The Goodwin Club just did the impossible. They released a second debut EP? Is that a thing? They don’t seem to consider it their debut EP, but it is their first album in 30 years. First formed as when some members weren’t even in high school, they officially existed as a popular high school ska band in 1993 and played shows with the likes of No Doubt, Reel Big Fish, and the rest of the early Orange County ska scene, but by 1995 they broke up as half the members went off to college, and for a quarter of a century they all went their own separate ways. Some of them joined in other ska bands like The Hippos, The Aquabats, and the Teen Hero’s , but other members just went on with their lives. However, during quarantine in 2020, someone asked them to record a song together. After doing it, they found that they all still liked each other and enjoyed making music together. This is the result of that fortuitous discovery- one of the more exciting pop ska albums I’ve heard in a while.
The album begins with “See All Color” and as when the first horns pick up it sounds loud and clear and reminiscent of Reel Big Fish- a comparison I don’t make in many reviews because I hate the idea of someone reading their first review and mistakenly thinking a compare all ska to RBF, but that was literally my first impression. The sound had that Orange County feel, but in a way that didn’t feel like it was a copycat and also didn’t feel like it was outdated and reminiscing. It felt like pure, fun ska-punk with pop and rock influences. The femme-fronted vocals sounded great and the masc backing vocals and harmonies were outstanding. Honestly, this first track immediately took me back to the first time I discovered a Jeffries Fan Club or Save Ferris album that I had never heard. It felt fun and somehow both familiar and new, and I loved it.
But we are 25 years beyond the 90s. Ska has come a long way since then. I’ve come a long way since then. And while I don’t mind reminiscing about the past for a few moments, I’m not a nostalgic person, and ska has come a long way since the 90s. I don’t mind hearing something that makes me think of the past, I hope for something more. Fortunately, this album is NOT living in the past. This album brings something more.
It’s ironic to talk about not wanting too much nostalgia before talking about this second song because it intentionally conjures nostalgic imagery. “Idiot Box” is about watching too much TV, and it rotting your brain- with references to Mr Magoo and Scooby Doo. Not only does it still have that 90s OC ska sound, the reference to watching too much TV and the cartoons it references feels like it was written in the 90s. But the gang vocals, the catchy hook, and the short run time make this song a blast to sing along with.
The next two songs are “Quarantined” and “#SorryNotSorry”. Both of these songs have a slightly different sound than the first two tracks. While still very pop ska, the both feel much less third-wave and more modern and current. I can’t really explain the change, but everything feels like the influences shifted between the first two songs and the next two, even though we are still getting a lot of the same horns, guitars, and drums- perhaps the vocals feel a little different, but whatever it is, I love it. It gives me the same pop-ska feeling, but I feel like I can listen to these songs a lot more without feeling like I am trying to relive my youth.
Normally, I am not a huge fan of cover songs. There are a ton of exceptions to this rule, but I grew tired of how much ska is known for making cover songs, and I hated that almost every album felt like it had a cover song. However, this cover absolutely fucking rips. The Goodwin Club decided to cover Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” and oh my goddess did they crush it! Starting with claps on the drum beats, and a synthesized keyboard, the song feels like it’s straight out of 80s new wave. The vocals sound super modern pop, and everything about this song feels like it was made for the ska beats they drop down. Yes, it’s still true to Taylor’s version, but Tami’s version is even better. The rapped verse from the original stands out when the vocals are switched to masc vocalists, and everything about this song just works. The lyrics are toyed with through the song, but nothing dramatic, and overall, everything about this song is great great great great great, it makes me wanna shake shake shake shake shake. I don’t wanna shut it off.
The album ends with the title track, “Join The Club”- which, fittingly, samples from Revenge of the Nerds- a retro movie for an album with a retro feel. This is probably the second-best song on the album. They pick up the pace a little and it feels a lot more like this song is the overall core identity of the album. It begs you to come join the club, to be a part of their community, and to just let go and have fun. By the time you reach this song, the album no longer has that classic OC feel- it has that brand-new Goodwin Club feel. Strong, woman-fronted, pop-infused, ska-punk. Come, join in, and let your inhibitions go, it’s time to have some fun.
Written by Gimp Leg
