1 comments about Honest Don's Greatest Shits.

1. After spending a good part of the last year in Los Angeles from my deprived existance in Sydney, Australia I finally got to really get a good look at the punk and ska scene.

   There are some killer tracks here from bands that have become almost part and parcel of a punk sampler but you should definantly check out Diesel Boy and Teen Idols who are doing it tough to keep punk rock elite! Good work Don! From the brown land littered with Olympic hysteria.

1 comments about The Writing on the Wall.

1. This remastered cd offers a look into the very early days of Dekker- well before the mind blowing success of "Israelites." It offers Dekker's first recording, "Honour Your Mother and Father," as well as several of his early tracks with his backing band, the (Four) Aces, including the great "Mount Zion."

   While not as polished or successful as later releases, this lp showcases the young Dekker and that amazing voice of his that would skyrocket him to international success.

   A great place to start with any artist is the beginning, and for Dekker, this is where it all started. The songs are great, as was his voice and presence. A wonderful companion to any Dekker or rocksteady collection.

3 comments about Looooking Gooood.

1. First of all, how did you even get to this page to read this review? If you were into the ska-revival of the 90's then this might be one of your best finds. This is Ska with a good amount of Rock undertones. No horns, just upstrokes and bass. The music in general is very upbeat and the subjects are unusually quirky. The "single" from this album is arguably Cynthia Johnson's Clothes, which, after hearing an alternate version on a Ft. Lauderdale high school radio station circa 1995, prompted me to buy this album. There is hardly a bad song on the entire album and I actually just bought it for the third time after losing it twice, which says something at least. This is an excellent album and I would recommend it to anyone into Ska or even moderately poppy punk. Additionally, the lead singer strangely disappeared... or even committed suicide... alleged to have had severe mental problems. Apparently this is a matter of uncertainty... just buy the album.



2. I had the pleasure of spending many an evening watching Hoodlum Empire perform live at various clubs around the San Francisco area, and have been a fan from the beginning. This is their only CD and I suggest you snap up a copy while you can. The other review I read on this page likened their music to Ska and Punk. There is no punk on this album! Hoodlum was a progressive Ska band for their time that called upon some of the Bay Area '80's funk sound at times, i.e. Limbomaniacs et al. But they were not funk, not punk. They were a ska band with NO horns who occasionally liked to switch the guitars into overdrive for fun. If you're looking for punk, go elsewhere. If you want some super fun music with awesome beats, scat like hilarious lyrics, and an irreverent attitude, then click your buy button now. After owning this album since its initial release, I have yet to grow tired of it. If you like it, e-mail me at Unclebusu@yahoo.com and I would be more than happy to dub a tape of their demo for you. Enjoy!



3. Hoodlum Empire is no more so this is the only album they have out, and what an album it is! I was so happy to find it here since I can never find it in stores. Simply put, this album rocks. It's a great mix of ska and punk. Every song on here is superb; they're fun to dance and sing to. I made a tape of this cd for my friend and she punks out to it hardcore. If you like Hoodlum Empire, check out MCM & The Monster, an equally rocking rad band that most people have not heard of.

2 comments about Sound of the Suburbs: A Collection of the Members' Finest Moments.

1. Excellent production values and good song choices help this best of collection rise above the crowd. The Members were an upbeat, lively late 70's early 80's band successfully combining reggae rhythms with punk attitude and populist ideals. Standout tracks on this collection include the sound of the suburbs, muzak machine, solitary confinement, Sally, glc, brian was. An excellent job these are fun songs not horribly lost in time. The largest missing item would be the absence of Working Girl, which was their most popular song in the US. I was fortunate enough to see them live in Columbia, SC in 1983 and they blew the crowd away with their talent and presence. Check it out.



2. First off, I don't own this CD, but I have 90% of the material on LP, so I feel slightly qualified to rate this one. Microdisney was formed by Cathal Coughlan and Sean O'Hagan. Coughlan went on to form the Fatima Mansions (if you ever find a copy of Viva Dead Ponies pick it up!), and has now gone solo. O'Hagan and went on to form The High Llamas. This collection comes from a variety of sources. One in particular is the album Crooked Mile, which for me, was one of the best 80's albums I never heard during that decade. Microdisney was kind of a Britpop act. The tunes are melodic, have great arrangements, and clever lyrics. A standout for me is Town to Town. I met Mr. O'Hagan after a show he did in Detroit last year and was forced to tell what a great album Crooked Mile was, and asked him who wrote Town to Town. Anyway, if you like the later bands these gentlemen formed, this collection is a nice introduction. Incidently, Sean told me that both he and Cathal wrote it. Cheers!

3 comments about Gitche Gumee to Me.

1. This is a relatively short EP ringing in around 30 minutes of most original material from Bop Harvey. Typical of their material is a message that is not overly politcal, but very much to the point. Their cover of Spinning Wheel is excellent and a staple of their live show. This was their most commerical effort to date and their last studio effort. It was unfortunate the band could not have hung on a little longer. Many of these songs are better live. Check out their excellent live album Monster Butt Dance Beat and their outstanding debut album Bread and Circus.



2. I have had the distinct pleasure of seeing BOP (harvey) perform live on several occasions, including a friends' wedding in 1992. I almost cried when they disbanded in that same year(?) This was unfortunate because in the World Music theatre the band was only a few years ahead of their time. Had they continued for just a few years, they would have made the big time. Anyway, it is a great disc. I am actually searchng for some of the discs that I don't possess.



3. BOP(harvey) provides an acute social commentary on the world around us. To combine that with a uniquely eclectic combination of musical styles is an incredible feat for a group that hailed from the very homogenous suburbs of the midwest. If this doesn't get you moving and thinking, nothing will.

No comments about Tell the People.

1 comments about Misconception.

1. Probably Mealticket's best album. Great mid 90's female Ska vibe where No Doubt left off. First 6 songs are great! The lead singer's voice is so strong yet soft. The horn section gets in your head with melodies you can't get rid of. One of my favorite Ska CD's to remind my of the 90's, Along with Hawaii's Red Session. Where have all the female Ska bands gone? Dance Hall Crashers? Save Ferris? Oh well
   Shaggy

No comments about Best of Soft Lee.

No comments about Licensed to Ska.

4 comments about Soca Fire Inna Jamdown Stylee.

1. Byron Lee has been around for a long time and has been able to adapt his style to the ever changing tastes and styles of music in the West Indies.
   This disk is pure soca consisting mainly of covers of songs which were popular in the 1990's. I do lament the drum machine he employs but this is
   an all too present feature in soca since it replaced its ancestor, calypso.
   As always, Byron and the Dragonaires are flawlessly tight and for anyone lokking for a "greatest hits" of 90's soca this is a great disk.



2. I am a longtime listener of Reggae music and I say without reservation or fear of contradiction that this is without a doubt one of the best Reggae albums ever made. The musicianship is first rate(no drum machines)and Mr. Hammonds excellent songwriting and unique vocal style really does justice to the material. Since I purchased the album I have listened to it every day, and continue to be amazed. I recommend this album highly. You will not be disappointed, buy one, and then buy another for a friend.



3. This Soca CD is a must for your collection. From beginning to the end you will be dancing nonstop. Some of my favorites are "Happy" "Bacchanal In The City" "Dollar Wine" "Soca Butterfly" and "Ragga Ragga" I will guarantee you that this CD will get your body moving to the Soca beat, if not you better check your pulse to see if your alive.



4. This CD has the best of Soca on it. It is great for someone who wants a sampler of some of the hottest Soca music. If you could only buy 1 cd with Soca music, then this would be the better choice. I am VERY pleased with it.