Listen Up Sonny!

Oregon Ear Candy

As the heading states, this is my review of the bands on this compilation. Before this compilation came out, I had only heard about half of these bands. Overall, I really like it. Unlike some compilations where it seems like the songs were thrown down wherever, this CD flows really well. It's hard to think that a swing band following a hardcore band would work, but hey, it does here! Besides the format, the recordings are high quality. It has a nice, clean sound. Anyways, here's what I thought of the bands:

10 Dollar Mic[Ska]
10 Dollar Mic has come a long way from the first time I saw them a few years ago. They've developed into a fine-tuned ska machine. "Kitty" and "Skadzilla" are two great songs with a nice, smooth sound. "Kitty" contains a sax solo that is somewhat Madness-esque. "Skadzilla" starts off with a organ playing and then busts in with an old school ska style. "Drinkin' Again" is a fun little song about drinking and fighting! 10 Dollar Mic also has a new EP out called Rising Sun.

The Readymen[punk-ska]
I have always thought that The Readymen sounded a bit like Operation Ivy. Not that this is bad or anything! The Readymen have a similar punk ska feel as Operation Ivy, but they still maintain a certain uniquiness to them. The singer's voice is grainy, the guitars are pounding, but that's how punk is supposed to be! The Readymen are one of my favorite punk-ska bands in this 3rd wave generation. They were around before it was popular and they know how to play! One of the things I've always liked about The Readymen are the lyrics. They have always had intelligent lyrics.

Shorthanded[skate punk]
This is the first time I have heard of Shorthanded. They sound really good. They honestly sound more hardcore than punk, but who am I to lable? They have fast guitars and loud drums with lots of cymbals. The lyrics are a bit drowned out by the other instruments, so it can be a little hard to understand them at times.

Lando Calrissian[ska-punk]
Lando Calrissian is from Eugene. I hope they don't take this in a bad way, but they remind me of "Weird Al" Yankovic if he did a ska band! You may get a really bad picture when I say that, but they make it sound good! You'd have to hear them to know what I mean... This is another band that I didn't have the chance of hearing until now.

The Valiants[instrumental surf]
I don't listen to all that much surf, but The Valiants are one of my favorite bands. I've seen them a couple times live and have had a lot of fun at their shows. "Paradise Cove" is a slower surf song. It has a nice bass line with a floating guitar sound over it. The Valiant's organ is more pronounced in "Peg Leg." I don't know what it is about organs, but I really love their sound!

Five Cent Refund[old school hardcore]
I've never really been into hardcore. It has pounding basses and loud singing, nothing against it, it's just not my thing. All that aside, I do like Five Cent Refund. I just wouldn't want to listen to it all the time. Honestly, they remind me a bit of the Henry Rollins Band.

Lucky Seven Swing Ensemble[swing]
Now honestly, what can I say about these guys? I've been listening to them since they were a ska band known as Inspector #37 way back when and then as The Scandals before they transformed into Lucky Seven. I have always thought that these guys were a marvelous group of musicians. They were a lot of fun to see live and to dance to. The only problem with this band is that they broke up last June (1998)! The three songs on this compilation were ones that would always be on their setlist.

Peter Pans Rage[punk-ska]
This is my first time hearing Peter Pans Rage also. They're OK. The guitar is a bit grainy, but that just may be the effects they have on it. I really don't like how they did the backup vocals on "Just Like You" and "Toxic Thing." In general, the vocals are just weird. Part of the time in "Big Time" it's hard to understand what he's saying.

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