Sell Out Records - A Music Review Blog

 

The Hippos 2003 Release (Buy It here) If you were living in Southern California, like I was, in the mid-2000s then you loved ska. You had to. Ok, maybe not, but I was growing up in a religious community near Santa Monica, California and we loved our ska. I wanted to be a rude boy so bad. If you rewind to 1997 I saw my first concert, and it was MXPX, The Hippos, and Less Than Jake. The band put on a showcase of ska fused music that I just couldn’t get enough of. They toured the country with the other two bands and they even made it to MTV and radio airplay. Then things started to change. The band went from ska punk to synthpop and completely disenfranchised their fans. I didn’t like the synth heavy record that came out in 2003, but hey, that’s just what happens. The band didn’t even put this out initially, they waited 3 years to get it out after fans wanted to hear it. That being said, this is not the traditional ska music that you knew from The Hippos. This time around the band...

We end the year on a sad note. The Specials drummer John Bradbury has passed away. He was 62 years old. This comes in light of the death of Lemmy, and Scott Weiland this December. It's been a tough month for music fans. As a ska fan, I am saddened to hear of the passing of Bradbury. I hope you're skanking in the sky, and hopefully we'll hear The Specials again up there.

The Fury of The Aquabats (1997)  From the very first thing that you hear on this record from 1997, you know you’re in for a fun time. The Aquabats are a ska band that got big in the 1990s and are still kicking today. They play a fun type of music where they are superheros and they take on the super villains. The songs all have a fun pace, mixing punk, third wave ska, and lots of great story telling. “The Fury of The Aquabats” was the first major exposure any of us punk kids got to a man by the name of Travis Barker. Surely, you don’t mean Travis Barker of Blink 182 fame, do you Jorge? Yes! That very same guy is on this record playing drums, long before Blink called him up, he was the drummer for this recording, and super group The Aquabats!

Alright, this is one of the most expansive of Christmas records that I will be reviewing this month. This is 50 tracks of alternative Christmas music from the Trojan record label. Trojan and Studio One are the most famous and iconic of labels from Jamaica. They specialize in reggae, ska, and dub music. These tracks aren’t new, they are from back in the day, and they all represent that Jamaican flavor that you would expect from reggae records. As far as I’m concerned, the Trojan Christmas Box Set is perhaps the best stocking stuffer you’re going to get today. I first caught wind of this in Idaho. I was miserable one Christmas, and they had this for 5 bucks used, so you know me, I had to purchase it. It cheered me up that Christmas as 50 tracks of compelling Jamaican flavor came coming through my stereo. There are some traditional elements here, but for the most part, each single artist does their own rendition of the classics, and sometimes, they completely butcher what you would expe...

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones "Let's Face It" LP  Let’s go back to 1997 for a minute. That was when I was young and dumb, but loved ska music. A lot of my friends thought that the genre was dumb or lame. I didn’t care, I still love the world of ska music and will recommend a ton of records to people that ask. With that in mind, one of the most popular and o utstanding works from the genre is none other than The Mighty Might Bosstones “Let’s Face It” . This is a record that absolutely skyrocketed the band from being a third wave ska act into the mainstream circus of music. In fact, it was their lead single that seemed to get the band the recognition that I had been trying to give them since I first heard their debut on cassette. Whatever the case is, the band saw significant success in ska music and the mainstream as a result of this compelling record. The tracks that stand out here include “Noise Brigade”, “The Rascal King”, “The Impression That I Get”, “Numbered Days...

Hepcat "Right On Time" LP  Hepcat is a band that should be on every jazz fans list. This is a jazzy ska record that doesn’t get enough respect, if you ask me. There’s something special about “Right on Time” , from the introductory phone call from one of the member’s father, to the way that the music flows through time. This was released in the 1990s, and yet it sounds like something that you’d find on a juke box from your favorite 50’s diner. This is a very intriguing ska record because of the way the vocal harmonies work. If that doesn’t grab you and take you back in time, then at least consider the way that the music works. Hepcat’s “Right on Time” presents a lot of jazz momentum. The trumpet alone is beautiful, and the horn section just puts on a showcase of interludes, bridges, and moments that are too much like jazz to call ska alone. Through the record you get a feeling that these guys are traditionally trained, and not just a rag tag grouping that were picked up...

One of the most amazing things that you will find in music is jazz. I didn't agree with that notion at first, but as I got older, I had a new found appreciation for jazz records. Today, I find a lot of penny records, and love the sound. I wanted to write about jazz, so here is my humble attempt to discover, and promote jazz for people that may not have heard the cool sounds. This blog covers jazz, ska, swing, big band, and the likes.

This blog is all about music discovery. It's updated not so daily with elements from all over the web. Mostly music that I like. Nothing really too difficult. I'm just trying to figure out how to navigate all of this.

In 1998 The Dingees released what would become one of my favorite ska-punk records of the decade. You see, I was only listening to what was termed “Christian” music at the time. I didn’t branch out into the many secular bands until about a year later, when I got my hands on an Epitaph Records catalog and bought one of every cassette, vinyl, and CD I could get my grubby hands on. The Dingees put out “Armageddon Massive” and I was immediately amazed at the mix of anti-establishment punk rock, and jazz fused with reggae. At the time, The Supertones were experiencing a huge push, and The Dingees as a result got tagged into the same framework. With this release, the band flowed through 11 songs of punk-ska in the same lines as Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, and Operation Ivy. You hear these influences from the starting line of “Ghetto Box Smash”, “Chaos Control”, “Bulletproof”, “Rebel Youth”, and more. This very well could be the best debut record for a ska-punk act ever. That’s pretty bol...

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy first came into my radio in the late 1990s when the rest of the swing revival happened on rock radio. I immediately latched onto the swing sounds and the band really hooked me. I have been following the band’s career for some time, and one of my favorite records that they put out was definitely “How Big Can You Get”. This is a record that takes on a tribute. The band pulls through a best of Cab Calloway and his big band music. They do covers in the style of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy however. It’s really well done, excellent in recording, and worth your time on a lot of levels. You are going to get the classic tracks that the famed jazz and big band leader put out. Some of my favorites include “Calloway Boogie”, “Minnie The Moocher”, “The Jumpin’ Jive”, “The Ghost of Smokey Joe”, and of course the whole record. In 11 songs, the band puts on 44 minutes of swing music that you would swear was part of the 1950s and 1960s. It’s fresh, it’s hip, it’s Big Bad Voodoo Daddy doi...

I went to school in Jesus Land. I went through 10 grades in Christian school. In that arena I was exposed to a lot of alternative Christian music. I hate the label because some of the artists were absolutely great no matter what their beliefs are. Consider Tooth and Nail Records and the early catalog of their hits. They are absolutely grand. Amidst the influx of alternative music from those years, I have to make mention of one band that didn’t get enough credit outside of the religious circles, and it’s The W’s. The band put out one of the best swing records ever crafted in 1998. I know, I’m reaching here for some, but the record is really well made despite the label that many people shun. “Fourth From The Last” has all the features of a great swing record , even if you don’t believe in the lyrical elements that come through sometimes. Do you like swing music? Chances are that you aren’t paying a lot of attention to the lyrics anyways, and if you are, you’re not going to get hit wi...

One of the most famous songs from Sublime is actually not an original. It’s a song that they covered, and many others have covered from The Melodians. I once heard a rendition of this song played at a pastor’s conference in Prescott, Arizona. This rocksteady group comes from Jamaica (of course), and is one of the better sounding artists from the 1960s. The song of course is “Rivers of Babylon”. With “Super Best” , the record that came out in 2012, you get a collection of tracks from the group. The disc is 25 tracks of rocksteady, and reggae, but with a subtle religious touch to it. Whether that’s by design or it’s just the signature style of The Melodians, I don’t really know. However, throughout the 25 tracks, you get a true sense for the reggae and ska artist’s passion for the music. There are elements of love, peace, harmony, and even religious ideas sewn throughout the songs. This is the type of ska record that you are going to be able to share with family, friends, and not get lau...

I write a lot. People don't understand how much I write. I write so much that I start blogs and just run them into the ground with the amount of text that I throw at them. Some of them get popular, others die slow deaths. I was listening to a song by Thursday, and it begins with the title of this post. So I decided to name a blog, and start writing reviews about the music that I want. I already have a review site called Sell Out Records (http://selloutrecords.blogspot.com), but that's for long form reviews. I also post random thoughts on Sold Out Records via Tumblr. However, I wanted an outlet where I wasn't confined to long forms, so here is this idea. In this blog, you will see reviews of music from all over the map. I will write about things in a very concise, and simple manner. No long form reviews will be posted on here, unless I want to rant. The reviews will be 250 words each and edited by James Himsa. The editing and writing will be to give you a break down of some ...

The Dingees have been one of those bands that people love to hate. That’s at least what I got from people whenever I said I was a fan. I saw them play a lot. I saw them play at the mega show that was Skamania with The Supertones and Slick Shoes. I saw them play with Stavesacre and Project 86, and I booked them to play a show at a church in Orange County with Makeshift3, Beauty to Ashes, and The Discarded. I recall begrudgingly paying Pegleg (the singer) their fee, even though not a lot of people came to the show. But hey, we broke even, and I got a free shirt for my troubles. He was down. “The Crucial Conspiracy” had come out and it seemed like no one cared about the once promising band on the Tooth and Nail roster. “The Crucial Conspiracy” seems like a concept record , as the artwork is amazing. The art done for the record is definitely something to see, as the band’s record is placed into an Orwellian perspective. I love how the art and design flows through a very concrete and v...

Some analysts will scoff at the notion that ska music could’ve been perfected by an American band such as The Slackers. However, if you put in their release, “Redlight” from 1997 into your record player, you will realize that the band not only took elements of ska, they mixed in valuable potent elements of jazz, punk, reggae, and even a little calypso into a melting pot of music that you cannot deny is simply divine. Like a fine wine, even though I hate wine, this record has found a home in the hearts of underground music fans. “Redlight” was a nice companion piece for me , but I didn’t hear it until around 2006. As far as these types of records are concerned, you have to go back in time to a different place. At the time, as Reel Big Fish, and the swing craze hit, bands like The Slackers and others got a major push into the mainstream. That didn’t last too long though, as you barely hear Reel Big Fish’s “Sell Out” on alternative rock radio any longer. In fact, if you are using the...

Download Here I’ve met a lot of Sublime fans in my day. Lots of them know of Sublime’s self-titled, and when I mention these guys, they stare at me with a blank face. I then recommend that they put down the Sublime box set, and pick up this band’s 2001 effort. “Wonders of the World” finds the group putting out their best record , in my opinion. It was the last one, so it's not like I have a long list of options to compare. For those that aren’t aware of this band, you have to go back to 1996. The band was put together after Brad Nowell died of a drug overdose. The band put out a record in 1999, but this is their 2001 release. With this release, the group would put together a lot of mixes from reggae, dub, to sonic ska. The ska sounds were mixed through a lot of members putting their spin on what made Sublime great.  THIS IS NOT SUBLIME! Well, it kind of is. The members of Sublime, before they found Rome, put this band together and they put together some great tracks on this...

It took me a few seconds before I blasted my speakers to “Can You Whine (feat. Galaxxy Quuen and Prince Ama)” as it is one of the most compelling mixes I’ve heard in a long time. Skip Martin breaks up the monotony of music with this incredible track of reggae, pop, and dance mixed into an incredible sound. You cannot listen to this song without turning up your subwoofer as it explodes with an infusion of sounds that you are going to absolutely love. The bass on this release is going to hit you hard, and the fast flow that you hear from Skip Martin is going to impress. The whole track just has a lot of different points, and if you watch the video, I dare you not to dance. I laughed hard, and then danced a bit for my cats. This is one of those songs that is going to make you laugh, it’s going to make you turn it up and you’re going to keep on asking “Can you whine?”. “Can You Whine (feat. Galaxxy Quuen and Prince Ama)” is my favorite reggae mix to date. I know, I love s...

When it comes to reggae and ska, I’ve listened to it all. I’ve heard good and I’ve heard terrible, and whenever a band claims they are playing this style of music, I get a bit nervous. Sono Vero, however, completely floored me. They are solid, well produced, and know how to fuse the best parts of rock, ska, and reggae to follow through on the traditional but put their own unique spin on it. This is exactly the kind of power that Sublime was able to call upon, and the same kind of influence that Dirty Heads are doing on KROQ. However, Sono Vero is doing it differently, they have a certain intangible quality that makes this release shine among the others on the market today. “Roses are Reckless” represents the finest fusion of modern rock, reggae, and melody I’ve heard in a LONG time. The band has been getting serious airplay, and has been getting requested on radio today. The hip hop portion of this band is clean, amidst the island sound, which is definitely a highlight of the recor...

This week Dicky Barrett turned 50 years old and everyone in Boston must have been proud of the Bosstones singer. I know I read about a lot of different things that were done in celebration, including Jimmy Kimmel flying out to throw him a bash. For those of you that love ska, then you know how much the musical influence has come through each decade to bring noise and quality sounds to stereo systems the world over. With the celebration of the singer, I have decided to throw down the 10 best Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ songs ever! That’s right, the best songs from the guys out of Boston and one of the best ska artsists of all time! Even though Dicky may never read this, congrats on 50 years! Here we go, 10 of the best from the Bosstones. “Don’t Worry Desmond Dekker” from “Medium Rare” (2007) Desmond Dekker is the king of ska, and this song appeared on the 2007 release of B-sides and more from the Boston ska group. This song is classic tones, and it presents a horn heavy song with m...