Word: ska
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...were the imperial lions of reggae. Along with bandmate Bunny Wailer, they brought the music of Jamaica to a wider audience, establishing reggae as a genre of global reach and lasting import. Today you can hear their influence in the music of the hip-hop group the Fugees, the ska-rock band Sublime and even the Rolling Stones (Stones guitarist Keith Richards has a low-key Rastafarian drum-and-chant album out called Wingless Angels). Marley's career (he died in 1981) was rightly celebrated several years ago by the spectacular four-CD boxed set Songs of Freedom (Island...
...best example of what seems to be the goal of the majority of the songs on Tear it Up is "Sweet Lady." This song succeeds in providing a pleasant "soft" ska feel. The ska rhythms are present but the song is very reminiscent of soft rock. In addition, the song features a pretty saxophone solo, making "Sweet Lady" the most promising of the songs on the album...
...remainder of the songs on the album, however, are unmemorable attempts to use this soft style of ska. Featuring tedious and uninteresting music as well as unexciting lyrics, the songs are all boring enough to be difficult to listen...
...whole, the music of Tear I Up: The Ska Album features the beat characteristic of ska, but the majority of the songs lack the energy usually present in this style of music without compensating for that lack of energy with interesting instrumental themes. And none of the songs are redeemed by meaningful lyrics. Most simply make one statement and then repeat it, and those that elaborate do so in a superficial manner. Floyd Lloyd succeeds in offering a vision of soft ska, but he does not succeed in actualizing that vision. What is left is a CD that is mediocre...
Musically, the songs on So Long can basically be divided into two categories: brightly furious power chord attacks and funkier, brass-laden ska-themed tunes. Usually the band offers a more varied collection, such as with the two previous releases. Heavy Petting Zoo and Punk In Drublic, but not this time around. As for lyrics, traditional NOFX fare can be expected--pointless nuggets of comedy taken from lead singer Fat Mike's crazy world and critical mini-harangues that fit within the confines of the under-one-and-a-half-minute rock song. The topics have become expected and patterned...