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. Since I listen to more than just those two genres, I also 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.
Before we get into this month’s column, there’s a little housekeeping to attend to. This will be my last Ska, Punk, and Other Junk column of the year. I devote my listening and writing time in December to look back at all the music I heard since January so I can write my “Best of the Year” column. If any new music pops up in December that blows my mind, then expect something in the first column of 2026. Here’s my year end wrap up from last year. Check back next month to see if The Boy Detective can become the first band to take the top spot in two back-to-back year-end columns.
Ska
Arcade Allstars – Destined 4 Disaster
Ontario’s Arcade Allstars have come a long way since forming in the late stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. While they’ve previously released singles and an EP, Destined 4 Disaster is their first proper full-length. There’s plenty of catchy and danceable ska music here. Musically, their horn section gives them a big sound filled with energy, but what sets Arcade Allstars apart is their use of synth and keys. At times, it reminds me of RX Bandits meets Nerf Herder in the best possible ways.
Detroit Riddim Crew – Live at Cliff Bells
Stepping into Detroit’s Cliff Bells is like stepping back in time. Going strong since the ’30s, it’s one of the premiere jazz clubs in the city, rivaling many New York hot spots. When Detroit Riddim Crew got the honor of playing at the club over the summer, I was bummed I couldn’t make it. To my joy, their session was recorded so that everyone can hear it.
The band’s love for Jamaican music and Detroit shines through on each song. Between the smooth rocksteady, reggae, and ska floating throughout the album sits a one-two sax / organ punch that takes the performance to an entirely new level. The sax solos soar through the air with improvised fury, while the organ is equal parts Sunday service and after-hours speakeasy.
Foolish Relics – “Christmas in Hollis”
‘Tis the season for Christmas music, and I love to discover new covers of Christmas classics. “Christmas in Hollis” might just be one of my favorite seasonal tracks, and this time, the part of RUN DMC is played by Florida’s own Foolish Relics. The band does a great job of maintaining the spirit of the song while also making it their own. To be honest, I’m surprised I haven’t heard a ska cover of it before this year.
Girth Control – What Got You Stoked in the First Place?
In August 2015, a ska punk band from upstate New York played a basement show. It was recorded, and the rest was history. That recording became Girth Control’s What Got You Stoked in the First Place. While it’s an amazing job of capturing the band’s energy, the beginning days of Girth Control deserved more than a live recording of a basement show. Fast forward ten years, the band entered the studio to give fans the recordings these songs deserved. This is essential listening for ska punk fans.
The Autocratics – No Time To Waste!
As you get older, it becomes easier to go through the motions and settle. Instead of putting in the effort to continuously seek out new (and new to you) music, you become complacent. Discovering a band like The Autocratics is one of the main reasons I write this column. Their new album, No Time To Waste! is a love letter to 2-Tone with a modern spin. The band’s raw energy pays tribute to the ’70s and ’80s UK ska scene, but their sound is firmly planted in the 21st century.
The Boy Detective – Disco Lunch
With their last album landing on the top spot of my year-end wrap-up, there’s a little bit of pressure on Disco Lunch to repeat. The band has grown immensely in the past year. This time around, The Boy Detective enlisted the talents of Roger Lima (Less Than Jake) to help them with their follow-up. The songs on Disco Lunch are tighter, more ambitious, and absolute earworms. They also do an amazing job of capturing the passion and energy of a Boy Detective live show.
The songs are instantly relatable to anyone who’s struggled with the implications and side effects of getting older. There’s also a healthy dose of mental health awareness and relationship woes. It’s as if Taking Back Sunday and New Found Glory were a ska band with hardcore breakdowns, a powerful horn section, and some machine gun drumming. The song “TANGC” might be The Boy Detective’s at their angriest. I wasn’t expecting to hear an indictment of law enforcement from them, but it’s epic and includes one hell of a sing-a-long for the live show.
The Chains – “Don’t Believe in Christmas”
One more bit of holiday cheer to spread this month. The Chains take the classic ’60s garage rock hit, “Don’t Believe in Christmas,” and transforms it into a new animal. It keeps the raw energy of the original while adding in some Aggrolites-esque keys and some more traditional Jamaican sounds. Fun one to add to your holiday playlists this season.
The Slackers – Money Is King
Any year with a new release from The Slackers is a good year indeed. The new EP might be the most political release they’ve had since International War Criminal. The title track even shares a bit of the same drum cadences as “International War Criminal” if you listen carefully. Each track on the EP really deserves a close examination. Different members of the band wrote each song between the pandemic days into our current political climate. In true Slackers fashion, they’re inspired by more than just one genre of music. Each song is a masterpiece, but “Hold On” continues to pop into my head because of its message about mental health and leaning on friends and family to help you though the dark days.
Westbound Train – Sing The Ghost Away
I don’t think Westbound Train gets the love and attention they deserve. If some of your favorite bands include the likes of The Slackers, Hepcat, The Aggrolites, The Pietasters, and some Motown, Westbound Train should be up there with your favorite bands. With Sing The Ghost Away, lead singer Obi Fernandez further cements himself as one of the most soulful frontmen in the scene today. His voice has a certain Otis Redding quality, especially when he belts along with the intricate musical arrangements.
Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra – Fire And Water
WST Ska Orchestra works from a strong foundation of ska, rocksteady, big band, swing, and jazz. You can enjoy the music created by that marriage of powerful genres when you need some background music, all the way up to going to a glitzy art deco jazz club for dancing and revelry. Just like any good jazz album, each song gives members of the band time to shine with a solo feature.
Punk
Half Dizzy – “Yard Sale”
A month before the release of their full-length, Yard Sale, Half Dizzy released the album’s title track. “Yard Sale” is a powerful punk rock anthem with an important message. The lyrics shine a light on societal apathy and then encourages resistance through lending a helping hand to those in need. The band uses their disgust in the world to sound a rallying cry. They urge people to actually give a shit instead of turning a blind eye to the injustices that happen every single day in our society. It’s a much-needed reminder that, in order to progress, we need to work together and become a community.
Resistors – Death Rattles From The Failing Republic
Hailing from Detroit, Resistors continues the tradition of blistering punk rock bands that represent the Motor City. On this five-track EP, Resistors chronicle what they see as the beginning of the end of the U.S. as we know it. Musically, they’re on the more melodic side of the fence. Think Bad Religion, No Use For a Name, Face To Face, early Propagandhi, and Russ Rankin. They aren’t afraid to pick up the tempo and belt out a fast skate punk song like “While You Watched.”
The Brokedowns – Let’s Tip The Landlord
Dripping with cynicism, sarcasm, and biting satire, Let’s Tip The Landlord is a scathing critique on topics like billionaires, social media influencers, and more of society’s ills. This Chicago band shines a bright light on the dirty and disgusting parts of our lives that we keep in the shadows. With the gravel-filled tone of Kris Megyery’s vocals and the distorted urgency created by the other instruments in the band, The Brokedowns fit right into what makes Chicago punk rock so good. If you like Dillinger Four and Off With Their Heads, The Brokedowns are right up your alley.
84 Days – Self-Titled
As the story goes, Pennywise bassist Randy Bradbury wrote some songs that didn’t quite fit that Pennywise mold. He sent them over to frequent Pennywise collaborator (and Grammy Award-winning producer) Cameron Webb for his thoughts. Webb liked them so much, he told Bradbury they needed to be recorded and that he would help. From there, Webb got Adrian Young (No Doubt) and Warren Fitzgerald (The Vandals) involved, and they were off to the races.
The fruits of their labor is the self-titled 84 Days, an album that is more Social Distortion than it is Pennywise. There’s definitely a punked-up rock and roll feel to most of the songs on the album, which goes perfectly with the stories Bradbury tells with his lyrics. While it is filled with the anti-authority sensibilities of Pennywise’s music, 84 Days takes it a step further. The music compels you seize the day and live your best life. In this dark timeline, that message resonates to much to me.
Other Junk
Aesop Rock – I Heard It’s A Mess There Too
What’s better than one new Aesop Rock album in 2025? How about a surprise second album getting released with little to no warning? The Long Island MC dropped I Heard It’s A Mess There Too via free download and unlisted YouTube video before adding it to the streaming services.
Whereas Aesop Rock’s first album of 2025 was filled with more complex production and layered beats, this album is much more stripped down. Focusing on simpler, and more grounded production, he puts a higher emphasis on the lyrics and flow of each track. There’s nothing flashy about the production: At times, it slips into a gritty boom-bap, and at others, it’s more whimsical. If I had to only pick one Aesop Rock album for 2025, I’m leaning heavily toward this one.
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! You can also reach out to me on Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, and Facebook.