Ska Reborn: Take Four

Wednesday, June 13, 2007
CityBeat Magazine
By Mike Breen

The constant evolution of Ska music has been one of the most fascinating arcs in music history. Begun as a pre-cursor to Reggae, artists like Bob Marley and the Wailers developed the "island" sound. The second wave of Ska formed in the British Punk scene, as artists like Bad Manners, The Specials and The English Beat added their Punk-spawned urgency and created a new branch to the Ska tree. The '80s and '90s saw a more direct hybrid of Punk and Ska, as the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and others created yet another brand, bringing the Punk up in the mix and matching brawny power chords and howling vocals with the sped-up skip-beats.

When Ska has gone through its "down periods," when it's not fully embraced by the mainstream -- in fact, it's often ridiculed as a fleeting fad -- it lives on in the underground. The revival that's rising now has been more appealing to me, a 2-Tone label die-hard. New, young bands like the Aggrolites and Hepcat have brought things full circle, going back to the natural, uncluttered vibe of those earliest Ska sides (while still mixing in the occasional modern elements). In Cincinnati, the leading Ska band is The Pinstripes. One listen to their new album, The Decay, proves they've more than earned their stripes. The Decay contains everything that made me fall in love with Ska 25 years ago: smooth, clean, soulful vocals; tight horn punctuation marks; classic organ; and a steady, air-tight beat that doesn't ever step on its own feet from being too hurried. There is a fresh, youthful energy, but they don't overdo it -- it's apparent that these guys have listened intently to the originators and others who kept most true to the original concept. The Decay is likely the best Ska album to ever come out of Greater Cincinnati.

The band will be celebrating the CD release in style. The 'Stripes will be a heavy presence at their annual "Ska Stock" festival Wednesday and Thursday at The Poison Room. The Pinstripes perform both nights of the all-ages fest, which starts music at 4 p.m. each day. Ska acts of all kinds (and from around the country) fill out the bill. The band then heads off on an extensive U.S. tour. Now, who said Ska was dead again? (myspace.com/thepinstripes)