» Ska Music

A monster live recording from The Uptones

Superfan — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:13:20 +0000

This instrumental track from The Uptones “Live!! 924 Gilman” CD is a hi-energy ska punk jazz opus. The album influenced a lot of great bands that followed, and it’s a joy to listen to. This was my Sunday morning dance in the kitchen wake up record for a year! Superfan sez pick it up.

The Uptones
“East of a Western Bay” (mp3)
from “The Uptones Live!!”
(Fun Fun Fun Recordings)
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Kingpins Skank into 21st Century w/ L’Aventurier

Superfan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:47:50 +0000

This mp3 by The Kingpins has been burning up the bandwidth for ska fans young and old around the world. With a base coat of late 70′s two-tone, and a Pollockian splatter of new wave angst, this picture is completed by the bold and colorful strokes of a female French Canadian vocalist named Lo. The Kingpins don’t tour under that name anymore, but they left their mark with an incendiary live show and some excellent recordings, which helped kick off what would become known as 3rd wave ska. You can catch them in their new incarnation as Lo And The Magnetics, and follow the “Need more!” link below to find this album and other juicy merch and tunes from this fun and influential act.

L’Aventurier

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“Skaffic Jam” inna Freetown

Superfan — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:13:17 +0000

Freetown – “Skaffic Jam”

Busting a riddim in the style of the Skatalites, with a dab of the Specials, and heaping helpings of ska love, UK’s Freetown delivers everything you would want from a track entitled “Skaffic Jam.” One-chord hypnotic upbeat patrol? Check! Wikkid and wiley horn solos with smokin’ jazz chops? Check! Toasting vocals chiming in with all the “shika-shikas” and “get-em-ups?” But yes! Why, it’s enough to make a SuperFan skank up the walls. Best selection for drive time today!

Freetown
“Skaffic Jam” (mp3)
from “Painless”
(Beatville Records)

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The Beachniks, Riding Out on Power of Love

Superfan — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:07:27 +0000

The Beachniks – “Riding Out”

My affection for ska is no secret. I love to watch the creeping influence of this GR8 form of dance music as it extends to every corner of the globe, moving feet and warming hearts. Here we have an Aussie band, skanking it good style with their own down under surf shack rockin’ flavor. This track is built on cool, tight combo playing and effortlessly fun vocals, with some very juicy production values. The filter effects on the guitars in particular are brilliant. Surf’s up!

The Beachniks
“Riding Out” (mp3)
from “The Many Moods of the Beachniks”
(Jazzhead)

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East Park Reggae Collective changes their “Bomber Jacket”

Superfan — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:44:36 +0000

East Park Reggae Collective – “Bomber Jacket”

Dubbing out heavily in Leeds, UK we find the East Park Reggae Collective. Doing reggae old school style – that is, the kind where people play instruments instead of laptops primarily, EPRC stakes a claim to the brilliant English twist on Jamaican music pioneered by bands like Aswad, The Specials, UB40 and the Dennis Bovell Dub Band. This track is GR8. All the players are hot but a special shout out to the guitar player – that is some fine pickin!

East Park Reggae Collective
“Bomber Jacket” (mp3)
from “The Frontline”
(Caprimusic / GLP)

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Uptones? In Berkeley? Ridiculous!

Superfan — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:53:52 +0000

The Uptones – “Ridiculous”

Berkeley’s ska nutters The Uptones have a gr8 promo track on Fun Fun Fun Recordings’ “MP3 Jackpot Winners” compilation. Check out Ridiculous and the whole album, it’s stuffed with power pop goodness, most of it produced by my friend Matthew King Kaufman of Beserkley Records fame.

The Uptones
“Ridiculous” (mp3)
from “Skankin’ Foolz Unite!”
(Fun Fun Fun Recordings)

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Having a Party with Lee “Scratch” Perry himself!

Superfan — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:30:40 +0000

Lee “Scratch” Perry – Having a Party”

Well known to those who know, mysterious to those who don’t, the greatest dub artist in the world also happens to be the man who invented the style. Dub evolved from various happy accidents in the studios of Jamaica, but it took a madman of Scratchy’s particular imagination to water the seeds of dub and grow them into an international forest. Clearly from outer space, he visits earth in this track to attend a little party. Come on in, drink ya drink.

Lee “Scratch” Perry
“Having a Party” (mp3)
from “Scratch Came, Scratch Saw, Scratch Conquered”
(Megawave)

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The Blue Babies Keep Skankin’

Superfan — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:38:06 +0000

Blue Babies – “Keep Skankin”

Innovative approach to ska with a twist of klezmer and a dash of punk, and a wee sprinkling of swing! Gr8! DL and skank!

Blue Babies
“Keep Skankin’” (mp3)
from “Quickstar Productions Presents : Ska 4 Life volume 6″
(Quickstar Productions)

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Rude City Riot gets had by bad Victoria

Superfan — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:45:49 +0000

Rude City Riot – “Victoria”

A gleeful tale of woe and woo, told in ebullient third wave ska punk rapture. Did I form that sentence? I did. This is power pop the way the kids do it now, try and keep up, Opa.

Rude City Riot
“Victoria” (mp3)
from “Quickstar Productions Presents : Ska 4 Life volume 6″
(Quickstar Productions)

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Bim Skala Bim Skala Bim-@h!

Superfan — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:30:18 +0000

Bim Skala Bim – “Hardest Of The Parts”

Ska from Boston? Boston, MA? Why yes, Dorothy. Stranger things have happened. Bim Skala Bim was in fact, part of a small wave of dedicated American ska bands that formed in the early 80′s, shortly after the two-tone era ended. Along with The Toasters, The Uptones, Fishbone, the Untouchables and a few other notables, Bim brought ska to another generation and opened the road for bands like Less Than Jake and Reel Big Fish. This one’s for the rude boys and girls. Keep on skankin’. Yeah, you know Superfan is modded up, I may even visit the Ska Shrine one day.

Bim Skala Bim
“Hardest Of The Parts” (mp3)
from “Krinkle”
(Beatville Records)

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