Supernova Ska Fest 2024 was the first weekend of September and is often considered the biggest weekend in ska. The entire weekend was kicked off with the talents of an incredible femme-fronted trad ska band that I had never listened to before, and they put on quite the performance. I might not have been there in person, but I was able to catch it on the live stream and restreams. Some friends let me know they were out of Indianapolis- where I’ve been living for the last year- and they had another show coming up the following weekend. I might have missed them at Supernova, but I wasn’t going to miss them in my own hometown.
The album begins with a simple, slow, catchy melody on the guitar, a short flourish, and the drum rhythm comes in behind. Then the keys rise and join in the melody, setting both mood and tone and almost immediately the horns join the gang, and we have a full-fledged upbeat trad ska rhythm and hips are swinging, feet are moving, and the music is working its magic from the very beginning. The song, “Better Off Alone” is a powerful, upbeat banger that only improves one singer Brittany Brumfield’s powerful vocals take over. The saxophone-led bridge is absolutely phenomenal, this song is a must for anyone who likes traditional ska music!
The band immediately flexes their diversity of sound on the next track as “Don’t wake me” feels much slower and more of a groove. The bass, drums, and keys on these tracks do so much work adding so much constant flavor in the background while the horns supply grooves. The vocals in this track take the second stage to the melody. While it would never be a favorite song on the album, the work this track does in adding texture to the whole album makes it feel really crucial.
The third track on the album is the first on this album to feature lead vocals from guitarist Brandon Sanders. The juxtaposition of style on range makes “Waste My Life” an immediate favorite. This track feels slower and less danceable than “Better Off Alone” but less of a pure groove than “Don’t Wake Me”. But it has such a nice, pure beat, and features outstanding trumpet work, while having a warm, comfortable feel to the song.
“Do Me Dirty” feels like it has big band jazz energy as it takes off, before slowing into almost sultry tones when the vocals slide in. The entire album is like this. Every track feels intentional and necessary. Each track is placed on the album in a way to make it stand out. The range and diversity of sounds are pretty incredible for a trad ska album that avoids venturing into 2tone or ska-punk. Every song makes you want to dance and appreciate the world around you, the music in your ears. “El Borrego” is an instrumental track that ventures more into Latin Ska and is full of energy. The lyrics on the album might often reference betrayal, heartbreak, and depression, but it’s hard to think about those themes while the music pulls you in and demands you dance.
I think my favorite track on the album is “Catfish”. No song draws me and makes me want to move quite as much as this track, but there are a half dozen songs that absolutely enthrall me. I may have missed this album when it dropped in July, but thanks to Supernova Ska Fest, I was able to find one of the most incredible ska bands in the country right now, and to my delight, I will get to see them play live for the foreseeable future in my hometown. I couldn’t be happier.
Written by Gimp Leg
