Oh, and since hockey is in the air, find out why I played the Zamboni’s on this week’s podcast (I’ll give you a hint: It is because they are playing at the Middle East on Saturday)

Playlist:
Meat Depressed – Mad At The World
Darkbuster – Try To Make It Right
Street Dogs – Fatty
The Drunk Nuns – You Gotta Believe Me
Mission of Burma – Academy Fight Songs
The Beatings – All The Things You’ve Been Missing
The Explosion – All The Best
The Okay Win – Please
Sidewalk Driver – Dancing With Her Friends
Jenny Dee & The Deelinquents – You’re The Best Thing
THE ZAMBONIS – Hockey Monkey

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Playlist:

Big D and the Kids Table – Stepping Out
Ducky Boys – Nothin’ About You
ZipGun Bomber – Chase That Feeling
NICK and the Adversaries – Give Give Give
The Copacetics – Same Mistakes
Obi Fernandez – Pills
Suncooked – 500 Mile Journey (click here for more info about Jake’s condition)
Bookkeeper – Glory
The Dirty Looks – Boston
Cask Mouse – Radio
The Life Electric – Don’t Wait Up

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From left to right, Ian Adams, Mike Joy, Sarah Borges, Mel Lederman, and Cameron Keiber

Tonight! Tonight! Tonight! At The Plough and Stars, 912 Mass Ave in Cambridge at 9:00 p.m., No Love is performing! Tonight will be a special performance which not only features No Love as headliners, but will include a special set during which the band members will be playing music from their individual catalogues, including music by Broken Singles, The Beatings, Eldridge Rodriguez, M.G. Lederman, and Z*L.

The facebook page for the event is here.

We sat down with members of the band to discuss their upcoming album, tonight’s show, and their laid-back, personable attitude.

MOTM: We are all anxiously awaiting your album release! Any news on how it’s going and timeframe of release?

No Love: We’re just in the beginning stages of planning the record, getting ready to record some practice space demos. We’re thinking that it’ll be a DIY effort; Cameron and Mike are both pretty experienced at recording their and other people’s stuff, so that’s a help both financially and as far as really getting exactly what we want. We’ll probably enlist some help for mixing, mastering, and the stuff those guys can’t do yet. Hopefully by the end of the year, No Love will have a record.

MOTM: How did No Love get started? Whose idea was it? Who brought you all together?

No Love: We all sort of knew each other, some better than others, and we were hanging out at a Midriff Records show at Radio in Somerville when someone, I think Cameron, floated the idea of a band. Beer makes everything sound brilliant in theory, so we set up a practice, and found that we all really liked playing together. We have pretty varied musical backgrounds, but definitely intersect at the right spot

MOTM: You’re all so nice and laid back. If you were going to pick one “diva”, who would it be?

No Love (Sarah): Hmmm…not a question I’m thrilled to answer, because no one really is a diva. Maybe a takeoff on that question is ‘who is most likely to argue’, and that would be me and Cameron. We both are pretty passionate about everything music, and enjoy a witty discourse, but we sometimes bore and annoy the shit out of everyone else.

MOTM: What can we expect for the show tonight?

No Love: We’re going to do two sets. The first will be one made up of each band member playing a couple of solo songs, sort of a survey of what makes up No Love. The second set will be full band, each of us singing the songs we wrote, so there are four different singers during the show. Mike sings too, just not while playing the drums, which he does on every song. Guess we’ll save that for a different show. We’ve been worried that we might be too loud for the Plough, but now we think maybe the Plough isn’t loud enough for us…

MOTM: Finally, we’re always curious about this. Who would we be surprised is in your music library?

No Love (Mike): Nothing shocking or embarrassing in my collection. I only buy the music that pitchfork tells me to.

MOTM: Isn’t R.Kelly playing at their next music festival? He probably counts.

No Love (Mike): See, I used to own a lot of embarrassing records, but over the past ten years, they have all become ironically hip.

No Love (Sarah): I’m going to say New Kids on the Block. I was obsessed in middle school and my dad gave me their greatest hits album when it came out a few years ago. I dance to it with my son. Shitty music, great memories.

Be sure to catch the show tonight at the Plough and Stars in Cambridge!

The Interrobang CD Release Party: May 25th at Radio in Somerville

I usually believe that the best way for a person to discover a band is to hear them before some one has a chance to give an opinion on them. Kind of like a Schrödinger’s paradox, where the band is both good & bad because you have nothing to disprove either opinion until you’ve listened to the tune by yourself and come to your own conclusion. Hopefully you don’t feel the same way (or really value my opinion) because I am going to give you my thoughts on The Interrobang’s self-titled debut.

First off, if you’re a very wealthy or condescending person who enjoys feeding off of genuine and innocent people’s intentions, stop reading right now. This record is a battle cry for those who have been used, abused, and are now realizing just how much and how often they have been swindled by those who knowingly take advantage of people in a lesser position. Zirconia, the albums lead track, is a mind-warping expose of lyrics that force you consider why we (thats a collective “WE”) cherish certain things, whether they be physical or idealogical.  But the real mind-bender is calling attention to our dependency to have that something to cherish: we’d rather have that “something” to covet than discover a life without that desire.

All Smiles takes an approach from the “Bernie Madoff” perspective. A person who has no remorse for profiting off of the desperate/gullible shares his thoughts and reasons for doing so, and we learn just how soulless a person can be.  The driving beat in this tune is what really sells the song. A drum beat that grows simultaneously with a yearning sensation to find this person and just decimate their face comes to as close of a fruition as sonically possible when the driving guitars come in and kick this song into the next gear. Your emotions are toyed with as the songs beat ebbs and flows and every word of this person’s story drives you further and further into a madden desire to find out where every person who has done you wrong lives and burn their house down. Then…you’re whisked away to the next song.

American Debt Slave, takes an upbeat guitar beat and cowbell laden drums and creates a sound that will have your foot tapping to the beat within seconds. The track is beautifully mixed and all of the instruments work together to create a magnificent sound that makes you forget that the lyrics are about dire consequences of of trying to follow the “American dream.” Well-played, boys, well-played.

Chaos & Confusion, musically my favorite track on the album, showcases effects on vocalist Johnny Malone that give the illusion that he is your subconscious, super id, or whatever is that little voice in your head that pops up at the worst possible time that causes you to question every choice you’ve ever made in your life. Mix that with a dark music bed that seems to feed off its own energy, and you’ve got a song that will give you serious mind-fuck. I will sometimes listen to this song 4 or 5 times in a row just to see how far down the rabbit hole I can go before I need to come back up for a hard dose of reality.

Bombs Away is a slower tune that has a lot of “moving parts” to it. All of the instruments are working independently but are compelled to fall into a cosmic vibe, which helps express what (I feel) the lyrics are trying to portray: we can try to paint the world to be any way we want it, but in the end…we’re just bodies on a big floating rock careening through space. Great drum beat, simple but very effective bass line, and a few syncopating guitar licks really get you to tune into this song.

The album’s last track is a cover of the Talking Heads tune “Life During Wartime”, and if there was ever a time that this song needed to be redone, The Interrobang chose the perfect moment. This tune is a great way to cap off a very politically driven record, and just adds fuel to that growing desire to condemn our current way of living that the rest of the album has been able to achieve.

This is an album that has the elements required to get the attention of the casual music fan, but it also an album that, if listened to thoughtfully, forces you to reflect on your world around you, and may cause you take action. The Interrobang knew what they were doing when they wrote this record: they forced their listeners to swallow the blue pill and wake up, and now there is no turning back.

Recommended if you like: Queens Of The Stone Age, Talking Heads, Nirvana, David Bowie

Playlist:
Stray Bullets – Bad Night Out
The Dirty Truckers – Stranger In Disguise
HookerClops – Rock N Roll Dollars
The Drunk Nuns – POF
Dead Cats Dead Rats – Bad News
Await Rescue – Better Off
3 Parts Dead – Everything To You
The Autumn Hollow Band – Humble Man
Hayley Jane and the Primates – Better Off
Dave Wells – Blood Brothers
Bim Skala Bim – Lorraine

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Whether its two-tone, rocksteady, reggae, third-wave, ska-punk, or some other form of those catchy up-riff guitars and sharp horn blasts that gets you going, this summer has a slew of shows that will let you get your fix of ska music. To help you find a few of these shows and discover some new bands, we’ve thrown together a list of 13 bands you need to catch for the 2013 “Summer Of Ska” in New England.

1) Bim Skala Bim – July 20th The Middle East Down in Cambridge Mass

Bim Skala Bim, formed in Boston, Massachusetts, was a third wave ska band that started in 1983 and remained active until 2002. They were influenced by the bands in England’s 2 Tone movement, as well as bands such as the Clash, UB40 and Bob Marley. They released several albums and they started their own record label, BiB Records, to release some of their own music as well as music by other ska bands.
The band reunited in 2009 and play a handful of shows every year, and this July, Boston will get a chance to hear something new from the band since their 2000 release Krinkle. Here is the band covering The Bad Manners tune “Lorraine”, which you can download over at Bim Skala Bim’s facebook page. You’ll also find a few other New England dates the band has in store for this summer on their page.

2) The Agents – May 31st at The Met in Pawtucket, RI
If you’ve listened to the past couple of podcasts, you’ve heard a song from these guys. I was able to catch them play at Johnny D’s a few weeks back and could not believe I had not discovered them sooner.
The Agents formed in 1995, and pay homage to tradition. Whether it’s their name, logo or sound, they give respect to their roots. In June of 2012 the group self-released their fourth album, Steady Forward, which was co produced and mixed by Andrew “Stoker” Growcott. The album is an upbeat blend of ska, soul, reggae and rock. Take a listen to the opening track, Hope, and prepare to be amazed at Jason Dalomba’s voice and lyrics as he tells a tale of his heartbreak of leaving Brooklyn but the band was “Gone for a minute but are back to stay”

3) The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – July 20th at The Boston Common
Taken from the Outside The Box Festival’s website: “Outside The Box is open to all and the events on the public spaces are free.  Outside The Box promises to captivate the spirit and imagination of residents and visitors alike by opening a window on one of America’s oldest cities.  The program will be as diverse as our city, from ballet to folk dance, from Shakespeare to modern poetry, from the symphony to pop artists.   You won’t want to miss Boston in the summer time as Outside The Box reveals the magic of art, music, drama, and dance in one of the most innovative and creative cities in the United States.”.
If you caught Joe Gittleman’s guest dj spot on Mutiny On The Microphone, you’ll know that The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are confirmed to be playing the festival on the 20th…just make sure you’re on the common and not looking for those swan boats in Mattapan. Here is a tune from their latest album The Magic Of Youth, which was released in December of 2011.

4) Spring Heeled Jack – June 1st at Irving Plaza (New York City) for APPLE STOMP
The triumphant Connecticut ska band returns with a full line-up after a series of acoustic shows as part of last year’s Skalapalooza tour with The Pilfers and The Pietasters. Apple Stomp is in New York, but if you’re a fan of ska, you NEED to make it to this festival and get your SHJ fix.
You might be familiar with this tune off of their Songs From Suburbia album that was released in 1998, Jolene. Interesting fact: the band was going to re-record the song with the words “Josie” in place of “Jolene” for the Drew Barrymore movie Never Been Kissed, but it was not used for the movie. ::The More You Know::

5) Thumper – June 1st at Irving Plaza (New York City) for APPLE STOMP
Speaking of bands reuniting for a major festival, Somerville’s own Thumper are getting back together for Apple Stomp. Unfamiliar with Thumper? Formed in 1991, Thumper “were a band in the early one of the earlier examples of a band crossing 3rd Wave Ska with thrashy metal for one of the more unique sounding bands in the late 90′s scene” (quote courtesy of thisisalbatross.com) One of my favorite songs would be their cover of Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper”, but here is “All You Can Be”, for your listening pleasure.

6) The Screw-ups – July 20 at the stomping ground in Putnam, CT
The Screw-Ups’ heated angst-ridden vocals are reminiscent of the Ramones, Sublime and perhaps an American-style Clash and are backed by throaty saxophone, fierce bass and lively drum beats. These guys are young, but the four-man, Connecticut based band has been performing their mix of reggae and grimy ska in one guise or another for over half a decade. The Screw-ups had a bunch of dates lined up for the summer, but a mishap with the guitarist’s hand, he sliced his thumb open to the bone severing 75% of the tendon, has put them out of commission for most of the summer.
Listen to “Watch Yourself”, the lead off song from their recently released self-titled EP, and keep your eyes open for the next time they come by your neighborhood, because once they are healthy again, they’ll be ready to roll.

7) Westbound Train – June 16 on the Rock and Blues Cruise aboard the Provincetown II
Another band that took some time off but is reuniting for a great event is Boston’s Westbound Train. The band has toured throughout the U.S. and Europe on multiple occasions since its inception in 2001, sharing the stage with the likes of Rancid, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Goldfinger, The Skatalites and The Toasters. The band and has released four albums: Searching for a Melody 2003, Five to Two 2005, Transitions 2006, and Come and Get It 2009.
The Ska in The Harbor show is a great opportunity to skank and drink on a boat for 3 hours and come back to reality in time to hit up another show in the city. Never heard these guys? Check out Westbound Train’s “Seven Ways To Sunday”, live from 2006:

8) Void Union – June 16th at The Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge MA (Ska In The Harbor after party)
After you’ve finished sailing the seas with the Toasters and Westbound Train for the Ska In The Harbor event, make your way to The Middle East for the after party, featuring Mile 21, Obi Fernandez (of Westbound Train), and one of Boston’s finest rocksteady bands, The Void Union.
The band’s facebook page says it best: “The band’s philosophy lends itself to a collective atmosphere in which like-minded musicians sit in and assure that no show is the same as the one that preceded it. The audience at a gig is not a mere handful of die-hard Ska enthusiasts; a survey of the crowd yields suits, working stiffs, parents, children, dreadlocks, moptops, and…hipsters? All turn out to bear witness to a versatile ensemble that is as at ease providing the jazz-tinged instrumental foil to a Jamaican legend as it is leading a sing-along at a neighborhood bar.” Listen to “Something To Do With Tommy” that was released last June for a sample of what you can expect at the show.

9) Pressure Cooker – July 20th at Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge MA
Do you remember the Mash It Up ska cd compilations from the early and mid nineties? This show is the a Mash It Up Festival featuring Bim Skala Bim, Pressure Cooker, John DeCarlo and Company, Mr. Kowalsky plus special guests.
Pressure Cooker formed in 1997 and recently released their 7th studio album, Wherever You Go, and you can listen to samples of the album, as well as download a few free tracks, at their website: www.pressurecooker.net

10) Big D and The Kids Table – July 11th at The Comcast Center in Mansfield, MA (Warped Tour)
“Big D and the Kids Table are set to release their double album Stomp / Stroll, which will showcase two sides of Big D–their more ska/reggae-oriented sound on Stroll (also the name of the genre of their own making) and the fast paced punk-rock on Stomp.”
The double album will be released on June 11th, and the band will be on the Warped Tour this year to support the releases. You can listen to a sampling of both albums with the songs “Stepping Out Of Line Forever” and “Young Suckers”, courtesy of Alternative Press:

11) Poor Jeremy – May 27th at Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, MA
Poor Jeremy is a younger band that haven’t had a ton of shows in the area yet, but from what I’ve heard from the band, they definitely have the potential to be an up-and-coming Thumper-esque ska/punk/heavy band, which would allow them to join a variety of different bills and help them build a great audience. Check out “Dying Like A Fly In A Cup”, which was released in November of last year, and if you get a chance, catch them opening up for A Guy Named Guy at the Middle East on the 27th.

12) El Grande – June 1st at Fury’s Publick House in Dover, NH
Attitude fueled by rock and roll and punk ethics gives life to El Grande’s original brand of ska. A fixture in the talented Portland, Maine music scene, El Grande has been playing shows all over the Northeast for the past decade, winning over ska purists and skeptics of the punk scene. The group delivers high energy concerts and tight songs in their live performances, always proving to be memorable and unpredictable.
In 2007, the Maine based unit recorded their debut album, Crosstown Rivals, featuring six original tunes. Check out “Don’t Take It Personal” from that release here, and check out their Facebook page for more dates in the New England area, they play often in the northeast, but sneak down to Boston once in a blue moon.

13) Riki Rocksteady & The Arraignments – June 8th at the Middle East Downstairs
Riki Rocksteady was born In Hartford,CT. in 1980. Riki lived all over the East Coast throughout his youth, from Connecticut to Maine, Boston, and to Miami. But like almost all New Englanders, he came home and now resides in Boston where he still performs. Known to many already in Boston, New York, and Miami as a skilled songwriter and street musician, Riki Rocksteady and his band are quickly broadening their appeal.
Riki Rocksteady and the Arraignments have taken Sam Cooke classics from Soul to Rocksteady and reinvented The Temptations hits into Reggae and have transformed many classic favorites into a sound that they can essentially call their own. The band does play a few originals live, though, so don’t think you’re going to see a cover band when catch these guys play live, or you’ll be in for one hell of a surprise. Here’s an original song about Riki’s girl, titled “K.E.L.” (her initials)

There you have it! 13 bands you need to catch during this year’s “Summer Of Ska” in New England. Thoughts? Did we miss a band? Let us know in the comments below!

Stick with Mutiny On The Microphone to hear these great bands in podcasts, or for a bigger ska fix, head over to http://www.bostonska.net/

Listening on a mobile device? Click on the image below to listen:

Playlist:
Goddamn Draculas – King Of Something
The Shods – Things Will Be Different
Rebuilder – Everything That I Hate
The Darker Hues – Bury You
Ducky Boys – Nothin’ About You (Exclusive song!)
Sinners and Saints - The Sky Is Falling
The Allstonians – B-Train To Allston
The Screw-ups – Watch Yourself
Buffalo Tom – Age Of Consent (New World Order Cover)
Great Lakes (Boston Punk) – Black Coffee
The Offseason – Can’t Sleep

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Playlist:
The Dirty Truckers – Stranger In Disguise
Dan Webb and the Spiders – Thirty
The Hideout – Awww Hell
Salita – When It Falls Apart
Spring Heeled Jack (USA) – Time (click here for details on Apple Stomp)
Ducky Boys – You Don’t Wanna Know Me (click here for CD release party details)
Tim Novak – Port Wine
Mean Creek – Young & Wild
ZL – Steev Millar (check out our interview with the band here)
Ghost Thrower – All Work
Slapshot – Firewalker

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Playlist:
The Field Effect – Ogonquit, ME
Ruby Rose Fox – Old Fashioned
(to keep track of how the event went, you can check out the facebook event page here)
———-
The Breeders – Cannonball
Z*L – Steev Millar
Rock City Crimewave – Teenage Bloodbath
The Beatings – Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained
Street Dogs – Free

Get more information about Z*L’s cd release party here

Want to listen to the entire Z*L now? Stream it over at their bandcamp page

Listening on a mobile device? Click on the image below to listen