Top 10 ska-punk albums 2013

With the year done its time to review the best of the past year. Here is a list of the best albums in 2013. I have got to say that the past 12 months have shown us some brilliant works making it difficult to assess the albums in a hierarchical order as they all have that special kind of something. Take a pick below:

The Hands That Thieve Review

Please allow me to make a personal commentary on this matter: Fuck yall that’s good. Super ska band Streetlight Manifesto have recently released their new album, The Hands that Thieve. To describe it in simple words is just that it is spectacular.

These guys surely know who to make our ears delight in utter most pleasure. This new record has been on my repeat playlist for a long time now and I am having trouble on letting it out of repeat mode. Composed of 10 beautiful tracks and released on later April this year, this album is built on the same musical line as the previous Somewhere in Between only a bit more intense and smoothly produced. The sounds are in a very skaish proper manner that can label them as a beginning of a new wave, or something else entirely. If it could be so Streetlight have developed a 4^th wave Ska just for themselves and the results have been simply amazing.

Previously scheduled to be released on early 2012, the album was only completed in April 2013. Produced by record label Victory but released by Pentimento the album has been a record breaker in issues by legalities and other problems. Due to be released attached with an acoustic album by Toh Kay and an EP with several tracks to compensate the delay of the release, the album ended up changing record label and cancelling all the attachments due. However controversial the work here shown is breathtaking and the band receives my congratulations with such piece of masterwork.

It is a big problem for me to choose one of the tunes among such lovely tracks, so I am not adding none of them in the expectation that you will hear the full album thoroughly. Share your comments if you please, but my judgement will not change, it is very good.

It's Gonna Get DIRTY REVOLUTION

Straight from the home land of the sheepshaggers, the Dirty Revolution. A Welsh Roots/Reggae/Ska band with a fierce and burning type of music and atmosphere.

Dirty Revolution came together as a band to start and play some Reggae tunes, which later turned to a burning act of steaming tempo and pulsing stage activity. Mixing the Reggae and Roots sound with a pinch of Third Wave Ska, they have combined perfectly well for an underground stage act filing the crowds with sweat and rocksteady moves.

Composed by Reb Elle on the vocals, Stu White on the bass, Morgan Gohar on the guitar, Jim Strickland on the drums and adding lately Leone on the live effects and Tom Pitman taking another guitar on stage. So far they have built two pieces of Discography, their first album called “Before the Fire” and the late “Heat”. Both their albums produced by famous Peter Miles (King Blues, SB6, Random Hand) whom helped the band to build these beautiful products of musical art. This new album “Heat”, has a more polished and elegant songwriting enabling a more natural progression from “Before the Fire” and still emphasizing on the continuation of keep people moving.

Not classified as dirty, their sound can start a beautiful revolution. Play attention to the road, because the Dirty Revolution are coming down through it.

PUNKZINES, SUBCULTURE CARRIAGES

In the early years of this rise of the Punk Subculture, between 1970 and 1980, the subculture spread itself in a very limited number of manners. In fact, in could be narrowed to a handful of manners. Literature, art, music or movies, the sources marketing were limited in types and in range. Today I am describing how the culture used to spread its events in the form of magazine literature.

In the mid 1970’s Punk followers felt a need to present the events taking place in the heart of the evolving subculture. Hence the birth of the so-called Punkzines. These Magazines often rudimentarily built and carrying immense information about the spreading of the punk cultural universe was the meeting point to some of the most fabulous punk pieces of literature that can be found out there. The level of energy put in each interview, the effort carried in each article was so intense that it lead the readers to bring out their libertine spirit and start spreading the words. Soon every Punk emerging scene around the world started having their own Zine to present interviews with bands, news and touring dates.

Among these vehicles of sub cultural development you can name a few that benchmarked the history of the Punk Literature. The first to appear was Punk, a magazine created in the mid 1970s writing about the New York music scene. MaximumRocknRoll and Profane Existence also coined a political framed cultural development. Sniffin’ Glue, Gadgie and Burnt Offering spread the word in the UK scene. Cometbus was also one of the most important Zines in the USA scene along with Flipside, Search and Destroy and Slash. Some also important zines but not so well known were Absolutely Zippo, HeartattaCK, Suburban Voice, or even Chainsaw.

Worth taking a brief look at these Zines once you get a chance and realize how ethically Do It Yourself they can be not only because the means of publishing were really homemade but also because its power impelled punkers to either start a band, become a music journalist or helped define the emerging evolution of the culture.

PUNK LIBERTINE POETRY

This post serves to illustrate one of the best manners to express punk artistic concept. Today I present before you a poem written by punk female band Pussy Riot.

Recently the band has been on the covers of all newspapers worldwide due to their utter need to libertine expression. In a country where social behavior is still controlled and manipulated, a few girls tried to kick society’s most sacred tradition and give it a spin. Only problem was tradition cannot stand change and innovation, and due to the closed minded fools and narrowed spirits, the members of the band ended in jail accused of “hooliganism motivated by religious belief”.

Here I stand sharing my opinion that belief is what you make of it and should be totally free personally, and speak to those prick fuckers that a mind cannot be manipulated by society traditions or behaviors.

Thank you Pussy Riot for shaking tradition and bringing the song of freedom to the most encaged minds.

Punk Prayer, English version by Carol Rumens

Virgin Mary, Mother of God, banish Putin, banish Putin, 

Virgin Mary, Mother of God, banish him, we pray thee!

Congregations genuflect,

Black robes brag gilt epaulettes,

Freedom's phantom's gone to heaven,

Gay Pride's chained and in detention.

KGB's chief saint descends

To guide the punks to prison vans.

Don't upset His Saintship, ladies,

Stick to making love and babies.

Crap, crap, this godliness crap!

Crap, crap, this holiness crap!

Virgin Mary, Mother of God.

Be a feminist, we pray thee,

Be a feminist, we pray thee.

Bless our festering bastard-boss.

Let black cars parade the Cross.

The Missionary's in class for cash.

Meet him there, and pay his stash.

Patriarch Gundy believes in Putin.

Better believe in God, you vermin!

Fight for rights, forget the rite –

Join our protest, Holy Virgin.

Virgin Mary, Mother of God, banish Putin, banish Putin,

Virgin Mary, Mother of God, we pray thee, banish him!

COBRA SKULLS: SKELETON AGITATORS

With an immense enthusiasm and a pumped up adrenaline body, I recommend you the agitation trip under the soundtrack of Cobra Skulls.

If you allow yourself some time to run through the discography of these fellows you will come upon a simple music composition, well in the genre of punk rock, but with a great sonority power that moves all your inner body parts to levels of adrenaline that you thought unobtainable.

Coming from Reno, Nevada, USA, and formed by Davin Peralta on the bass and vocals, Adam Beck lead guitar and Luke Swarm performing the drumming rhythm, this American band has already put on a number of shows that can envy anyone. Performing opening acts to bands such as NOFX, Lagwagon or even Bad Religion they have got what it takes to be among the prestigious selection of the popular record company Fat Wreck Chords.

With a debut album called Sitting Army, released in 2005 the Skulls began to participate in the Punk world by promoting their album with opening acts for Mad Caddies and Against Me! tours. Later on 2009 the band released their second album called American Rubicon still under the label of Red Scare Industries. Starting cooperating with the influence of Fat Wreck Chords since 2010 the band started working on their third and so far best album called Agitations. This album was referred in the list of top 2011 Ska/Punks albums as one of the best albums of the year, and rightfully so.

You can visit Skavenue Punkzine Myspace Playlist to listen to some of the best tunes of this spectacularly simple yet truly Punk Rock band, Cobra Skulls.

http://www.myspace.com/573724744/music/playlists/skavenue-s-playlist-2157778

CAPDOWN - CAPITALIST DOWNFALL

Exploiting an anti capitalist political inclination with a sonority that moves personalities cames to the attention of us all the band Capdown.

Directly from Milton Keynes, England, where the band is settled, Capdown have been developing since 2000 a strong independent series of releases as well as a huge amount of musical shows. Touring with names such as Less than Jake, Pennywise, Lagwagon and Bad Religion, has given them a great portion of experience that mixed with their jovial energy and political ideas

Capdown released their first album in 2000, called Civil Disobedients, and later on 2001 their released their second and most played live album, Pound for the Sound. Last but by no means least their final album, Wind Up Toys, came on in 2007 to get positive reviews from a series of wide spread musical sources.

Featuring strong political lyrics and mixing the ska sound with punk rock and hardcore dub, they have created a name for themselves. They needed to get free and they realized that in their mind was the key, their key. So they exploited their freely and libertine thoughts to build up a message and present it in a musical way that best fits the message by its though and strong sound power.

The band has now split up, but has been reforming to play some live festivals in the years since disband. However the band members have been engaging in some alternative projects, like the Macalites or This Contrast Kills.

SKARLATINES: YOUNG VIGOUROUS SKA

Young and vigorous yet plenty of jammin’ and skankin’ and with a well developed musical experience this new Spanish band was born. Please give your fair round of applauses for the Skarlatines.

Formed in the year of 1995 in the outskirts of the Spanish capital, Madrid, these new youngsters came together to elaborate a very energetic and powerful Old School Roots Ska. Developing sonorities directly from Jamaica’s utmost core Ska, the Skarlatines has gained a wide popularity for their freshness and composure. That helped the kids to bring together their first, and yet only, album called Instrumental 90%, which was released in 1998.

This album brought the attention of several well placed Ska personalities internationally, including the Godfather of Ska, Mister Laurel Aitken. Laurel has embraced the new born band in his final project, the album En Español. Skarlatines has recorded the album with Laurel and even served as his opening act in a tour around the world.

Shortly after the great loss of the Godfather in 2004 the band dismembered but only to regain their strength and energy. They are coming back for a real Skankin’ mesh. Planning to release their second album, Vuelo 22, the band promises a wide range of musical arrangements mixing songs from jazz, blues, latin, soul and may more.

We can only expect a great deal of entertainment from this special band.

Please visit the bads website: http://www.myspace.com/skarlatines

SOBER LIVING FOR THE REVOLUTION

Whereas the Punk culture is a free and libertine lifestyle it is very often associated with violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and rightfully so. The issue with anarchism social attitude is the tendency to elevate the behavior to extremes states of mind liberation that often deteriorate ones capacity to properly function.

Of course the problem can be tackled in many different manners, but in a very determined way one man has developed for himself a set of principles that are well structured for the matter, hence the wide popularity of such living style. Ian MacKaye, Minor Threat front man, created what is now called the Straight Edge movement.  It started with just s song where MacKaye described his personal view of the life he saw, but eventually it became more than just a mere song and grew to be one of the largest underground movements from Washington DC to the rest of the world.

In an attempt to bring to the ground the violence attitudes related to drug abuse, he has established to himself a free intoxication life where all drugs, such as alcohol marijuana or even tobacco, are banned in the sake of personal evolution. In a pursuit for intoxication free lifestyle, Straight Edge challenges people to take a wide look at the real threats in life and become aware that what is silently can be harmful.

Just recently a book has been published describing the social, cultural and musical interaction of the Straight Edge movement (or sXe). It is called Sober Living For The Revolution: Hardocre Punk, Straight Edge and Radical Politics. In a well arranged book, Gabriel Kuhn, an American anarchist activist, has presented the wide spread of such a lifestyle into all kinds of different people, from homosexuals to women and from colored people to religious ones, all engaged in a challenge for political conscious with sXe principles.

Even though it is not strictly related to Ska culture, the straight edge movement being such a liberated and yet conscious movement, it is worth mentioning.

STAND OUT RIOT: SPICY INSPIRING SKA

This is Ska music taken to its upper limits of imagination. Stand Out Riot performs a very unique genre of Ska incorporating a very different variety of instruments into one core combined musicality.

Formed in 2004 in the English city of Manchester, Stand Out Riot have developed from their very beginning a unique wave of Ska which brings them such wide popularity. Born in the very centre of Manchester Punk Scene, the band is known for tremendous energy and excitement all linked with a wide variety of musical instruments. Contemplating Francis on the vocal and trombone, Will at the Bass and Keys, Hannah playing Sax, Ste the guitarist, Tessa the Violin, Charlotte another Sax and Ben the drummer, they surely know how to drive a crowd into delight.

With a debut album in 2009, Carnival Militia, they brought their attention to themselves developing their very own popularity. In 2011 that popularity has grown even further with the released of their second album, The Gentleman Bandits.

With the Manchester scene bringing ever so much more and better Ska bands influenced by their peculiar hardcore punk scene which is becoming a part of the City social and cultural history, we can only expect better influences for these guys and hope to see them much often.

Check out the bands website: http://standoutriot.bigcartel.com/

Listen to one of their tracks and more here: http://www.myspace.com/573724744/music/playlists/skavenue-s-playlist-2157778



THE LIQUIDATOR: SKA AT THE HEART OF ENGLISH FOOTBALL

If you have ever seen a football match live in some of the most famous English football grounds you have surely come to listen to this song, The Liquidator.

The song is originaly a popular rocksteady instrumental track that was released by Jamaicans Harry J. Allstars back in 1969. The band was composed of Aston Barrett, aka Family Man, on the bass, drummer Carlton Barrett, and Alva Lewis’ guitar. They later included Winston Wright at the organ. The core members were later related to the foundation of the super famous Jamaican band, The Wailers.

Back in the 70’s, England was becoming aware of a sudden popularity of the Ska tunes and music especially after the creation of the Madness. This song came to popular knowledge when it started to be played at some of the most famous English football grounds, such as Chelsea’s home ground Stamford Bridge, Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion, Northampton Town and even a few more.

Although the tunes played at football grounds are slightly mixed and include clapping and shouting the club’s name, here is presented the original 1969 version that came straight out of the birth ground of Ska music, Jamaica Island.

NO DOUBT: VINTAGE REVIVAL

Here are a gents and lass that need not presentation. Dear readers here I give you: NO DOUBT!

No doubt were a North American band famous for several singles most related to the Rock Music developing scene. However, some of their experimental stuff can also be label Ska, as you can hear in the video above. This band is responsible for the revival of the Ska music in the early 90’s especially in USA.

Since 1987 the band has released 6 studio albums and currently working on a 6^th one to be released during this year. However in 1996, Tragic Kingdom, the band’s third album was their peak in musical acclamation. A sort of experimental rock steady beat influenced greatly by the Jamaican ska rhythm and a touch of brilliant alternative rock musicality, has produced what was recently considered one of the 100th best albums of the century. Including track such as Don’t Speak, Just a Girl and Spiderwebs, this album has surely paved the way for the years to come in the Ska musical genre.

Such was the acclamation to this work that it could not pass unnoticed for this Punkzine the brilliant effort done by NO DOUBT. There must be a great number of Ska/Punk bands that can claim their influences this art work and we cannot be more delighted with such recognition.

Check out the bands website for news as they are on the verge of releasing a new record: http://www.nodoubt.com/