Back in 2008 Nottingham’s JIMMY THE SQUIRREL released a very impressive four track EP. Why was it impressive? Well, despite falling under the ‘ska punk’ banner, the band’s sound was actually more rooted in traditional reggae music than its checked-pants sporting third-wave counterparts. Lavishly rich reggae tones were underpinned by a lush organ sound that was akin to those transatlantic sounds. Now, following a fair few personnel hurdles, the band returns with a debut full length, ‘Whatever The Weather’.
There’s a vibe to album number two that sees Jimmy The Squirrel sauntering along, never hurried, never forced, just laid back and effortless. The band knows where each song is going and doesn’t need to worry about how to get there, whatever the weather, if you will. Gentle guitar strokes and that plush organ calmly work together and even the band is up tempo things tend to be less frantic and carnivalesque than the previous EP.
The vocal of Liam O’Kane comes across as somewhat muddied and muffled, but proves to be passion-infused and dynamic. There’s quite the sense of doom and gloom surrounding the content he recites, with tracks like ‘Boom And Bust’ and ‘Bankrupt Man’ recalling the subject matter of the early 80’s 2-Tone scene, when the country was last in an economic shitpile as bad as today. It’s worth noting also that there are elements of the music similar to that particular era as well, generating a somewhat bleak atmosphere at times.
This bleak and relaxed approach does pose a problem though. Despite there not being a single dud on the record, there’s no real track that jumps up and demands your attention. Nor is there one that really contemporises the music. Whilst it’s enjoyable listening to the recreation of a traditional sound, you can’t help but wonder how much more Jimmy The Squirrel could impress with a little modern tweaking. Still, ‘Whatever The Weather’ stands up as a pleasingly impressive serving of soulful reggae that proves relevant to the time.
ALEX HAMBLETON