Isaac Green & the Skalars
Skoolin’ with the Skalars (Moon Ska NYC)
by Michael D. Toole
The ska music scene has been experiencing a kind of schism lately; you’ve got your “traditional” ska bands, who adhere strictly to the holy commandments of ska as laid down by the Skatalites, Prince Buster, and other such luminaries; and you’ve got the “ska-punk/skacore” crowd, whose only requirement is an accented upbeat, an occasional horn or two, and a tempo of at least 5,000 bpm. Refreshingly, Isaac Green & the Skalars don’t fall into either of these categories, yet they still manage to incorporate elements of the two into their own sound. Oh sure, there’re sweet, melodic ska tunes, like the band’s cover of Coxsone Dodd’s “I Love You,” but then there’re also punchy, hectic numbers like “Phat Steaks.”
The vocals are the album’s real standout; they’re handled primarily by the band’s three female saxaphone players, who harmonize like nobody’s business. Lead vocalist Jessica Butler’s warm contralto is especially pleasing. These vocal stylings are occasionally interrupted by a hoarse, barking male voice, which is that of Isaac Green himself. Ike primarily handles percussion and M.C. duties for the band, but does contribute his amusingly-lousy vocals to a few of the album’s tunes. Surprisingly enough, he and the female singers usually manage to strike an appealing balance, especially on “The Row,” a raucous tribute to the local college’s frat row. The only other vocals are done by trombonist Evan Shaw, who performs with gusto on the rockabilly-flavored cover, “Bloodshot Eyes.” There’s only one instrumental, but it does give the horn players (and the drummer) room to stretch out. Ahhh, the horn players. The horn lines are rock solid, but fairly unmemorable; catchy melodies, but there really aren’t any solos that grab you.
The album’s other standout are the extremely clever lyrics. They run the gamut from an angry, snotty tune about the local rich kid (“Spoild Brat”) to a tune about… umm, desire (“Puppet Lover”) to wonderfully cheesy angst (“High School”) to a tune about Isaac Green’s own legendary ego (“Ike’s Ride,” tacked onto the end of the album). In fact, the only really disappointing track on the album is “Junbok,” their surprisingly lukewarm remake of a song they originally released as a 7-inch single.
What can I say? At time when most ska bands can be easily pigeonholed into one subcategory or another, Isaac Green & the Skalars are fresh-sounding and inventive while never straying far from the roots of the music. If you like any kind of ska, chances are you’ll like this. Make sure to catch the band live, as they do a killer cover of Minor Threat’s “Good Guys Don’t Wear White.”
