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Good Ska music

GodfatherGodfather Registered User regular
edited June 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
So lately i've been digging some tunes in the Ska vein. For some reason i'm really liking the trumpet featured in the background, and it really adds to the tunes. Stuff like Take On Me by Reel Big Fish feature this, but other tunes like Santeria by Sublime don't, but are still pretty rockin'.

The only problem is that i'm having trouble finding songs similar to this style in it's own category. I like Ska because it's either fast, upbeat and exciting like Take On Me, or casual and laid back like Sublime, but everything I seem to find doesn't really have this.

Can I get some recommendation around here?

EDIT: Apparently these bands are Third Wave Ska.

Godfather on
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    EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Godfather wrote: »
    So lately i've been digging some tunes in the Ska vein. For some reason i'm really liking the trumpet featured in the background, and it really adds to the tunes. Stuff like Take On Me by Reel Big Fish feature this, but other tunes like Santeria by Sublime don't, but are still pretty rockin'.

    The only problem is that i'm having trouble finding songs similar to this style in it's own category. I like Ska because it's either fast, upbeat and exciting like Take On Me, or casual and laid back like Sublime, but everything I seem to find doesn't really have this.

    Can I get some recommendation around here?

    Well, neither of those bands are actual Ska, so....

    Go to Pandora or YouTube and look up bands like Mephiskapheles, Skankin' Pickle, or the Voodoo Glow Skulls. The exact genre you're probably looking for is Third Wave Ska.

    Esh on
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    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell UpI'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XKs8TsY3XI&feature=related

    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up on
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    DogDog Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin
    edited June 2009
    catch 22, streetlight manifesto, less than jake, five iron frenzy, the toasters, rx bandits, pietasters, op ivy, dance hall crashers, the hippos, kemuri, mighty mighty bosstones

    Unknown User on
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    Mr BlondeMr Blonde Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I used to listen to the Aquabats, but that was 8 years ago and I lost interest in Ska.

    Mr Blonde on
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    Ziac45Ziac45 Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    The Mighty Mighty bosstones, Streetlight Manifesto, Bomb the Music Industry (they are a little rough but everything they put out is free). Big D and the Kids table, Catch 22. When I went to a Reelbig fish and Streetlight concert they had a band called Tip The Van open, they were decent so you may want to check them out as well.

    Ziac45 on
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    DogDog Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin
    edited June 2009
    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up wrote: »
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XKs8TsY3XI&feature=related

    this is like one of the best albums ever.

    Unknown User on
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    A Dabble Of TheloniusA Dabble Of Thelonius It has been a doozy of a dayRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Bosstones, Skatellites, The Specials, Mustard Plug, Streetlight Manifesto.

    Out of those, the Bosstones are my personal favorite even though they are more mainstreamed. The Specials are old school, very reggae inspired ska and the other two are good solid middleground.

    A Dabble Of Thelonius on
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    mere_immortalmere_immortal So tasty!Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    The Planet Smashers, Operation Ivy, prety much everything else mentioned.

    Also Streetlight Manifesto cant be recommended too many times.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ije7d6xckSs

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    PracticalProblemSolverPracticalProblemSolver Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    For more third wave stuff with horns there's quite a bit on moon ska records, wikipedia is a good place to start.

    PracticalProblemSolver on
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    VisionOfClarityVisionOfClarity Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Big D and the Kids Table are awesome guys on top of being a good band.

    VisionOfClarity on
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    MC MysteryMC Mystery Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Neither of these bands are technically "Ska" but they have horn sections, and are embraced by the ska kids in general, and they are my two favorite bands in this kind of punkish stuff:

    THE AQUABATS!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIqLz6LqMsU

    PAIN

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn1pf0Xi3nU

    MC Mystery on
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    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell UpI'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    robothero wrote: »
    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up wrote: »
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XKs8TsY3XI&feature=related

    this is like one of the best albums ever.
    i saw these guys live with RBF before I had ever heard any of their music. they were so good

    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up on
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    JokermanJokerman Everything EverywhereRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I believe what you are looking for are "The Specials"
    Dis town, lookin like a Ghost-town
    A Message to you, Rudy

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    RMH03RMH03 Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    The mighty mighty bosstones-, jacknife to a swan and lets face it are probably the most simmillar to the bands you've listed alot of the earlier stuff has a heavier slightly metalish edge (ska-core) wjich is still brilliant. IMO they are the most consistently awesome of the bands listed here

    Catch 22/Streetlight Manifesto (same lead singer)
    The Forces of Evil (a kind of ska supergorup with the lead singer of Reel Big Fish singing IMO much better songs)
    Lightyear
    The Mad Caddies
    RX bandits
    Shootin' Goon
    And If your getting into sublime then Pepper are a very good sound alike

    Give these a listen then as others have suggested puch what you like into pandora/last FM and go from there.

    RMH03 on
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    SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Jeeze... no mention of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy?

    Also, for some female sung Ska, might I recommend Save Ferris? They are fantastic. Also, Letters to Cleo straddles the line between Ska and Alternative.

    Sentry on
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    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
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    JokermanJokerman Everything EverywhereRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Sentry wrote: »
    Jeeze... no mention of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy?

    The swing band? You are talking about the swing band, right?

    Jokerman on
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    SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Jokerman wrote: »
    Sentry wrote: »
    Jeeze... no mention of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy?

    The swing band? You are talking about the swing band, right?

    My bad. But to be honest, I consider them to be similar to the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
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    DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    As someone who's not a huge ska fan, I really like Operation Ivy.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9zIFfE8IkU&feature=related

    Dehumanized on
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    XaquinXaquin Right behind you!Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Madness

    Xaquin on
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    A Dabble Of TheloniusA Dabble Of Thelonius It has been a doozy of a dayRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Blood, Sweat and Tears

    8-)

    A Dabble Of Thelonius on
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    XaquinXaquin Right behind you!Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    A Dabble Of Thelonius wrote: »
    Blood, Sweat and Tears

    8-)

    I love them so much.

    Xaquin on
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    RainOPainRainOPain Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Catch-22 is a great starting place, but make sure you only get songs from Keasbey nights

    RainOPain on
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    WarrnWarrn Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Catch 22 is a good ska band. However, they are completely different after Keasbey Nights. They are still good, but the Catch 22 that made Keasbey has been reborn as Streetlight Manifesto. Streetlight even re-recorded it.

    Warrn on
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    Ziac45Ziac45 Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    RainOPain wrote: »
    Catch-22 is a great starting place, but make sure you only get songs from Keasbey nights

    Yeah members from the original band went on to form Streetlight including the singer who wrote all the songs on keasbey nights.

    Ziac45 on
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    EdgieEdgie TampaRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Here's a few more for ya:

    Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution
    The Flatliners (More punkish than ska, but very upbeat)
    Against All Authority (Punk-ska.. earlier albums are more ska-based, with later albums throwing in more hardcore/metal/grind sounds. So, start with Destroy What Destroys You)

    Oh, I can alsp push a great local band on you that should be right up your alley. Try Chupaskabra. They have a couple songs there, and I believe an album on iTunes.

    Edgie on
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    maverickpixelmaverickpixel Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    early no doubt was amazing

    the tsunami bombs is very good

    catch 22 keysbe nights is just perfection

    bandits of the acoustic revolution... same singer as C22 and Streelight

    maverickpixel on
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    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell UpI'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Tomas Kalnoky from streetlight is just too dreamy

    also tsunami bomb isnt ska... but as long as we're mentioning them the lead singers other band the action design is awesome

    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up on
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    GodfatherGodfather Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Christ, that is a lot of bands to look up.

    +1 for the Aquabats recommendation. That specific tune is exactly in the vein that I was looking for.

    Also I didn't realize Ska started in the 80's.

    Godfather on
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    SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    The Aquabats are fantastic. I'm going to again recommend Save Ferris, although the band is no longer together. Here is there cover of Come On Eileen.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCzWPBR30Nk

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
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    FoodFood Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he5Dv0tSr3Y

    I know this isn't what you're looking for, I'm just being a dick.

    Food on
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    Ziac45Ziac45 Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I would also like the throw in The Arrogant Sons of bitches, same lead singer as Bomb the Music Industry but it was before them.

    Ziac45 on
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    GrobianGrobian What's on sale? Pliers!Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Godfather wrote: »
    Also I didn't realize Ska started in the 80's.

    It didn't, it started in the 50's. Although those old tunes are often called "Jamaican Jazz" to differentiate them from the Second/Third Wave of Ska.

    There are even bands doing the old time ska today, at least where I live. Local bands that you will probably never see, but at least I can point you to their websites (with free music!): www.yebo.de + www.woodindifire.de


    My favorite American band are probably The Slackers.

    Grobian on
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    MC MysteryMC Mystery Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Godfather wrote: »
    +1 for the Aquabats recommendation. That specific tune is exactly in the vein that I was looking for.

    Yay! All the songs on their second album (widely considered their first album, but technically, for the hardcore fan, their second) titled, "THE FURY OF THE AQUABATS!"
    TheFuryoftheAquabats.jpg
    are in a similar vein to that single. If you like this kind of ska, I can not recommend this album enough.

    The other Aquabats! albums, are not ska.
    The immediate album after this, "The Aquabats! vs The Floating Eye of Death!"
    cover_large.jpg
    still has a horn section, but the album is much more new wavey and very few ska rhythms are used. This is their weirdest album to date. It's B-Side's album is actually much more popular, it's titled,
    "Myths, Legends, and Other Amazing Adventures! vol. 2"
    6a00b8ea0717f31bc000d09e669fcebe2b-500pi
    Here's some songs from those albums
    from VS THE FLOATING EYE
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn6P4o-ebDo
    from MYTHS&LEGENDS
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnMc-sRVLuo (also this is the video of them performing it on Yo Gabba Gabba, the preschool television show the vocalist for THE AQUABATS! created, this version of the song has even more kid friendly lyrics than the original!)

    Their newest album, "CHARGE!!" has absolutely no horns on it at all, but is still JUST AS AWESOME. If not more awesome.
    the_aquabats-charge.jpg
    Here's the single from this album (One of their catchiest songs EVER)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLJJMBa0s6o

    Also, just for future reference, the band isn't, "Aquabats" or, "The Aquabats" it's, "The Aquabats!" the exclamation point is key.

    MC Mystery on
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    clsCorwinclsCorwin Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    He even tosses out some verbal attacks to the new Catch-22 via Streetlight Manifesto lyrics.
    They said "a pox,
Upon your house,
Upon your family and everyone you knew
And everyone you'll ever meet"
I bet they think we wish we joined when we could
But we do what we want, we don't do what we should
Now, everybody's laughing, 'cause they're thinking they're in on something I don't get
Don't forget
I connect and I read every word you said
Like a child who believes he was wronged
If you hate me so much, then stop singing my songs

    clsCorwin on
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    BrotherVoodooBrotherVoodoo Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    The Aggrolites
    The Skatalites
    The Slickers

    BrotherVoodoo on
    13669_988031669590_13908669_57296127_2429910_n.jpg
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    SmurphSmurph Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    You will find that most ska bands put out their best stuff early. Reel big Fish, Less Than Jake, Catch 22, etc. really defined third wave ska but went down hill after that. I could probably talk about ska all day. Other good smaller bands I've come across:

    Ska-P (Good Mexican Spanish-language stuff)
    The Taj Motel Trio
    The Fabulous Rudies

    Bands that were awesome years ago and still are:
    Mad Caddies
    Streetlight Manifesto
    Mustard Plug

    Smurph on
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    clsCorwinclsCorwin Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    To be fair, Catch-22 went downhill because after Keasby Nights the only thing the same about the band was the name and a small handful of members. Those that left became Streetlight Manifesto.

    Hence, continued awesomeness, no drop off.

    clsCorwin on
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    darkmayodarkmayo Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    chiming in on the Streetlight Manifesto love.

    darkmayo on
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    IvanIssacsIvanIssacs Skull Leader SDF-1Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Alone in a Crowd is a decent album but they're nowhere near as good as Streetlight Manifesto.

    Catch 22's most recent album is pretty terrible and I'm sad I wasted monies on that.

    Streetlight is apparently working on a couple new albums, that're supposed to come out this year.

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    Desert_Eagle25Desert_Eagle25 Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    My advice? Put the bands in Pandora and see where it takes you.

    Desert_Eagle25 on
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