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Now that's some ska

Lem Sportsinterviews | Montreal | 04/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To most Montrealers during the ska explosion of the late 90s, the Kingpins were the only band that mattered. Reel Big Fish, Save Ferris, Less Than Jake... give me a break - this album, along with their breakthrough Watch Your Back, was authentic ska. After ten years of producing kick-a** ska, the Kingpins have folded and the remaining members have formed the genre spanning "Lo and the Magnetics". R.I.P. to a Montreal institution who could hold their own in any venue.



Now, as for the album itself - it follows the same vein as Watch Your Back in terms of style, but to me it is slightly more interesting and pays homage to the different directions ska has gone. Most songs are pure ska with a mix of punk's energy, while a couple slow things down some to explore rocksteady and reggae. This has alot more in common with the Specials and (dare I?) the Skatalites than it does with their Third Wave contemporaries. In other words, this is the real deal."