Amazing concept for this album which releases on January 17th. There is no other word that can be used to describe this album... HUGE! The Brainchild of Andy Baker and 172 of his friends. Yes you read that right 172 - this is a masterpiece of collaboration which is impossible to pigeon hole. Whilst its roots are firmly in ska, it explores punk, ska punk, roots, reggae, folk - it's all in that great big melting pot. There are tracks with twenty voices for backing singers or a ten piece horn section - it has a real festival feel to it. I'm gonna call it festival ska!
Andy has produced this superbly given that all 172 artists would have recorded this in different places all around the world, using different recording methods each providing a slightly different sound. It's amazing - both in terms of the music and the concept. He promises that Vol 2 will be even bigger.
To give you a flavour - here are some of the bands with artists performing on the album: The Slackers (that's a pretty good start), Reel Big Fish, Captain Accident, Less Than Jake, Call Me Malcolm, Bite Me Bambi, Monkey, The Toasters, Beat The Red Light, Joker's Republic, Thirteen Towers, The Skluttz, Backyard Superheroes, Rude Boy George, Skatune Network, Bergen Vista Social Club, The Stiff Joints, We Are the Union and so many more... Damn, that looks like a Button Down Radio modern ska playlist right there!
Full review coming after a few more listens - it's just so complex.
For fans of - Housebound Ska Collective, Death of Guitar Pop, Call Me Malcolm, Suicide Machines
Beautiful vinyl from https://www.pookoutrecords.co.uk/
Digital will be available from https://andybandtheworld.bandcamp.com/
