Album Review: Ordinary Life by We Are The Union (by Brett Coomer)

We Are The Union released Self Care in 2018 and it turned out to be one of my favourite albums of that year. It felt like a new era for the band was being ushered in with Jer Hunter, of Skatune Network fame, joining the lineup and the band’s sound shifting away from the pop-punk sound of previous releases and embracing their ska side more. Even though I described them as fun, the songs on Self Care felt a bit darker and focused on more serious subject matter like anxiety, depression and despondency at the state of the world. For me, it was a perfect album for the time and I’ve regretted missing out on the vinyl of Self Care ever since.

Fast forward to 2021, We Are The Union are back with Ordinary Life and it’s one of my favourite albums of the year once again. Ordinary Life feels like a natural step forward for We Are The Union, diversifying their sound further but without straying too far away from the realm of third-wave ska and punk that has kept fans happy for years.

For those who are unfamiliar with We Are The Union or who have not kept up with the news within the punk scene, just a few weeks before the release of this album lead singer Reade Walcott publicly came out as a trans woman and it is pretty clear that Ordinary Life serves as an exploration and introspective look at Reade’s journey and reconciliation with her identity.

The struggle with transformation and acceptance is a fairly consistent theme and songs like ‘Morbid Obsessions’, ‘Broken Brain’ and ‘Big River’ carry a message that expresses the difficulty of change and the restless thoughts that accompany it. Even songs that focus on other topics, such as the breakdown of a relationship in the guitar driven ‘Short Circuit’ and ‘Everything Alone’, or substance abuse in ‘Wasted’, are underpinned by themes of grappling with acceptance and feeling isolated in the wake of transformational life choices.

The two most recent singles are great choices and show off the band’s pop-sensibilities but with a good dose of upstrokes and horns to make them skankable in all but the “punkest” of crowds. ‘Make It Easy’ tells the classic story of the awkward pursuit of new love and ‘Boys Will Be Girls’ doesn’t hold back with a clear message against the “tiny brains” and “ugly outlook” of prejudiced people. The latter has an especially catchy melody and chorus that does its best to make you want to dance and sing along and is one of the best songs on Ordinary Life.

Sonically the album is full of catchy choruses, big horn sections and great melodies. Songs like ‘Pasadena’, ‘Morbid Obsessions’ and ‘Ordinary Life’ would settle nicely in a setlist featuring favourites like ‘MTV Is Over If You Want It’ and ‘I Am Like John Cusack’, and I can easily imagine them being sung back at the band in a venue full of fans (post-COVID dreams are real).

The last song, ‘December’, feels like a self-addressed letter or diary entry from Reade saying goodbye to her old self with lyrics like “you’ll be dead in December, there can’t be two of us forever”, and not only accepting but embracing herself as “anything but ordinary”. It is a perfect way to complete the album.

Rather than thinking of Ordinary Life and the subject matter conveyed through the songs as depressing or dark, I find that through listening to the album I’m able to find joy in the sense of freedom that comes with self-acceptance and the celebration of living life as your true self. Ordinary Life takes the pop-punk-ska formula we’ve all come to enjoy from the band, further reinforced by great horns, and adds some elements of power-pop to create a memorable album with some catchy choruses that will get stuck in your head for days. For me, this is the best version of We Are The Union we’ve heard up until now and I can’t wait to hear and see what comes next.

Stream and download Ordinary Life on Bandcamp here.

Like We Are The Union on Facebook here.

This review was written by Brett Coomer.

Album Review: I Can't Take It Anymore by Joystick!

In a year of many disappointments, an undoubted bright spot has been the massive resurgence in the ska punk scene in the USA. You will know by now that California’s Bad Time Records (co-released with Stomp Records in Canada) have been at the forefront this surge in popularity for the genre by releasing banger after banger. Perhaps my favourite of their 2021 releases so far has been I Can’t Take It Anymore by the New Orleans based eight piece Joystick! The band have been around for over a decade now, releasing their first album back in 2010. I Can’t Take It Anymore is their fourth and it has really pushed the band into a bigger spotlight than ever before.

Before I go into my unnecessarily detailed review here is, the patron saint of the UK ska punk scene, Paul Smith’s review:

“Retcon is my favourite skacore song. Rinse & Repeat is my favourite overcoming addiction song. Parallelograms is my favourite ska punk song.”

“PS 12 other good songs too.”

Thanks for your help, Paul.

The fifteen track album begins with Retcon. This opener really sets the thematic tone for the entire album. It’s about lead singer Paul ‘Duck’ Tucker’s recovery from addiction. Retcon specifically talks about looking to the future, trying to remember that you “won’t be defined by your history.” This is a high energy beginning to the album that flits between fun ska and high octane punk rock. Following on is Detonate which is another high octane song which sees Joystick move into skacore territory. Detonate blasts (sorry) through its first half with Duck spitting out some quick fire lyrics. This song will certainly get some wild circle pits going when it’s played live. The band gives Duck a bit of a break with the addition of the horn section and a change in melody which sees them almost fall into a chant-like moment. Damage Boost sees Duck using Joystick’s platform to offer help to anyone who has been through what they’ve been through. During the track, Duck lets the listener know that they’ve been through the same things that they have and assures them they’re not alone. I really love how Joystick have used their platform here.

The fourth song, Rinse And Repeat, is one of my favourite ska punk songs of the year. It’s one that grabs your ear from the first listen with its upbeat nature and super positive chorus. On the song, Duck sings about being new and improved, and although there are hard days they know they are in a much better place. I often mention catharsis when reviewing albums and this song can easily be placed into the box of cathartic bangers. (Side note: cathartic bangers is such a great idea for a playlist). Gggghost is the first song on the album that really puts a big focus on Joystick’s brass section. Josh Bourgeois (trombone), Justin Mcdowell (tenor sax), Garrett Corripio (trumpet) and Andrew Heaton (trombone) open the song in a dramatic fashion. I really enjoy the contrasting style of the song. Duck’s vocals are raspy and intense but the horns give the track a lighter, sunnier feel. They are also used to tremendous effect in the breakdown, giving the song a huge feel. Gggghost is about shutting out the ghosts from your past and moving on with your life. Parallelograms was an immediate stand out when I first listened to I Can’t Take It Anymore. It’s an upbeat ska punk song that is packed full of undeniable energy, beginning with some more excellent horns that quickly put a smile on my face before Duck comes in with some quickly delivered vocals. The song tells a story about someone who is seemingly living a double life. One life paints a picture of a happy go lucky soul without a care in the world and the other is one of someone battling a drug addiction. The life spent battling addiction is kept secret from their other life and sadly ends fatally. The song follows that long standing ska punk tradition of sounding super happy but when you look deeper into the song it’s actually really sad. Duck’s lyrics on this track are superb.

No Sleep After Brooklyn is an instrumental track that throws us back to the early days of ska. This really allows Joystick to show off just what a talented bunch of musicians they are. They can play highly energetic ska punk songs just as well as they can play an homage to some more traditional ska. The eighth song, 7675, sees the band joined by fellow New Orleans musician Zach Quinn of Pears and Bandaid Brigade. As you might imagine in a song featuring the lead singer from Pears, the track is a fast one. What a contrast this is from the previous track, really showcasing the band’s ability to mix up styles. After the relaxing chill out vibe of the previous song we’re now back in the chaos. I don’t think the album really needed such an injection of energy at this moment but I found myself lost in it anyway. My highlight of the song is how Duck and Zach interchange vocals seemingly along with exchanging harmonies on occasion as well. Carrot And Stick begins with a really summery reggae feel to it. It’s one you can have a gentle sway to whilst crooning with Duck. We reach the halfway point of the song and the band crank things up to give the song a big finale. This song could have so easily been the album’s closer with such an epic ending but we’ve still got six songs left to go!

Unscene is a fast hardcore track that addresses that one idiot that appears in every scene. We’ve all seen the guy who is super macho and, rather than coming out to enjoy the music and the community, just looks to drink and get into fights. This person is not a part of the scene or community and just ruins things for everyone else. I love that Joystick address this on the album. This macho behaviour is one that needs to be eradicated from the punk and ska scene – the sooner, the better. Semicolon is another instrumental song. It’s a largely piano based song that really serves as an extended introduction to the next song, Past Tense. The horns at the start of the song, after that long introduction, immediately make the song feel massive and give me high expectations for what is to come. It’s a slower song than anything so far on I Can’t Take It Anymore and perhaps the most emotional as well. I think the song is about trying to fix past relationships that have been damaged by your addictions. This is a song that will garner huge sing-alongs when Joystick get to play it live. Much like Carrot And Stick, Past Tense also feels like it could be the album closer but we still have three songs to go!!

Track thirteen is titled Shots. It’s just twenty-nine seconds long and absolutely flies by in a ferocious manner. Shots is about being given more chances after you’ve messed up and being thankful for those opportunities. This is posi-hardcore at its absolute finest and is an important reminder that you shouldn’t shut people out who are going through difficult times and need your support. The penultimate song is Worm Food. Worm Food is perhaps the most unique sounding track on the album. It’s begins seriously stripped back with an acoustic guitar and some whispering getting things going. There are some teases of the full band coming in but for the most part we stay with the acoustic sound as Duck sings about thinking too much about death. This is one of the most cheerful songs about death that I’ve ever heard for sure and maybe one of the most enjoyable. The fifteenth and final song is the album’s title track, I Can’t Take It Anymore. What an amazing and positive way to finish the album. And not just to finish an album, as I suspect that this will now become the traditional set closer for the band’s live sets. This is probably the poppiest song on the album but that’s a great thing. For me the best pop music is super positive and puts a smile on my face and that’s exactly what this song does. It’s about conquering your demons and working on self improvement. This is another song that could easily find a home in the cathartic bangers playlist I decided I should make earlier. The song is written for huge sing-alongs and I personally can imagine this being absolutely epic played in the New Cross Inn in front of a big crowd. That’s got to be a thing that happens as soon as it’s possible. This is the perfect way to end an incredible album.

I Can’t Take It Anymore is not just a brilliant album, it’s also a really brave and important album due to its themes and content. Not only will people enjoy dancing and singing along with it, I imagine that it will also offer help and support to people. Bravo Joystick!

Stream and download I Can’t Take It Anymore on Bandcamp here.

Like Joystick! on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Wavebreaker #1 by Less Than Jake & Kill Lincoln

One of the very best things that has happened in the past eighteen months is the apparent re-emergence of ska punk. A huge part of this has involved California’s Bad Time Records who have released amazing records from Kill Lincoln, We Are The Union, Best Of The Worst, Joystick and more, as well as working on the amazing Ska Against Racism compilation with the legendary Asian Man Records. Bad Time Records work hard in showcasing new bands and proving that the ska punk scene is more than just the big three from the 90s. In June they announced a new split series which will feature a legendary band and a newer one. When I first saw this I thought this was a fantastic idea as the legendary band will grab the attention and will, in theory, get the listener to also check out the new band. The split series is titled Wavebreaker and the first release features a song each from Less Than Jake and Kill Lincoln. What an amazing combination of upbeat and energetic ska punk bands! I couldn’t wait to listen to this.

Gainesville legends Less Than Jake start the split with their track Need Some Shaking. What really struck me about the track on my first listen was the high tempo that kicks the song off. The song really has an old school Less Than Jake style to it but bass player Roger’s slick production also manages to keep the track sounding like it would fit nicely on the band’s newest full length, Silver Linings. In my opinion, LTJ are at their best when co-vocalists Chris and Roger share singing duties on their songs. On Need Some Shaking Chris does a magnificent job on the high tempo verses and Roger’s choruses will get a whole load of people singing along. The track is about not becoming stale and predictable and taking chances in your life. In all honesty, I really enjoyed Silver Linings but I’m not quite sure why they didn’t include this song on the album as, for me, it’s one of the best songs the band have released in a while.

Kill Lincoln’s effort for Making Waves is titled Going Under. I’ve become a big Kill Lincoln fan over the past year, following the release of Can’t Complain, and am itching to see them live. For me, they write songs that are begging to be played live to a room packed with people, skanking themselves into an energetic frenzy. Hopefully I can be a part of this at Fest in October. Something that really attracted me to Kill Lincoln was the energy their horn section adds to their songs so I was very pleased to hear them open the track. From there we move to a more stripped back sounding verse. It feels a bit weird to call it stripped back as there is a lot going on but there’s a lot of subtlety to it that creates a really interesting sound. The sound of the song does become fuller during the chorus and after the quieter sections it really stands out. Going Under is about struggling with your mental health and wondering how much more you can take. It’s always important to talk about mental health so I thought it was great for Kill Lincoln to do so on such a high profile release.

As I mentioned in the introduction, Wavebreaker is the first in a series of split releases from Bad Time Records. If this first release is anything to go by, we’re in for some absolute treats. Nothing has been announced (at the time of writing this) about what other combinations are in the works but I’m very excited to find out.

Stream and download Wavebreaker #1 on Bandcamp here.

Like Less Than Jake on Facebook here and like Kill Lincoln on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Bad Operation by Bad Operation

Surely by now you’ve noticed the massive resurgence in American ska punk that’s been happening over the past couple of years. Bad Time Records, the California-based label, have been at the forefront of this movement. In December they put out their latest release which was the self-titled debut from New Orleans group Bad Operation. The album, which was co-released by Community Records, had a lot of hype behind it before it was released and has earned rave reviews since. It’s now time for my rave review.

The album begins with the song Perilous. This is a great introduction to Bad Operation’s new tone style of ska music. They take that two tone style made famous by bands such as The Specials and The Selecter and give it a fresh coat of paint. The song starts out in an upbeat fashion which really caught my interest immediately. The first time you hear Dominic Minix’s vocals is a special moment – they are super soulful and impossible to ignore as Dominic sings about finding solace in music when your mental health is giving you problems. Next is Bagel Rocks which starts out with some marvellous keyboard playing from Daniel “D-Ray” Ray. With its simple but catchy “oh oh oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh oh oh” chorus I can see this being a real crowd pleaser when they play it live. It’s about trying to learn from your mistakes and growing as a person, something we all could try and do. It’s crazy how a song with that chorus can be so deep but Bad Operation pull it off brilliantly. The opening guitars on Brain give me great Operation Ivy feelings. This is the shortest song on the album and also the most up tempo. The band squeeze a lot into these two minutes. The up tempo style obviously means this is a high energy song. Minix shows great vocal skill in getting all the words out and them still remaining as soulful as they do on the slower songs. The track is about searching for meaning in your world and realising that your life doesn’t need to go the way that society says is the conventional route.

The fourth song is titled Little Man. After the energetic Brain, Little Man sees Bad Operation switch to a slower, reggae style and prove that they’re just as adept at this style. There’s such a nice, chilled out vibe coming from the song, you can just lay back, listen and smile along with it. Listening to the lyrics, it’s obviously a deep track about those people who can’t get on with other people and can’t understand that people are all different and that’s perfectly fine. It’s mad that in 2020/21 this song feels as important as ever. It’s sad that a lot of people still aren’t evolved enough to realise that people don’t have to be cookie cutter. Next is the album’s title track BAD OPERATION. Just to be confusing, the band, the album and the track is named Bad Operation. The song starts in a haunting and atmospheric way that gradually builds towards a mid-tempo ska song. I love the way in which Minix’s vocals are delivered. They seem deeper and more serious, brilliantly contrasting with the bouncy music that’s accompanying them. The track is about people who ignore all of the wrongdoing and struggles that go on around them rather than trying to help and be the solution. I feel like when Bad Operation play live again (or for the first time?), the next song will be their set opener. Titled Kinda Together, it serves as a introduction to what to expect from them musically and thematically as well as introducing you to the band. It will get your feet tapping immediately. The seventh track is Peachy. The song tackles the subject of mental health, in particular the feeling of wanting to stay at home but also not wanting to be by yourself. It’s a difficult scenario to find yourself in. The song is a reasonably simple one that anyone listening will pick up quickly, this will encourage great sing-alongs and hopefully a feeling of catharsis for anyone who is feeling the same.

After a small sample of The Specials classic Ghost Town, Siren’s Call has a quiet bass lead introduction. Soon some simple guitar chords and the vocals come in. Because of the quiet nature of the opening, when the vocals do start they are striking. Your ears prick to attention. The track is about suffering from anxiety and how worry and stress can affect your attempts to live a healthy lifestyle. The penultimate song is titled Baby In Arms. Minix’s vocals are so interesting on this track. They have a haunting wailing quality that sends shivers along my spine. Minix has such a versatile vocal ability. Baby In Arms is about looking for a positive and believing that something is good is on the horizon. In a world that seems to be more doom and gloom than ever it is important to find positive things to hold on to that will keep you sane. There’s a great spoken word moment during the track that really stands out as something unique. The final song on Bad Operation is Fish Out Of Water. This is a bombastic way to finish the album, opening with a short trombone solo before some pounding drums join and the song starts proper. The song is heavy on the trombone which gives it a playful sound. The track is also full of “whoa-oh” gang vocals that give the song such a big sound. The track talks about the stress of trying to have everything and how bad that can be for you mentally before eventually realising that you can be happier with less. This is such an important message for people and a really positive way to finish the album.

Bad Operation deserves all the hype that surrounded this release and much, much more. It’s phenomenal. In my opinion, it doesn’t deserve to be spoken highly of in just the punk/ska/alternative press but in the mainstream press as well. Musically it’s incredible and the themes touched on throughout the album are more important than ever. This is vital listening. It’s also a lot of fun. I hope I get the chance to see Bad Operation at some point. As good as these songs are on recording; they can only be better at a live setting.

Stream and download Bad Operation on Bandcamp here.

Like Bad Operation on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Can't Complain by Kill Lincoln

It’s been too long since I’ve reviewed any ska punk. I’ve also been sitting on Kill Lincoln’s new album, Can’t Complain, without reviewing it. Can you guess what’s coming? Here’s my review of the ska punk album Can’t Complain by Kill Lincoln! Can’t Complain was released by the brilliant Bad Time Records back in August. Kill Lincoln as a band have been around for a while now and I have to admit I’d never properly checked them out but I loved the singles they released in the build up to Can’t Complain.

First up on Can’t Complain is Greetings From Inner Space. The track starts with a fading in effect that adds a little bit of tension to what’s coming up next. This wasn’t the blistering ska punk assault that I was expecting to open the album, instead it’s more of a mid-tempo pop punk song featuring punchy horn lines. The song is about growing up and realising that things are getting harder and harder but being thankful of your support system to help you through the tough times. Following this is Used Up. This song featured more of the high energy ska punk that I was expecting from the album. The song starts quickly with Mike Sosinki’s vocals exploding alongside some fast paced upstrokes. The band storm through the opening verse, reaching the chorus in no time at all. Here things are slowed down slightly as the band use the catchy melody to really hook the listener in. From everything I’ve seen and heard, Kill Lincoln are an incredible live band and I can really imagine a room full of people bouncing up and down to this chorus. Used Up finishes with a slow guitar jam that serves as in introduction to the third song, Last Ditch Denial. A trend on this album is going to be really catchy choruses and Last Ditch Denial is no different. This is one that you’ll find yourself singing passionately along with without even realising. That’s the sign of a great song. The track itself is about being at the end of your tether with trying to put on a brave face whilst you’re struggling with your mental health. This will definitely be a song that a lot of people will relate too.

Ignorance Is Bliss is one of the singles I was enjoying before Can’t Complain was released. At just over one and a half minutes long, this is the blisteringly fast ska punk assault that I was waiting to hear. So much happens in this ninety-six seconds. It begins with some shredding guitar before Mike shouts “my head explodes from the way I feel” and we’re really off and running. This may be a niche reference to a lot of people reading this but I was really reminded of my Danish pals Forever Unclean at the beginning of the song. As it progresses, and the ska comes in, I can imagine a massive skank pit going crazy for this song and I want to be a part of it. Who Am I This Time? was a standout track for me when I had my first listen through of Can’t Complain. The song really allows trombone player Yasutake Umemoto and saxophonist Matt Ellis to show off their skills. It’s more of a slower paced song with fantastic horns and punchy vocals. Naturally, when the chorus comes in it’s a massive sing-along. The track is about trying to find an identity in a world of grey areas whilst governments look to play different groups against each other. The sixth track is Confession Obsession which was another favourite of mine when I first listened to the album. This is a high energy song that will continue to get you so amped up. It’s like injecting caffeine straight into your veins. This is the first time on Can’t Complain so far where Kill Lincoln make use of harmonies and gang vocals and this really adds a whole extra layer to their sound that I absolutely adored. Try listening to this song and not finding yourself skanking like a maniac and shouting along at the top of your lungs. The seventh track is named Well Spent; Wasted. This song showcases more of a punk rock side of Kill Lincoln. It reminds me more of a Less Than Jake, punk rock with horns style sound rather than a flat out ska punk style. The drums pound throughout the song, driving the track forward whilst Mike’s vocals are so strained and urgent you can’t ignore them.

Civil Surgery has a fantastic extended introduction that will again have you dancing your socks off. The Kill Lincoln horn section is clearly one of the best in the genre at the moment and everything they do on Can’t Complain is creative and adds so much to the album. Of all the songs on the album, Civil Surgery perhaps takes you on the biggest ride. After the horn lead start we get to a slower paced verse that builds to a skate punk sounding chorus before the delicious horns come in. As we come towards the end of the song there’s a huge breakdown where Kill Lincoln take us on a heavier road which will allow listeners to really release some pent up aggression – this moment was really unexpected but was absolutely fantastic. Up next is Quarantine Dream. This song is about wanting things to be better, whether it’s yourself or the world around you, and realising that you can only do that whilst working together. I’m not certain if song was written before Coronavirus took over the world but it certainly feels more apt than ever. It’s pretty obvious that having a strong community working together is far better than people doing things by or for themselves and I love that Kill Lincoln used this platform to talk about that. The penultimate song is titled Womb Envy and is a Paint It Black cover. Not being familiar with the Paint It Black original of the song I would never have even realised Kill Lincoln were covering it. The band do a fantastic job of making it their own and show that the band can play some high energy ska punk without relying heavily on their horn section. The album finishes with the title track, Can’t Complain. Unsurprisingly the song ensures the album finishes in a high energy manner. It also finishes in a positive manner which I loved. The song is about people who constantly ignore all of the troubles and issues in the world (something we all do sometimes) and encourages people to reach out and help people when they can. You can’t complain if you’re not ready to help make a change yourself.

Kill Lincoln, and their label Bad Time Records, have been at the forefront of the current renewal of interest in ska punk in the USA and so it’s not a great surprise that the band have released one of the best ska albums of the year. If you like ska but are still only listening to Less Than Jake and Reel Big Fish, you need to educate yourself on the next wave of incredible bands coming from the USA and Kill Lincoln are the best place to start.

Stream and download Can’t Complain on Bandcamp here.

Like Kill Lincoln on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Facing Reality by Stuck Lucky and Still Alive

Today I’m excited to review a skacore split brought to you by the fantastic folk from Bad Time Records and featuring Nashville’s Stuck Lucky and Still Alive from Chicago. The split came to my attention because it was released by Bad Time Records and I’ve featured Still Alive a number of times before. This was my first exposure to Stuck Lucky though (the beauty of a split release) and I was excited to find a new favourite band.

Stuck Lucky take on the first side of the split with the song Spells And Tails. This was my first experience of Stuck Lucky and I was instantly impressed. The band starts the song by quickly building things up, with each instrument coming in adding something different to the sound. When the vocals come in I’m kind of reminded of Sweeney Todd who sang for The Dead Pets and Everybody Out (that might be a niche reference). Kind of an intense street punk style is the best way of describing it. The song also features plenty of gang vocals and harmonies and the band manage to give the song a spooky an ominous feel. It feels as if Stuck Lucky have their own unique style and I’m into it. Close 2 Hell is a twenty six second noise track that, if I’m honest, I’m not really sure of the point of. Father Mercy gets things back on track though. The tempo seems a bit slower but the vocals feel much more intense and really pull you into the song. I was surprised to learn that Stuck Lucky only have one brass player, the trombone sounds massive and adds so much to the song. Stuck Lucky’s third song is titled Like A Possum. This is a very trombone heavy song and is perhaps my favourite on this half of the split. The trombone will get you dancing whilst the fantastic amount of gang vocals will get you shouting along with the band with your fist held firmly to the sky. Stuck Lucky’s final track is probably the most traditional sounding skacore track on their side of the split. For the first time they use two vocalists trading off lines. This is something I always enjoy. It keeps the song sounding fresh and adds plenty of energy. It also features some superb harmonies that I’m always such a sucker for.

Still Alive kick off their half of the split with Razor Blades. The song starts off quietly before exploding into life. Still Alive certainly lean heavily on the hardcore side of the skacore genre in their music and this is evident immediately, though they do implement little bits of ska and reggae during the track. The song is politically themed, tackling the subject of why do we do what are leaders tell us to when we know they are corrupt. I really liked the line “how can we rise with our feet in cement.” 24 Hours begins with an audio clip of running water before a heavy bass line begins to build up the song. Here, Still Alive show off their reggae influence for the majority of the song before it builds into the more hardcore side of their sound. It’s interesting that the band manage to blend two genres that aren’t natural bedfellows so easily. Switchblade Architect is a five minute long post-hardcore song. The song begins in a relentless fashion, with Still Alive melting your face off. As the track progresses, they add some melody and a fantastic guitar solo with another dash of reggae before finishing as relentlessly as they began. If you want a song that will have people losing their minds in the pit then this is the one for you. The penultimate song on the split is named Exposed. Changing things up, now the band play a just over two minute track that packs in so much ferocity you can’t fight the urge to get those devil horns high in the air. We finish with Ransom Note. This is a song about how so many people die in the USA because they can’t afford to pay health insurance. Coming from the UK where we’re very lucky to have the NHS, it’s shocking to me that anyone has to pay for healthcare. It’s disgusting. This was probably the song that hit me hardest on the split and it’s a perfect choice for a final track as is leaves you walking away outraged about this situation.

Listening to this split on a sleepy Tuesday morning really woke me up. Having both bands on this split was a great idea. They work well together but also are different enough that they add variety to the split. I was already a fan of Still Alive before this split but I’m now keen to check out more of Stuck Lucky. I guess that’s the point of a split release.

Stream and download Facing Reality on Bandcamp here.

Like Stuck Lucky on Facebook here and like Still Alive on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Split by Catbite & Omnigone

Bad Time Records are without a doubt the best ska punk label in the world at the moment. It seems as if everything they release is absolute gold and with every announcement they make I know I need to check out the bands. On the 5th of June the label releases a new four song split featuring Catbite and Omnigone. On the four song split, the bands cover one of each other’s songs as well as covering a classic punk song from the past. Both acts are among the hottest in the scene right now so I was very keen to check out the split.

Philadelphia’s Catbite are the first band up. They decided to cover Omnigone’s Horizontal Aggression. Omnigone’s original version of the song is more of an upbeat skacore style. Catbite’s take on the song sees them add some organ and it gives the song a more traditional ska sound. I felt like this actually really helped to get the song’s message of unity coming across even more than on the original. Catbite’s classic cover is White Riot by The Clash. This song doesn’t stray too far from the original. The band do a great job of retaining the energy and spirit of the track. It’s a brave decision to cover one of the most well known songs of a band as legendary of The Clash but Catbite certainly do it justice.

Omnigone kick off their side of the split with a cover of Catbite’s Scratch Me Up. Here Omnigone take a song that has more of a traditional two tone ska song and transform it into a hardcore song. Interestingly, reading the promo notes, Omnigone’s Adam originally wanted to do a ska punk cover of the track before he was convinced to turn it into a hardcore song. I absolutely loved this version almost as much as I love Catbite’s version. You can tell that the band had a lot of fun doing it as well. Omnigone’s other track on the split is a cover of Nothing New, a song that’s probably best known as a Link 80 song but was originally written for Omnigone’s Barry’s old band, Blast Bandits. (In case you didn’t know, Adam and Barry of Omnigone are both former members of Link 80). This version of the song feels more stripped back without the horns of the Link 80 version but still retains all of its energy.

This is such a fun little split by two of the best ska punk bands to emerge over the past few years. If you like these songs, I really urge you to check out both band’s most recent albums. If you’re a fan of ska punk, they are essential for your collection.

Stream and download the split on Bandcamp here.

Like Catbite on Facebook here and like Omnigone on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.