From the untamed wilderness that is the Pacific Northwest comes a gift…and a marvelous gift it is indeed. No, it’s not amateur video footage of Sasquatch doing the Macarena (although that would obviously rock). It’s better. Much better. Those crazy ska-nucks, Rude City Riot, recently released a double-sided digital single as a follow up to their debut, self-titled album and our friends at Skaspot Records were kind enough send us a copy. Brilliant! With “Imposter Man” and “Same Old Story”, RCR picks up right where they left off with the their last studio offering. Power ska at its best. The melodic elements of 2 Tone meets the edginess of third wave, pulling up just short of the ska-core precipice. These cats continue to impress.
It’s the type of advice grandmothers give, the type of advice that doesn’t seem to make much sense when you receive it. It mostly sounds like someone trying to soften the damage after you’ve had your ass handed to you. Perhaps that’s how London’sThe Boxer Rebellionfelt when Poptones, the label that carried their selectively searing debut,Exits, folded in 2005. Since then, The Boxer Rebellion have remained unsigned, but in 2009 they self-released their second album, Union, only on iTunes. Union has garnered a good amount of buzz and guess what? Physical copies are now available and include the exclusive bonus track, Broken Glass. How’s that for incentive?
The Boxer Rebellion are Nathan Nicholson (from Tennessee, if you can believe it) (vocals), Todd Howe (lead guitar), Adam Harrison (bass) and Piers Hewitt (drums). A bit cleaner than Exits, Union retains the intensity and magnitude of their sound. They’ve been compared to Bends-era Radiohead, which I don’t see, and it seems like each time a band releases an album of big tunes that would sound great in concert, the U2 comparisons arise. I don’t see that, either. The sound is tight, the pace is varied and the drumming is fairly primal and booming. Nicholson’s voice often soars high above the noise and always keeps things anchored. Union commences with the excellent Flashing Red Light Means Go and from there it’s mid-tempo sweepers and straight ahead rockers like Move On, Misplaced and Forces. There is even a bit of electronics tossed in, but nothing sounds dated or out of place.
Work has begun on a third album. In the meantime, check out both Exits and Union. Oh, another thing – Union was named Best Alternative Album of 2009 by the US version of ITunes. The guys also played SXSW this year. Seems like the best days lie ahead for The Boxer Rebellion.
Grandma would be proud. She’d probably also say, “Told you so.”
April showers bring May flowers but what do May flowers bring? Damn Vandals! Jack Kansas (vox), Frank Pick (guitar), Adam Kilemore Gardens (aka THE ANVIL – bass) and Chris Christianson (drums) make up this talented quartet. Hailing from the Big Smoke (that’s London for the Yanks out there) the story goes that these cats met via an online forum for graffiti artists and, after “collaborating on a project”, got busted and had to complete (500) hours of community service as a penalty…or is it rehabilitation. It matters not as it’s quite apparent that the Brits don’t look kindly on that type of artistic expression either. Regardless of how it all started, I imagine if they keep putting out music like this, I dare say it could end quite well for these blokes as their haunting vocals paired with Echo-like guitar phrasing makes for a very intriguing mix indeed. ‘Cocaine Love’ and ‘Union Jack Boxes’ (available for listen here and as part of our global broadcast) are just (2) of the tracks featured on band’s upcoming Sexy Beast disc that is scheduled to drop next Tuesday, May 25. Needless to say we are quite honored to be entrusted with a sneak peak and wait on baited breath for our chance to listen the rest of their newest album in it’s entirety.
The May episode of OuterSound showcases a variety of independent artists from around the world to include Australia, Italy, Korea, Canada, the UK and, of course, the US. Here’s who you’ll hear…
Prophet Z:: Brooklyn, NY The Wake:: Rosignano Solvay, Italy Sink to See:: Los Angeles, CA 28-200:: Denver, CO IM Munroe :: Vancouver, Canada ThisOrder :: Rome, Italy The Breathing:: Seoul, Korea Cantalouper :: Columbia, MO Sickhoose:: Ovingham, Great Britain Tenpenny Joke :: Melbourne, Australia
In case you missed it, our favourite Canadian ska band, Rude City Riot, was a featured guest on CBC Radio One’s “On the Coast“ hosted by Stephen Quinn this past week. RCR played (5) tracks live on the air, followed by another (5) off air and topped it off with a free concert outside on the patio of the CBC Vancouver building.
Some say ska is dead…but Froglix says nay nay. With bands like Rude City Riot wildly waving the rude boy banner in the Great White North, ska is alive and well my friends. Alive and well.
Somewhere between the incredibly brilliant and the criminally insane lies our newest addition to the broadcast…otherwise know as Sickhoose. Their latest release, a 3 song ditty entitled Nozdrilz, comes pre-installed with a respectable dose of angst-laden guitars and syncopated rhythms (Stuart Copeland would be so proud) which, in turn, provide a compelling backdrop for a vocal element that effortlessly intermixes melody and harmony.
For those who like a little more “umph” in their indie, look no further as the Sickhoose pendulum clearly swings to edgier side of the alternative music spectrum. Britain’s Ad Lee and Davy Pecket beautifully slam 10 lbs of punk-infused power pop into a 5 lb sack. That being said, rest assured theirs is not an experiment in discordant feedback or disconnected power chords played as part of some cathartic release suggested by their therapist. Quite the contrary. Actually, for a genre that has many imitators and impersonators, it’s quite invigorating to hear something creative and unique. Now if I could only figure out what the names of their songs mean! Regardless, well done mates, well done.
genre: Power Ska
