With one of the quirkiest names in this ska-punk malarkey business, Big D and the Kids Table is not a moniker you forget quickly. The ska-punk seven piece from Boston, USA (Not the Lincolnshire pothole of cauliflower culture) has produced an extremely impressive second full length. From the Household Name label, who quickly seem to be amassing the finest in young bands, Big D manage to mix skanked up tunes to angst ridden compositions seamlessly and without breaking sweat. And although the album is not perfect it certainly leaves you with a sweet taste in your mouth.
The album kicks off with ‘checklist’ a punky hook opens it up with the brass coming in soon after; it all slows down for a smooth Ska riff that gets your dancing socks on. The rest of the song follows a similar pattern with fast beats and infectious riffs. ‘Evil Girl/Angry Girl’ follows up and has that classic ska stamp all over it. The lyrics are fast paced and quirky and if you're not getting your arse up to dance to this then quite frankly you shouldn’t be listening to ‘Big D’. ‘Wailing Paddle’ slows it down a little and is arguably one of the weaker songs of the album. That is not to say it is a poor song though. Far from it, it still holds its own among the eleven tracks featured, it just seems to get drowned out by the rest of them.
For most ska albums these days there is the obligatory instrumental featuring plenty of different riffs, maybe a couple of samples and a lot of trumpet. ‘Gipsy Hill’ is no different and features the modestly titled ‘Great Song’. There you go! ‘Those Kids Suck’ is an angry rant at the cocks of the scene that seem to put looking good ahead of the actual music. It’s short and sweet and straight to the point and you certainly get the message. ‘What the hell are you going to do?’ is another angry rant of a song; luckily ‘Find Out’ puts the humour level up a notch featuring a drunken singsong with Lightyear and Five Knuckle from their UK tour last year. Has to be heard to be believed… it’s… interesting! And remember… ‘Stevie Wonder, he wonder what you look like’.
‘Scenester’ is one of the highlights of the album. A chugging riff carries the song for the first half, McWane manages a more somber voice for the most part only turning it to the screech we know and love in fits and spurts. ‘The only room that you hate’ is the penultimate track of the album and is followed by ‘New England’ an ode to their home state, which incidentally is a cover of a song by Jonathan Richman. It’s quirky, the lyrics are ever so slightly humorous and it’s a corking end to an album.
There have been crackles that the ska scene maybe set for a revival and there is no doubt that Big D are at the forefront of the charge. There can be no doubt in the mind that they are a talented bunch of ‘players’ and the future can only be brighter for them. They are currently touring these isles and I suggest you check the venue near you for some brass action.
Jay
