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.
February was an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the type of music I cover in this column. So much so that I had to write separate reviews of the new albums from Hans Gruber and the Die Hards and New Found Glory. Some others, most notably the new Gogol Bordello, were omitted to lend some space to some lesser known bands. I had to make some hard decisions, but I’m excited to talk about the albums that made the final cut this month.
Ska
David Hillyard & The Rocksteady 7 – Home For Dinner
I’ve followed David Hillyard’s career since his days in Hepcat. While he’s most known as a member of my favorite band of all time, The Slackers, it’s always a treat when a new Rocksteady 7 album comes out. Home For Dinner is the collective’s most ambitious to date. Rooted in Jamaican ska and rocksteady rhythms, the group leans heavy into jazz, blues, big band, Brazilian, and Afro-Cuban beats. Hillyard is a true connoisseur of all types of music, and as the band leader of The Rocksteady 7, he shares that love and passion with all of us. The record is a treat for the ears and the mind.
Joe Ross – Mimicry
Most known as a member of The Pietasters and former member of The Players Band, Joe Ross has assembled an EP that showcases his immense talent . Each of the four tracks covers a different style of music, so it’s almost like a compilation album of his diverse interests. Up first is “Hold ‘Em All (Accountable),” a straight-up punk song filled with the spirit and energy of bands like Descendents, Black Flag, and Circle Jerks.
A soulful and uptempo ska revival track, “Cut It” is more in line with Ross’s work with The Pietasters. Rounding things out are an instrumental ska jazz track and a flute-forward jazz composition. If this is a sample of what Joe Ross does when he’s not working with other bands, I’m ready for the main course.
The Selectmen – POP! RIP …
Hailing from New Hampshire, The Selectmen make their recorded debut with POP! RIP… The band blends ska revival with classic rock and roll and a dash of soul thrown in for good measure. The EP has high-energy, uptempo ska songs that will make you want to sing along, move your feet, and have a great time on the dancefloor. If Moon Ska were still a thing, The Selectmen would be right at home on that label.
The Snouters – Snouts Up!
This band absolutely rips. The Snouters are an Italian ska punk band that sounds like they would be right at home on Hellcat Records. They’ve got that West Coast California punk vibe mixed with organ-driven ska. They sound like The Aggrolites and Catbite meet Rancid and The Interrupters. The music is catchy as hell and will get buried inside of your head for days at a time. Right now, “Sushi Cats” and the guitar solos on “Blobfish” are stuck inside my head. Keep an eye on this band. They’re going to be huge.
Punk
Flick Knives – Burn Down Start Again
When I listen to this EP from Flick Knives, I’m immediately reminded of Rancid’s Life Won’t Wait era. “High Street Girl” leads the way as my favorite offering on Burn Down Start Again. It’s got a catchy, anthemic chorus, upbeat melody, and ska punk guitar upstrokes. Other songs, like “Falling Down,” add some dirty Hammond organ to the mix for an extra element. The band is equal parts street punk, dirty reggae, ska punk, and rock. They’ve done a wonderful job blending all of these elements together. This is another band to keep your eyes on.
Joyce Manor – I Used To Go To This Bar
I don’t know why it took me so long to come around to Joyce Manor, but not that I have, I’m hooked, Their new album was produced by the legendary Brett Gurewitz, and he helped further cement the greatness that is Joyce Manor. Their brand of punk is smart, intricate, filled with hooks, and catchy as hell. They’ve captured the infectious melodies of power pop and injected the intelligence of melodic punk with I Used To Go To This Bar. Don’t be stubborn like I was. Start listening to Joyce Manor as soon as possible. “All My Friends Are So Depressed” might end the year as one of my favorite songs.
Stress Spells – Hearts Never Tire
Hearts Never Tire is as heavy as it is technical. Alternating between intricate guitar work and explosive breakdowns, Stress Spells lives in the space where raw emotion and controlled aggression meet. Think Rites of Spring meets The Dillinger Escape Plan with a dash of At The Drive In thrown in for good measure. If you like hardcore punk, post punk, or post hardcore, Stress Spells needs to be on your radar.
Other Junk
Black Viiolet – Dark Blue
Dark Blue is exactly why I created this category. The music gets stuck in your head but defies traditional labels. It’s definitely punk rock at heart, but this album is so much more. Black Viiolet is the smoky dive bar jazz singer alter ego of Nicole Laurenne. Trading in the garage for the jazz club, Laurenne draws similarities to the raspy, old-school soul stylings of Amy Winehouse. Layers of hip-hop, lounge, and R&B add to the mystique, making this an undeniably cool album.
One Outta Ten – Like You Never Left
An honest and earnest portrait of a relationship, Like You Never Left captures the euphoria of the beginning, the highs, the lows, the end, and the aftermath. One Outta Ten injects the journey with infectious melodies, earnest power pop lyrics, and indie rock hooks. I’m a huge sucker for bands that really put some thought into the way they track their album. This LA five-piece did a bang up job in that department.
As things get more complicated and heated, so do the songs. “Two of Cups” is airy and sweet, while there’s a little more chaos and complexity to the music on a song like “Empty Room With Ghost Inside.” Like You Never Left is a snapshot of time that just about everyone has experienced, and the extremely talented musicians of One Outta Ten bring it to life.
ghostbells – Catacouture
I’ll always be a sucker for music inspired by new wave, goth, industrial, and EDM. I enjoy hearing ghostly melodies that complement synth lines to create a haunted masterpiece that is hard to ignore. The songs on Catacouture are catchy and poppy enough to make you want to dance until the club closes down for the night. Even with the goth inspiration, at its heart ghostbells creates atmospheric dance music that hits you hard with nostalgia, but also stay firmly rooted with modern sensibilities.
Mike Van Eyes Big Band – Ain’t That Loving You, Baby
A master composer and band leader, Mike Van Eyes guides his big band expertly through multiple musical styles across Ain’t That Loving You, Baby. You’ll hear jazz, swing, rhythm and blues, and Rat Pack era lounge singing. Each song weaves a story for you could enjoy at home in your headphones, but the production feels optimized for a live setting. I was specifically surprised by “Hoe Down,” one of my all-time favorite Oliver Nelson pieces. What an absolute treat to hear Mike Van Eyes Big Band present their interpretation of the jazz classic.
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.