“deals_gone_bad”
Deal’s Gone Bad
Overboard
Jump Up!
Did you like Deal’s Gone Bad’s first record, Large and In Charge ? Then you’re gonna like the new one, Overboard . There’s not a lot of difference between the two records – yeah, the band’s chops have naturally gotten a bit tighter, and singer Mike Park’s (no, not that one) incredible pipes sound even more polished, but the vibe and feeling is still the same. Some might take that as a negative, but I loved the debut record, and I’m pretty enamored of this one, too. If you like a soulful ska sound with a healthy dose of that good ol’ fashioned skinhead reggae, you can’t go wrong with this one. Highlights include the rollicking “I’m Sorry,” the smoky, gritty “Fat Cat,” the eminently catchy “Shame and Humiliation,” and the R&B-ish “Loverboy.” OK, the pirate theme started with Large ‘s “Pirates” may be taken a bit too far with the new “Shiver Me Timber,” and I would like to see the band mix things up and stretch a bit more next time out, but overall, this is a compelling sophomore effort from one of the best new ska bands to come down the pike in quite a while. Now, if they’d only make it down to Florida…
Jump Up! Records, P.O. Box 13189, Chicago, IL 60613; http://www.jumpuprecords.com
