After eight long years of singles and EPs, Stuck Lucky has graced us with their fifth full length release- this one on Ska Punk International. Let me tell you, this was worth the wait.
Stuck Lucky has established themselves as one of the foremost bands in a growing ska-core scene with their blend of thrash, punk, ska, and hardcore that has given them a sound that is distinctly their own and without many close comparisons.
The album was announced a month ago with the release of two singles in “Rewind” and “Counting Curses”- two tracks that I’ve listened to countless times between their release and the rest of the album. The harmonies and danceability of these tracks blended with the hardcore and heavier tones is so perfect I couldn’t wait for the rest of the album to drop, and when it did, it absolutely didn’t disappoint.
The album includes three tracks that feature other artists, and I think these tracks might be my favorite tracks. I don’t mean that to disparage any of the tracks that don’t feature other artists, but I love when a collaboration works out. There is something about teamwork and community that seems to make everything better to me, and that really comes across in these three tracks. The first is “Just Like the Devil” featuring the Soul Radics. The horns and rhythms on this track are extremely catchy the chorus stands out more than most, and despite the Soul Radics having a more reggae sound, when the two bands came together the combination produced an extremely vibey ska punk track that definitely got me skanking.
The second collaborative song was “Heretics” and featured The Best of the Worst. Guitars driving the ska rhythms, the drums carrying a driving pace, and aggressive vocals rhythms and horn accents that punctuate the song. This is fast-paced, aggressive, ska-core with a flow and rhythm built to amp up the energy and aggression. The screams over the vocals in the final verse are an echo of the hype the song has been building for the first two and a half minutes. Just perfect.
My favorite song on the album, however, is Dead Inside. From The first time I heard it, the intro guitars had my attention. The song just feels different and stands out from the very beginning, the pace seems to be constantly building yet resolving even faster through the entire song. The bassline draws me in more on this track than any other. I remember I was listening to the album on my headphones while out walking the first time and I stopped to make sure I noted the name of the song, and then I saw that it featured Flying Raccoon Suit- one of my favorite bands. I had not yet got to the part where Jessica sings vocals when I had already taken note. The choruses with FRS really stand out on the album, and the dual vocals for the chorus is incredible. This song definitely summons me to dance.
But like I said from the beginning, the album doesn’t need the features to be an amazing album. I think the collaborations stand out and add a lot of texture, but if it weren’t for those three tracks, that would still be an amazing album. 13 songs lasting 36 minutes and there isn’t really any fill at all. A valid contender for the best song on the album might be “Shallowed Be”, with the constant upstrokes driving through the track, catchy ska punk vocal rhythm, incredible drums, and some of my favorite horns on the album.
While everyone knows the East Coast ska band sounds from the Bosstones to the Slackers, or from Catbite to Joker’s Republic, and everyone knows the West Coast ska bands from Orange County’s Reel Big Fish or Half Past Two and they might know the East Bay sound of Link 80 and Omnigone. People might know midwest ska from Mustard Plug and Suicide Machines to newer bands like Poindexter or Devon Kay and the Solutions, but Stuck Lucky is demanding that you pay attention to Nashville, Tennessee, and let’s you know that ska is thriving all over the United States.
Written by Gimp Leg
