I don’t know how Ypsilanti, Michigan, ska band The Boy Detective manages to surprise me. I’ve heard their albums. I’ve seen them live. I know they are an incredible band, but this is not the first time I’ve been surprised at just how good they are.
In this latest single, “Dude Illigence”, I laughed at the silly, clever name but dismissed the song as a silly, funny pun and nothing more. Now, granted, the song isn’t that deep and it’s not supposed to be, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fucking great. Also, it’s incredibly relatable and a really sad reality.
The song is for everyone who just doesn’t care about sports. In the story, the protagonist’s wife invites a friend and their husband over. The first question from the friend’s husband is about sports, and it all goes downhill from there. The conversation dries immediately as the ska-punk track progresses, questioning how someone can let a child’s game played by strangers dictate their mood and behavior. Before the song ends, it shifts into a much more aggressive and hardcore song with the shouted refrain of “When was the last time you opened a motherfucking book?”
Gods, I love this band. Such a good song. Why did I let myself think a song called “Dude Illigence” might not be great?
Stay tuned, because they’ve teased that there is more to come, but I have no idea when. And take a listen to “Dude Illigence” below.
Written by Gimp Leg
