At the end of a troubled 2020, Bakersfield ska men Mento Buru released an EP full of Christmas cheer. The sunny ska based rhythms were at odds with “chestnuts roasting on an open fire”, but that only added to the fun. Not everything on the ‘East Bakersfield Christmas’ EP was of a gold standard, but its best bits – including a terrific ‘Feliz Navidad’ – certainly made it worth checking out and definitely played to the band’s strengths.
Tag Archives: ska
The Real Gone Singles Bar #11
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the individual MP3s that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. As usual, we’ve had an absolute flood of submissions, and it’s been an absolute pleasure picking some of the finest tracks from the material in hand. There’s a rock core, as expected, but in the usual Singles Bar tradition, we’ve tried to mix that with a few other interesting bits in the hope that there’ll be something to entertain a lot of our supporters. Whatever your tastes, hopefully you’ll find something new to enjoy.
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JUDGE DREAD: The Skinhead Reggae Albums 1972-1976
Come hither, children. Put on your plimsolls, sit on the mat and cross your legs. It’s time for a story.
HALF PAST TWO – Holidays EP
2021 was a busy year for US ska/punk/rock band Half Past Two. They not only released their self-titled full length – their first new work for a couple of years – and a well received video lamenting the perils of a ‘Scratched CD’, but they also returned to live work after a long spell away from the spotlight. In addition, they also found time to record a covers EP, based around a “holiday” theme.
Watch the new video from Half Past Two
As the good weather in the northern hemisphere prepares to bid people goodbye, it’s a little late for ska band Half Past Two to be delivering a summer anthem. Nevertheless, the Californian ska/pop/reggae/punk band bring a feel good style to their new track ‘Scratched CD’.