilograms.
As it turns out, The Kilograms is the new project from Joe Gittleman, of Bosstones and Avoid One Thing fame, and Sammy Kay. Their first effort is “Who Am I,” and if this is a taste of things to come, we’re in for a treat. The song is filled with soul, heart, and melody. Kay is the perfect counterpart for Gittleman, with his raspy and gruff voice being one of the best in the folk and punk scenes today. He’s right up there with the likes of Chuck Ragan, Tim Barry, and Mike Ness. His voice is a character with a story to tell, and I can’t wait for him to tell more stories with The Kilograms soon.
Punk
Dollar Signs – Legend Tripping
Legend Tripping finds Dollar Signs at their best. It’s punk rock, but so much more. Honestly, it’s the band’s most ambitious project to date, and they fucking killed it.
The album was written and recorded during COVID times, but it’s not a COVID record. It’s filled with history, folktales, horror, and the feeling you get when you visit your hometown as an adult and try to reconcile what it is now vs. what it was then. Musically, Dollar Signs leaned into new sound inspirations like ’70s rock and hardcore instead of 100% fast, melodic punk anthems.
Two highlights for me on Legend Tripping are “Fight or Flight” and “Old Time’s Sake.” With “Fight or Flight,” lead singer Erik Button sings about the hidden vs. outwardly visible presentation about ones beliefs. Musically, the song is fast, aggressive, and anthemic. Lyrically, it’s about a more progressive person living in the South who often bites his tongue instead of confronting misinformation and ignorance. The words also touch on how easy it is to get sucked into the hatred and become an active participant. It’s a perfect representation of how divided our country is these days and how none of us really trust each other anymore.
“Old Times’ Sake” tells the tale of that one friend we all have who never left town. The person who didn’t fit in and rebelled against the status quo. Like Eddie Munson from Stranger Things, he refused to bend to the city’s will and remained himself, for better or worse. There’s no glitz or glamour with the song: Just a great story. It’s a mid-tempo pop punk song with trumpet accents and a chorus that I can’t wait to sing back to the band when I finally get to see them live.
What also makes this album special is that it was 100% independent. Dollar Signs left their label, created a Kickstarter campaign, and made the album they wanted to make the way they wanted to make it. If that’s not punk rock, I don’t know what is.
Doom Scroll – Pyrrhic Victory
I’m a sucker for acoustic folk-punk, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. The crustier and gruffer the better, if you ask me. It always feels weird when I say something good came out of the pandemic, but in this instance, it’s true. When touring was shut down and everyone was hanging out in their houses, some folks were productive with their time. In Doom Scroll’s case, the productive thing they did was record a debut album and keep existing. And, to be quite honest, without that pause in the band’s day-to-day livelihood, I’m not so sure Doom Scroll would even exist.
Pyrrhic Victory is the 4-track EP follow-up to 2021’s Immoral Compass. That ’21 full-length was an enjoyable listen, but the band’s new EP is light years ahead in terms of production values and the overall song quality. The band sounds tighter and the music sounds more urgent. The guitar work whirs at a faster tempo that shows off the band’s musicality. “Automanic” is the standout for me here with very pro-independent and pro-freedom message. Accompanied by gang vocals and acoustic instruments, the song will get many people mobilized to think for themselves.
Now that the pandemic is “over,” I’m concerned the members of Doom Scroll will start drifting to their new bands. I hope not. In fact, to be completely honest, after hearing this EP, I’m ready for a new full-length already.
Floor Space – Maybe This Is It
Blending modern pop-punk, 2000s emo, and a harder-edged alt rock sound, Floor Space created a 30-minute story about growing up. Maybe This Is It never lets up, instead expecting the listener to be an active participant and join in on the fun. It’s an extremely honest album with songs about sabotaging yourself, self-deprecation, politics, and escapism.
“Easier” has an awesome section where it almost sounds like the Imperial March from Star Wars. I can just picture Storm Troopers walking through the Death Star to that tune pretty easily. Another title that sticks out to me is “Smile While It’s Ending” because of my past as a Catholic school kid. The other songs on the album are just as catchy.
Maybe This Is It feels more genuine than previous releases because lead singer Charlie Bruno’s lyrics display more honesty than in the past. If you’re a fan of bands like Sugarcult, The Menzingers, and Green Day, than Floor Space should be added to your pile of music to listen to immediately.
Skinny Lister – Shanty Punk
As titles go, Shanty Punk perfectly describes what you’re going to get on Skinny Lister’s latest gem. In fact, the album starts off with a sea shanty, signaling to the listener that it’s time to get to work. From there, the music dives right into the band’s folk-infused Celtic punk sound.
Each song on the album is one you’d hear in a pub with all your friends, shouting back the singable and catchy choruses to the band. Songs like “Unto the Breach” honestly sounds exactly like you’re in a live setting. There are plenty of call and response moments from Max and up-tempo fun as he winds up the crowd.
I really enjoy how Skinny Lister uses the upright bass. Scott Milsom is extremely talented – a stoic presence on stage that exudes cool. The album finds a way to let each bandmember shine. On “Mantra,” Lorna takes over lead vocals and belts out a country song that would make folks at the Grand Ole Opry smile.
Shanty Punk features up-tempo anthemic punk songs as well. “Down on the Barrier” equates music venues to churches as concertgoers attending church service to confess their sins and share in holy communion. I completely relate to this idea because I’m not at peace without music. Thankfully, I have albums like Shanty Punk to help me worship. The Gospel According to Skinny Lister is one of fun, solidarity, hard work, and living life to its fullest so you can pass your story along to others.
Structure Sounds – Light Up Your Sorrow
It seems like the world is in a very dark place right now. People are hurting and folks are looking for a sense of relief – a light at the end of the tunnel if you will. That basic premise permeates through most of the songs on Light Up Your Sorrow, the debut album from Rhode Island melodic punks Structure Sounds.
While I’m not naive enough to believe a 30-minute punk record will save the world, the message of this album just might. In a way, the songs all focus on the idea of starting over with fresh perspectives. It’s a source of light in a very dark tunnel.
Musically, Structure Sounds hits the listener immediately with grandiose, melodic hooks. They’re grounded in high energy punk rock, but you definitely hear other influences as well. Mostly, I hear power-pop, Americana, and blues as a secondary source of melody. All of these genres play so well together, and the band does an amazing job using all of them to form a full, mature sound.
If you enjoy listening to bands like MXPX, Red City Radio, The Copyright, and Frank Turner, you’ll really enjoy Structure Sounds. Light Up Your Sorrows is one of those albums you wouldn’t believe is a debut unless someone told you. That just means we’re really going to be spoiled when the band releases its sophomore album.
Teenage Halloween – Till You Return
The music grabs you right when Till You Return begins and doesn’t really let you go as Teenage Halloween blazes through its sophomore release. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The one-two punch of “Supertrans” and “Takeaway” opening the album helps set the tone. The former focuses on respecting gender identity, while the latter wishes for the strength to take control of one’s own destiny. Both songs are loud, aggressive, and passionate: They demand to be heard, and they deserve it.
Teenage Halloween isn’t afraid to voice their stance on any topic. They’ve found the formula to use their powerful and soaring punk arrangements to make you thing about important topics. For instance, the lyrics focus on mental health, feelings of isolation, the queer experience in America, bad actors in the music industry, and how state government isn’t really there to support its people.
The band does more than just point out problems in America. Instead, they push for answers while seeking community, healthy well-being, and better days. There’s a layer of hope injected into the angst-ridden vocals. Till You Return shows refreshing vulnerability, and I hope it helps people open up to themselves and their community.
Other Junk
Brain Weasels – Always On My Mind
Listening to Always On My Mind is like having a 20-minute therapy session. Brain Weasels offer up six tracks intended to help the listener not feel alone. Sometimes, just hearing a song you can relate to and empathize with can get people out of their funk. Then again, the path to better health isn’t always linear or an open-and-shut case. Sometimes, we’re all just a “Work in Progress,” as the song suggests.
Musically, most of this EP’s songs leans more in the realm of singer/songwriter, with a dash of acoustic folk. They give off an intimate coffee shop vibe, as if the band is singing to me and me alone. Even though Brain Weasels is a relatively new band, they sound like seasoned pros.
Like an onion, Always On My Mind has layers, and part of the fun is peeling each of them back to discover what these songs really mean to you. Even when touching on challenging topics, it feels like the duo knows just what to say to help out. Their lyrics are calm, clever, and humorous with a dash of punk sensibility. I can see this EP becoming a regular part of my self-care routine.
LATEWAVES – S/T
I really enjoy The Movielife, so I was intrigued to learn Vinnie Caruna produced LATEWAVES’S self-titled release. This is a three-piece rock act with catchy power-pop hooks and great sing-a-longs, but they play more than power chords.
A song like “Frog” offers up some pretty intricate guitar work and tempo changes. The songs are fun, catchy, and addictive. Latewaves isn’t afraid to slow things down a bit either, as “Pink Cloud” serves as a more subdued and innocent track.
While there appears to be doses of experimentation throughout the album, the band is perfectly fine with being a riff-heavy, angsty rock group. They have the sound to fill arenas, so it’s only a matter of time before they “make” it. Hey, if Blink-182 can fill a bunch of stadiums, then LATEWAVES is on the right path to get to that point one of these days.
To give you a hint on what they sound like, think Hot Water Music meets Menzingers meets Jimmy Eat World. Tons of melody, riffs, and lyrics that toe the line between self-deprecation, sincerity, humor, and hope.
Mega Ran – Buddy’s Magic Toy Box
Up until now, I’ve always thought video games, nerd-core, and chiptune when someone mentions Mega Ran. He found his niche, and he stuck with it. As a proud geek, I’ve always enjoyed Mega Ran’s music because of the Easter Eggs and references only gamers would recognize. But with his new album, Mega Ran has taken a complete 180.
Mega Ran used his experience as a father to influence the music of Buddy’s Magic Toy Box. It’s not one of those cheesy kid’s albums that parent dread as soon as it comes on. Instead, this a kaleidoscopic adventure proves you don’t need to dumb down your music to make an album for kids. He delivers plenty of boom-bap rap, reggae, ska, funk, and Latin influences throughout the album.
It’s an album that parents and children can enjoy together – or separately if I’m being honest. I’m not ashamed to say I was bumping this one in my car without my kids. Each track is filled with joy and fun, and they make you want to dance (or at least bop your head). The subject matter also isn’t dumbed down, as each song had a lesson or shared some important information about a pressing topc.
Mega Ran took things up to another level with Buddy’s Magic Toy Box. Not only is he making fun hip-hop for families, the happiness he feels shines through immediately.
If you want me to listen to your ska, punk, or other junk, please feel free to contact me here. You might just see yourself in a future column!