MUSIC REVIEWS (Latest Update: July 16th)   Gangster Fun "Pure Sound, Pure Hogwash, Pure Amphetamines" NEW! "Dancin' Mood" (Comp.) NEW! "Ska Bonanza" (Comp) COMING SOON! "New York Beat" (Comp.) COMING SOON! "Ska Train" (Comp.) COMING SOON! Greenhouse "Tomorrow the World" COMING SOON! The Amazing Royal Crowns (Self titled) NEW! The Butlers "Trash for Cash" NEW! Dropkick Murphys "Do or Die" COMING SOON! REVIEW ARCHIVES Gangster Fun "Pure Sound...." (Chris Charlesworth)

    Ah, Gangster Fun. Memories of hearing, "Night of the Living Stove" years ago on some old compilation called, "Skanking around the World". Despite the lousy name the comp. was pretty good, and Gangster fun really stood out, the song was just so damn funny, a killer stove?! Well now I've got my hands on the band's latest release, and once again am pleased to say that it does not disappoint. Why? Yet again Gangster Fun have the funny AND witty lyrics market cornered, this time with, "Date With Density", a little ode to a girl with a mild problem, she looks normal but weighs a couple of tons! Seems she's the center of Dave Minnick's universe in more ways than one. Then, displaying not inconsiderable musical talent, the band kicks into "Skarabia", an instrumental with a groove which can only be described as infectious in the extreme. Showcasing the band's writing talents "California", "Oh Paranoia", and "Someone to love me" and song about an old man who wins the lottery and decides to buy himself a woman to love him, will all keep you hanging onto each word. Then the groove kicks in again with "Butt Down Under", and "Dirty Love", a Frank Zappa cover which is guaranteed to turn you into an extra from "Saturday Night Fever". The best compliment I can give this album is that it hasn't left my player for two weeks despite originally being a "blind" purchase, one made with little fore-knowledge of content. Gangster Fun really has done a good job with this release, combining elements of funk, soul, and ska to give birth to a sound often attempted but usually screwed up by most bands in the genre. Fetch Ubu! Fetch!

"Dancin' Mood" (Chris Charlesworth)

    Like the title suggests, if you aren't in one when you put the CD on you soon will be in a big mood to dance. In fact forget mood, you WILL be dancing 20 seconds into, "Walk Away", by The Insteps, the first song on the album. From there Skinnerbox kicks it up another dancing notch with, "You Knock the Wind Out of Me". A typical Skinnerbox song it has a bouncy beat and VERY sing able lyrics, actually this song is my vote for the, "song I can't get out of my head and I don't care!" category. The Slackers song,  "No More Crying" does exactly what it is supposed to do, it proves that The Slackers are easily one of the most talented bands on the circuit to day, mixing old time Jamaican sounds with the Slackers dab of spice we all love so much. Inspecter 7 dishes out pure skinhead influenced ska with "Sleeping With the Enemy", a catchy song with a serious message about those who would call themselves open-minded and yet tolerate those pieces of shit often referred to as Nazis. "Citadel", a lovely mellow tune by The Stubborn All Stars showcases Django's singing along with what happens when some of NYC's best musicians get together to play. Moving along, the B-3's sing about what is certainly one of MY favorite topics booze! "Last call" is a mixed drink of contemporary and classic ska styles about getting in that one last drink before the 2:00 o'clock hour, something the singer's girlfriend doesn't seem happy about. I could go on and review all the other songs on the album but I just wouldn't do them the same justice as listening to them would. My only complaint is about the length of the album. Comparatively short when matched against other comps, the CD was done just after I really started to get into it. But perhaps that's good. When so many compilations try to fill up time with second rate stuff "Dancin' Mood" gives you the pure stuff, no disappointments here ladies and gentlemen.

"The Amazing Royal Crowns" Self Titled (Chris Charlesworth)

    I love The Amazing Royal Crowns. The first time I saw them was years ago in New Haven, at the Tune Inn. They played after Spring Heeled Jack and the place was dead. Most of the crowd was composed of teenagers with curfews, and because they were all good sons and daughters they missed a hell of a show. Being unfamiliar with Rockabilly I remember thinking "Damn, I don't know what this is but I like it!". Crazy stuff, it had a swingin' sound to it, and a real edge. After the show I went to go see if I could get hold of a tape, but the merchant guy had cleared out! I guess everyone except my friends and I had a curfew that night. Anyway, five years later I am seeing ARC get some due. "Do the Devil" is number #3 on the WBRU request line in Providence, and people are getting to hear that wild, wild sound ARC put out. I'd have to say that my favorite songs on the album are  "Fireball Stomp", "Roller coaster", and "Do the Devil", which features, speak of the devil. hehe, the Spring Heeled Jack horns! The whole CD sounds good though, second only to the live show that ARC put on. Seriously, if you haven't seen ARC play live you are missing out. They put on what can only be described as an "energetic" show! In fact, ARC are playing the New England Ska Festival August 22nd in Westford, Mass. So I suggest you put on your creepers, cuff your jeans really high, slap on some hair grease or put you hair in a high ponytail, and get on up there, yeeehaawww!

The Butlers "Trash for Cash" (Chris Charlesworth)

    Mod, Soul, funk, & Ska, what do these words have in common? The Butlers. From Germany, The Butlers combine elements of all the fore mentioned genres to produce a refreshingly new take on music. The CD starts off with a heavily soul/funk laden number called, "Back on the Streets". If this song had been published 20 years ago I guarantee it would have been the groovy theme song to Starsky and Hutch, or some other 70's TV show about hipster cops and robbers. Cosmo Cab has more of a 2 tone ska feel to it, but there is a Detroit edge to the horns and guitar that sets them apart. From there the album throws into, "Sold Down the River" which retains an even more traditional ska feel, while continuing to meld soul and mod into the pot, and that's just the first 3 songs. Other notables on the album are three covers, "These Boots" by Nancy Sinatra, "You Can Get it" by Jimmy Cliff, and "Paint it Black" by The Rolling Stones which sound like everything but mere covers. I especially liked the retake on, "You Can Get It". Sped up, and with what, by this time, is a familiar Motown influence, it is a real toe tapper if you know what I mean. Another real favorite of mine is, "Silver", again a trad. influenced album, its slow, steady beat is almost hypnotic to listen to. The only question I have on this album revolves around, "Pusherman's Revenge", suddenly I was listening to techno-ska, and I didn't particularly like it I must say. Still, 14 out of fifteen isn't too shabby if you ask me. I'm not sure where you can buy the album, I got mine from Skatastrophe Ska'zine, but if you are interested in expanding your collection beyond the typical boundaries of ska sound I'd recommend that you consider this release.

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