Spawn of Skarmageddon
(Moon Ska)
by Michele Maniscalco
Spawn of Skarmageddon, kicks off with the mid-tempo “Tired of Struggling” by NYC’s Stubborn All Stars, whose wistful lyrics and harmonies hearken back to the spirituals of the Old South. The mood then picks up with Can’t Say‘s “All Week,” with its punky guitars and bright horns. Track three, The Tantra Monster‘s “21 Tons,” is classic ska – upbeat with an appealing mid-tempo sway. The diversity of the first three songs is continued throughout this 43-track, double disc compilation. This is a good thing, because each disc is more than 73 minutes and that’s a lot of ska. The first disc exhibits more stylistic variety than the second, but both are enjoyable because there isn’t a bad tune in the collection.
“The Irish Opera Singer of Albee Square,” a novelty tune by the NY Citizens, combines comic opera and zany, punky ska – Gilbert & Sullivan meet the Bosstones. Ska King Crab‘s “Suburban Rude Boy” and The Insteps‘ “Rudy Don’t Fear” are nods to the Two-Tone movement, while the Fiascos‘ jazzy “Bela Fleck” pays tribute to the renowned banjo innovator. California’s Yeska makes an impressive, original showing with “Fideo,” an elegant salsa-ska instrumental with sizzling piano.
Contrasting with the sophistication of “Bela Fleck” and “Fideo,” is “Times Like These” by the Miggedys, a sweet, innocent nod to the girl groups (think Shirelles, not L7). Two Midwestern groups, Indiana’s Ska Humbug and Michigan’s Superdot, weigh in with Clash-does-ska renditions – Ska Humbug with “Ruder Than Your Dad” and Superdot with “Willie’s Donuts.” On “Junbok,” the vocalist for Isaac Green and the Skalars does her best Debbie Harry impression, while on “Mokska Medicine,” Kongo Shock‘s singer apes David Byrne. The Bluebeats’ “Don’t Get Crazy” is a little slower and heavier, somewhere between ska and reggae.
The packaging, like the music, is fun and well-done, with cartoons of apocalyptic ska mutants and informative liner notes. Moon Ska NYC boasts an extensive, nationwide catalogue of single artist and compilation releases, including the CD, Go You, by Boston’s Allstonians. Moon Ska NYC also sells ska recordings from other labels and ska-related merchandise by mail-order and at their store in New York’s East Village.
Spawn of Skarmageddon offers a pleasant surprise to both the ska newcomer and the diehard fan. It proves that ska is very elastic, able to bend and stretch to include other influences while retaining its own distinctive, entertaining form.
