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 – “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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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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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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