S is for Ska! (Thank you Conor for your awe-inspiring mastery of the English language)

Band: The Slackers

Country: USA

Notable Album: Better Late Than Never

Favourite Song: Run Away

CONOR IS RIGHT, I AM JEALOUS OF HIS WIT AND MASTERY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.  Take a look at the hilarious title of this post and see for yourself just how unbelievable his literary skills are.  Yesterday was quite the adventure - went to Cambridge for fun (weird, right?), played some music (a lot less scary than Saturday), and went to a really weird dance that scared the crap out of me but everyone else liked so that was cool.  Then it was sleep time so I missed a day - but things are back on track, life is calm, and ska prevails once again.  So let's continue this magical journey of letters and bands and music.


NOTE: Half of bagel, cheese, turkey, dijon mustard, Frank's hot sauce, horseradish, and other half of bagel makes a yummy sandwich, according to James.  This may become another extremely disjointed and distracted post.  Laugh if you can.  Follow along if you can.  You probably can't.


Today was a tough decision - ska-punk or traditional-style ska?  It was a choice between Subb (great Canadian ska-punk, check 'em out) and The Slackers, and I've been mulling it over all day.  I had the distinct honour of seeing Subb's final Ontario show in London a few months back, accompanied by my trusty sidekick Metal Conor.  It was a great show, and I was able to take a few moments to talk with J-F afterwards - I don't think I've ever met a more humble musician.  He was so appreciative of people like us supporting the local scene that the concert has stuck with me as inspiration, reminding me that the whole music scene hasn't sold out yet - there's hope if we start to care and support the honest musicians.  For that very reason, I almost feel guilty for choosing The Slackers over Subb, but there's been so much ska-punk lately that Royal City Riot yesterday and The Slackers today just feel like a good way to shake things up.  I'm crazy like that.  What will I do next?  Who knows - I just live on the edge.

Glen Pine singing for the Slackers
E-Bar, Guelph, October 2010

So today's band is The Slackers.  I had the privilege of seeing them play in Guelph back in October - what an incredible show.  They didn't even have to try to pump the crowd up with stage antics (the Johnstones come to mind) - the simple fact that they are true musicians, make quality music, and love the music they play makes it fun enough for anyone.  By the second song (Watch This), the entire crowd was bouncing and the girls were already being told to stay off the monitors - no dancing allowed up there.  It was a great night, and it's a very special treat to see a ska band that is made up of such incredible talent.  The Slackers have 2 lead vocalists, and both have unique voices - Vic Ruggiero (also keyboard master) has the coolest New York accent you'll ever heard, and unlike most singers it doesn't disappear as he sings, and Glen Pine (also trombone extraordinaire) has an incredibly powerful, pitch-perfect voice that is perfect for the ballads that they sometimes play.  Alongside some sweet sax grooves, a great trad-ska drummer, some really sweet bass lines, and great skanking offbeats, the group that makes up the Slackers aren't one to joke about.


Better Late Than Never is the Slackers' first full-length album, although many members were in a ska-punk band called The Nods (who had one full-length) slightly before.  As a first record, it's very well produced - in my opinion it's actually better produced than Redlight, which came out a year later.  I find it very easy to sit and listen to the entire album all the way through, something that I can't do for a few of their later ones.  I like most of the songs on the album, especially the original version of Sarah (which was re-recorded for their split with Pulley in 2004).  The horns are tight, the music is a cool mix of jazz, ska, and reggae, and it has a really cool overall "retro" feel.


Run Away is the second track from the album, and also my favourite one.  I can only find a sample, but it's a sweet song - you can find a full live version on YouTube.  It's a cool reggae song with a really catchy horn line, deep powerful bass, and an awesome 2-chord chorus that you can't help but sing to.  I highly recommend plugging in headphones or a good set of speakers when you listen to the song - the bass is extremely low, but powerful once it's amplified.  I have vivid memories of driving along the Trans-Canada Highway, listening to this song on my way to film some stuff in Fort Walsh this summer.  I had to stay in Maple Creek for the night (the town that flooded like mad over the summer) and this was the song that brought me into town (I listened to my Slackers mix CD twice).  That evening I wandered around town, ended up going to a local movie shop and talking to the owner for like 2 hours - we talked horror movies and he actually offered me a job!  I can remember that drive though - singing along, sipping an Iced Capp (now I want one), wearing some extremely stylish sunglasses, and enjoying the drive into Maple Creek as dinner time approached.  Then I ate dinner and it was even better.  It's a good song too, listen to it.


OK It's been 2 hours and I should be napping.  Hope you enjoyed my essay of stuff that really doesn't matter that much.  Support these great guys and buy Better Late Than Never here, and I also hope you check out Subb's music here.  Letter "T" will be up tomorrow night - NAP TIME.