ska – News on Shuffle

Ska Festivals & Shenanigans

Hello friends! It’s been awhile and I have so many things I want to share with you.

What have you been up to?

Well…. there’s the health stuff, for starters. Migraines are still being a (literal) pain, but I’m currently doing Botox treatments and am playing the waiting game to see how they respond to that. In more fun news, I went to a ska festival last weekend! It was 3 days of music and catching up with friends, and I had an absolute blast. For those not in the know, Supernova Ska Fest takes place in Hampton, VA. It’s usually a cross between bands I love, bands on my bucket list, and bands I never heard of before. There’s acts from all over the world who come to participate. This year they had Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Bad Manners, Out of Control Army, Adhesivo, Stranger Cole, Hollie Cook, and Sister Nancy – and that’s just the international acts. I cannot properly convey how much fun I had. It was even worth feeling buried in things to do for the next week after I got back.

Am I a music blog again?

Maybe! I at least want to dip my toe back into it. I used to do way more writing about music on this site, and Supernova inspired me to try to get back to those roots. Maybe next year I’ll try doing write-ups on the bands as they’re announced.

What games have you been playing?

I’ve actually been doing a ton of gaming lately. My ADHD doesn’t hold focus on any one thing, but I started FFXV and even posted some short clips on TikTok. I also bounce between being obsessed with FFXIV and dropping completely off it. Lately I’ve been focusing on Baldur’s Gate 3 (like a lot of us I am obsessed, although still in Act 1) and Palia, a cozy online game currently still in beta. I also recently downloaded Marvel Snap on Steam and really like it. The dailies give you a reason to do a few matches in a row, but don’t feel too demanding. And finally, I’m getting back on an Idle Champions kick. They added a couple characters from BG3 and sucked me back in. Maybe I’ll do some individual posts of these games if the mood hits me.

What about streaming? Still doing that at all?

I’ve been on a very long hiatus due to both health and other life stuff. I tried to come back for my affiliate anniversary Sept 20th and had major tech issues. Still, it was nice catching up with everyone before things imploded. I’m hoping I’ll be able to find time to fix whatever the problem was, but I also might need to wait till I get a new headset. The other one gets really uncomfortable. Even after only 2 hours I had a little migraine forming. I currently have a kofi goal to get some stream upgrades. I also have a birthday and Christmas to look forward to. Maybe a guardian angel will smile on me for the holidays.

It’s too soon for Christmas! Don’t skip Halloween!

You’re right, we cannot forget the best month of the year – Spooky Month! I’m building a list of new horror movies to check out and have actual plans on Halloween night. Bringing it back around, it happens to be a ska show. I’m really hyped to get into some good spooky fun this year

Well, that’s all from me for now. I’m gonna try to get back into the swing of things again, but I’m not forcing myself to write every week like I had been. I’d like to be consistent, but I also have to accept that my body might not always cooperate with me. Now, share your favorite horror movies in the comments and pass the pumpkin coffee over.

Backyard Superheroes – Most of All

Backyard Superheroes debuted a new song and video last night during the 7+ hour Supernova Ska Festival: Quarantine Edition. There have been a lot of socially distanced music videos popping up during quarantine, and I have loved seeing what people come up with to make up for the fact they can’t be in a room together. This one was no exception.

First off, I love how it starts with the introduction proclaiming them “the 7th best ska band in New Jersey”. I also love all the background items and in general getting a tase of members’ individual styles. From a Captain America shield on one wall to another wall covered in Funkos, there’s lots of fun nerd stuff to spot. (The tiny Devils helmet was my personal favorite, as I’m originally from NJ and am a huge Devils fan).

I would be remiss if I focused too much on the video and didn’t talk about the song itself. At just over 3 minutes it’s a fast-paced number about all the things they miss in quarantine – but especially their friends. It’s a sentiment I think we can all understand, packaged in a song I could easily listen to on repeat a few times.

The video closes with the announcer proclaiming, “Wasn’t that something with the horns and the beards”

Yes, sir, It was quite something.

Most of All is available to purchase on their Bandcamp. All proceeds are being donated to the ACLU.

Backyard Superheroes – Never Give Up, Never Surrender

Editor’s note: This review should have gone up sooner but thanks to technical issues (and other life stuff) it has been held till now. Better late than never, am I right?

The following ares my stream of conscious thoughts (with mild edits) while listening to Backyard Superhores’ latest album, Never Give Up, Never Surrender. Now available on Spotify, iTunes, and Bandcamp (personally I like Bandcamp best for my music-buying needs).

This album doesn’t grab me up front in the same way their previous record did, but it definitely gets me immediately curious. “Where is this going?” I think as two songs later we jump into an upbeat, fast-paced jam that I am all in for. I don’t listen to music at home much, but when I do I’m looking for something I can workout to or that inspires me to get stuff done. While NGU doesn’t immediately start that way, it certainly gets there by track 3 and does a good job of bringing the energy up and down throughout the rest of the album in a way that feels right.

I think my favorite song on the album is “The Weekend”. Not only is it a really catchy ear worm of a tune, but I love the little bit of video game music at the end. The song after it, “Tangerine Drive” isn’t bad either. It’s got a short but sweet horn riff I enjoy that gets repeated a couple times. I also love the way it breaks down towards the end then picks back up again before closing and jumping into the next song. Then there’s “What if,” which asks “what if life were like the comics?” something I ask myself All. The. Time.

Another thing worth noting with NGU is how very ska the horns and rhythm are, but without hitting you over the head with it. I love how they find that balance of being THE MOST SKA but not at the same time. Some bands get classified as ska when they’re really just rock bands with horns. Backyard Superheroes are a ska band, and very much ok with that.

Overall I would say I prefer their previous album, Let’s Get Dangerous, but definitely enjoyed this one and can see myself getting more attached with repeated play-throughs. Listen for yourself, and see what you think. And while you’re at it, think about what your life would be like as a comic book, and leave a comment with what your super power would be. I definitely would want some telekinesis so I could move things from across the room that are too far away from me. Also, the possibility of being able to levitate myself is pretty cool.

Backyard Superheroes – Let’s Get Dangerous

Before I begin I want to give some back story on this one. The ska scene (like many other scenes in the world) is a small place. Pretty much everybody knows everybody else. Since I’m dating a ska musician, it means that at least half the ska reviews I do are people I’m friends with or are on friendly terms with. So yeah, I’m a little biased. I was specifically told to give constructive criticism on this one though, and that’s what I’m gonna try my best to do here.

First thought with the intro (other than how much I love when bands do intros) is how it gives the album a big feel, like the band is getting a big introduction before they go play the hugest stage ever. When you think about it, that’s what happens when you put your music out into the universe these days. You are essentially jumping on a stage that the whole world can see, especially with the Internet as your major distribution platform. It makes me happy that these guys might not be headlining a stadium, but it definitely sounds like they put everything into the music they’re delivering to your eardrums.

Second thought, as I continue listening, is how tight everything sounds. The horns are ON POINT and all the songs seem to flow into each other really well. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, folks: I love it when people make full albums and not just a bunch of songs that can be listened to on shuffle. I know that’s how a lot of people listen to music now, but I still like putting on an album and listening from start to finish. It makes me happy to see a band take the time to really think about song placement and how the album as a whole is going to flow.

I know a said I was going to try to give constructive criticism, but my only complaint is that the album is too short at 17 minutes long and flies by. I want more music! Still, this definitely got me pumped and made me want to go to one of their shows soon. If you feel the same way, you’re in luck! These guys are going on tour. You can find a complete list of tour dates on their Facebook page as well as ticket links to all the shows. And if you just want to listen to their music from the comfort of your own home (including this album) then Bandcamp is the place for you.

Survay Says – Observations Of The Human Condition

Happy Saturday, everyone! Today we go back to basics with an overdue review of Survay Says new album Observations of the Human Condition.

First impressions: Any album that has a song titled “I Aim To Misbehave” definitely has promise. Yep, I have a good feeling about this one…

While part of me wished that “Misbehave” was the first song on the album, I was also very happy with the way it started. There is a slow introduction that builds in tempo and fullness of sound until it dives into the first real track of the album, “Ode To My Willpower (Or Lack Thereof),” which holds nothing back. The whole album is full of driving rhythms that make you wanna get up and dance.

Not only do I love the actual music in this one, I am a fan of the song tittles as well. Besides “I Aim To Misbehave” we also get tracks like “This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things,” It’s A Great Day For America Everybody,” and “Cake Eater”. We also get some fun guest appearances by David McWane of Big D and the Kids Table and Joe Ragosta of Patent Pending. As someone who has been thrown into the ska scene recently thanks to dating someone in a ska band, I have noticed that a lot of these bands all know each other and stay connected in some way. In fact, I’m pretty sure I started listening to Survay Says because of The Pandemics. It’s nice to see a scene that, although it has waves, still manages to stay consistently fun and never seems to get old.

So yeah, I could keep going but honestly the whole album is great and a prefect listen for your first summer road trip. The album was released in April, so if you don’t have it yet then you should GET ON IT. If you like fun, I promise you’ll like this too. Hell, I’m pretty sure I could put this on repeat and not be bored for awhile. In fact, here I go…

Go Big – The Story From Our Side

A little background before I get started on this one…. As I’ve mentioned before, my guy is in a ska band called “The Pandemics“. Someone in the band got the idea one day to start a Touring Ska Bands group on Facebook. This is exactly what it sounds like, a place where touring ska bands can get help either filling gaps in their touring schedule or finding other resources (like someone to write an awesome review of the new album they just released). That’s where the lead singer of Go Big found my contact info and emailed me about doing a review of their new album “The Story From Our Side“. What makes this even better (and proves everything is connected) is that these folks were already on my radar from a gig they did with The Pandemics over the summer. Since I already knew I was going to like what I heard, I obviously was excited to do this review. Now that I’ve actually listened to it, I can honestly say I was not disappointed…

The beginning of the album is as if someone vocally took a running start and dove right into a crowd of people. The energy stays high throughout most of the album (the only song not running a million miles an hour is the closer) and leaves you with a great big grin on your face. Oh, and I defy you to not start dancing in your room while you’re listening to this… by yourself… with no one there to witness your lame dance moves.

Not only is the music full of energy, it also has a lot of variety. There are 8 people in the band playing more instruments than I care to list (unless you feel like reading a novel), plus two vocalists (one male, one female). Altogether it creates a great package that will make your ears happy.

After you’ve taken a moment to enjoy their new release, take the time to see them live. Upcoming dates include May 3rd at Evenflow Bar (LI) and May 9th at Santos Party House (NYC). If you can make the Evenflow show then DO IT. That’s where I met this band and fell in love. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Pandemics Take Philly

As I mentioned in my most recent post, I plan on adding a lot more content to this site. I also mentioned a certain band I’m associated with called “The Pandemics,” and that I would be writing about a recent trip to Philly they took. The show itself was nothing special, but it was still a worthwhile trip. For one thing it was their first show since November, so it was good practice for a bigger show they have coming up later this month with Mephiskapheles and Inspector 7. For another, it was the first time the band had gotten together for 2 or 3 weeks, since holidays got in the way of their rehearsing schedule. So, even though they were competing against the Eagles game and didn’t have many people in attendance, it was still a great trip out for everyone. That’s an important lesson for touring bands to learn. When you first get out on the road, you don’t always make money on tour. In fact, your first couple times out you should expect to lose (or at best break even). But it’s still great for you to get your name out there and also get some bonding time with your bandmates. If you play your cards right, eventually the money will follow.

Thanks for waiting patiently while we dust ourselves off from a rough year. Here’s some picks from the road to hold you over until next time:

PS – If you’re interested in the Meph/Inspector 7 show I mentioned, it’s Jan 24th at Revolution Bar & Music Hall in Amytville, NY. Message me on the Facebook page and I’ll tell you how to get reduced price tickets from the band. Support your local ska scene!

The Blog Is Dead, Long Live The Blog

Last year was pretty dead for this blog (looking back my last post was in March, which is way too long to let something sit here and take up space, in my opinion). If anyone is still out there patiently waiting for new content here, I’m sorry to keep you waiting for so long. There were a lot of distractions to keep me occupied in my personal life. Two major factors were my move from Brooklyn to Long Island, and my only having the time to see the one band that has recently taken over a large part of my life. My writing wasn’t the only area that suffered because of it. I also majorly stopped with my photography pursuits. Fear not though, for my new year’s resolutions for 2014 are as follows:

1) Get this blog back on its feet and start posting content regularly again.
2) Dust off my camera and start taking pictures of anything and everything that crosses my path.

As I mentioned before, there was one band in particular that took over a large part of my life in the past year. That band is a LI ska band called “The Pandemics“. The guy I’ve been seeing for about a year and a half now is their bari sax player. This past year was very good to them, and they got a lot of great opportunities to play with some amazing acts. While I was pleased for them, their schedule combined with my work schedule left me with less ambition to run around taking pictures and writing about everything. I pretty much got in a routine of go to work, go home, occasionally see boyfriend’s band play. It was fine for a time, but it left me looking back on the year and wanting to push myself more in the future. I’m going to do my best to put myself out there and introduce you all to some great new things. Having said that, I’m also probably going to talk about The Pandemics a lot, simply because I have easy access to them and they are a large part of my life. Luckily for you, they’re not just some dumb band that I am close to. They actually are pretty good, and I think you will enjoy what I have to share with you. I promise to mix stuff up though and not just turn this into a lovefest for some guy and his stupid band.

Thank you for being patient with me as I work towards making this space more active again. I already have a couple of posts planned, first of which is going to be about the trip I took to Philly this past weekend. That should be out later this week, pending the status of the annoying plague-thing that has made residence in my chest. Until next time, happy new year and stay warm, kids!