Spunge – “Idols” mp3

Buster the Ska Doggie, with whom I am acquainted, posted a sweet series of ska and ska related mp3s with his own peculiar annotation. It must be a dog’s life, posting blurbs about ska songs all day and night. You can listen to the lot of it @ Buster’s blog on ska4u.com. Here’s one of the tunes, I just have to re-post – “Idols” by UK ska rockers Spunge. Big silly good ska-pop-punky fun, about something I think we can all relate to sometimes. Which idol do I wanna be like? Why Buster the Ska Doggie, of course.

One of my favorite newish groups is one Sonic Boom Six from Manchester. This is one of their earlier singles and it just kills. In fact I love it too much to speak intelligently about it. Just hit it and be knowing about them. CDs @ CD Universe.

Here’s a lesser known gem from original Two-Tone giants The Selecter. Haven’t lived til you’ve seen this group live, oh my freakin gawd. Pauline Black is an amazing vocalist, and if her onstage energy could be tapped it would solve the energy crisis. Like all the Two-Tone era ska bands, The Selecter was never shy about expressing their politics in song, as in this defiant broadside against racist ignorance and fear. Musically there’s an interesting twist in this track – while most of the song contains their trademark Hammond Organ, a vintage Arp String Ensemble sound pops in at the bridge for an eerie, dark transition between the bouncy and bright choruses. Massive. Pick up a bevvy of their mp3s on the Three Minute Hero collection.

The Selecter

Three Minute Hero

I really like this little outburst of power-pop ska fervor. It has a bit of “3rd wave” spice, but it’s also well rooted in the two-tone stylee. A natural fit then, that Neville Staple – from the daddies of two-tone, The Specials – would be a guest singer on this. “Explosive” by Toronto’s own Planet Smashers. Skank and be happy.

Available @ CD Universe