Reviews

In the modern era of ska, bands like Reel Big Fish, Streetlight Manifesto, Catch 22, Mad Caddies, Less Than Jake, Leftover Crack, and, of course, Mighty Mighty Bosstones lead list of names that embody the ska-punk sound, while those like Westbound Train and The Aggrolites lean more towards a traditional version of ska and reggae. For over a decade, Big D & The Kids Table has fallen somewhere in the middle. Aside from dabbling in dub, the band has explored a hefty mix of punk, traditional ska, thrash, and more, all mixed with plenty of their own Allston flavor. The release of 2004's How It Goes was a showcase for the variety of sounds that Big D has explored. After some dub experimentation with the Salem Girls EP, the band threw many of their recently recorded punk tracks over to the Beijing to Boston split with China's Brain Failure, and decided to focus their SideOneDummy debut on an effort that is described simply, yet perfectly, by the album's title—Strictly Rude. The result is one of the best modern ska albums to ever be released.
 
While it usually takes a few years to put any album in a comparable, historical perspective, I wouldn't hesitate a minute to say Strictly Rude is the best of best ska has to offer, and deserves mention next to classics such Keasbey Nights and Hello Rockview. The band is not only in command of the genre, but has a classical knowledge of music in general, and most importantly, none of the Big D flavor established over the previous efforts of the band is lost on Strictly Rude. It's that combination of respect and knowledge of traditional ska and originality that makes this a classic from start to finish.
 
“Music—a steady riot in my soul,” is the proclamation singer Dave McWane makes at the outset of the album, while paying tribute to the Allston scene that helped give birth to Big D's sound. It's followed by “Noise Complaint,” easily the most upbeat and catchy song on the album. The style of the song gives me images of McWane leading a big band from the swing era. Swaying to and from the mic in the middle of a stage while singing the song and, at the same time, introducing and encouraging the audience during the various solos throughout this highly structured tune, the topic of which happens to be a kickass party.
 
“Shining On,” follows as a more relaxing tune, where the guitar accentuates the upbeats. My favorite lines of the album come with the great vocal delivery of “Comm. Ave., I hit up Blanchard's / They sell cheap wine, I got six bucks / Bag rips, wine smash / Drink it up, avoid the glass.” This is also a good point to mention the lyrics of the album in general. Another reason Strictly Rude is so damn good is that the lyrics have that timeless feel to them. In some instances, they're very specific, likely very personal, but they're also very relatable. We all have a neighborhood, we've all been to that one killer party, and we've all dealt with that member of the opposite sex we couldn't resist even while every person we've known for years told us she's not right (or at least we've been one of those friends telling him so). We've all lost that favorite cap from when we were “real-real small,” and we've all seen that favorite venue in town close, leaving everyone wondering where they'll party next. McWane may just be singing about his own experiences but they're experiences every listener can latch onto and understand. And for the most part, they're not too specific that they'll be dated ten years down the line.
 
In the case of “Souped-Up Vinyl,” it's a song that summed up my last two jobs perfectly. "I collect about 12 hours a day in this damn place / Drag myself in, it's a quarter to eight / Got to sweep it up, set it up, open the place up / Deal with idiots to make a lousy 40 bucks." It's an anthem for that first job that everyone has had, worked their ass off for, was taken advantage at, and hated, but pushed on through it.
 
Lyrically, these personal account stories are mixed with a few broader topics, such as those off “Raw Revolution” The track starts by speaking to any band that has played for themselves and the music rather than the success, and branches out to the experiences that come from it.
 
“Try Out Your Voice,” is a call-to-action. It's a call to those in power, whether they are politicians or wealthy businessman. It's encouraging those in power to acknowledgement of the cries of the people. It's an attack on the complacency of those very people and challenges them to use their power and speak out. “Remember being proud, remember feeling loved, remember when leaders gave sacrifice? / I believe all men done have a price / Truth in the State of the Union address, truth in this political process / I should not have to sing for this.” Oh yeah, and it starts off with a fucking incredible organ and trombone intro that's pure Bosstones, through and through (It's also worth mention that Joe Gittleman's production reflects his background in ska, doing the music justice throughout the album).
 
“Hell on Earth,” is my personal favorite track on the album; if this song doesn't find its way into the band's live set list, then someone dropped the ball. Topically, it's about people's tendency to ignore everything we've learned as a species, letting everything go to hell. Musically, it starts with a minute of acoustic guitar and vocals before busting into the most straightforward punk effort the band is offering on this album, before revisiting the slow, acoustic intro at the end of the tune. This is easily the best drunken-sing-a-long/mosh song in the band's arsenal.
 
The album closes with two slower tunes in “The One” and “She Knows Her Way.” The latter is the longest track of the album, incorporating a bit of dub. Overall, fans shouldn't expect the same kind of diversity on this effort as that of How It Goes, but there is plenty diversity of a different kind. The album is grounded in the sounds of traditional ska but within those boundaries, the band has found plenty of room for variation. Not one song on this album sounds like the next. A standout example is the eerie, minor key the band goes to for “Snakebite,” making it one of the most interesting tracks on the Strictly Rude. By the end, though, one realizes every track has something special that stands out.
 
And the horns! I almost forgot the horns. The musical construction on this album is superb on so many levels and the horns play a big part in that. They're integrated so well that they don't call a ton of attention to themselves on most occasions but without them, most of these songs would be nothing.
 
There have been plenty of good ska albums over the last decade, and some original variations such as Streetlight Manifesto's Everything Goes Numb are even great, but Big D & The Kids Table's Strictly Rude is simply a masterpiece of the genre.