Bim Skala Bim Albums (9)
What The Critics Say
Bim Skala Bim's tenth album finds the Boston-based ska band continuing in its well-established neo-trad ska sound: lots of organ, lots of horns, tempos that have slowed down a bit from its early years in the wake of the first wave of ska-punk, but still brisk and exciting. The formula hasn't changed that much, but the band's songwriting chops have improved quite a bit since the days of "Fathead" and "Gopher Rodeo." In fact, if Krinkle has a significant flaw, it's the album's very consistency -- the fact that while there are no particularly weak tracks (though "Food for Soul" is a just a bit overlong), there are also none that really stand out as something special. That consistency does make for a generally agreeable listening experience, however, and on nicely crafted pop-ska tunes like "Hardest of the Parts," "Dislexic" (misspelled on purpose, no doubt), and the old-fashioned rocksteady love song "Hey Girl," new listeners will find their interest piqued and old fans will be reminded of what turned them on to this band lo these 20 years ago. Recommended. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
'The One That Got Away'
Release Date 4/28/1998
Tracks 13
Label Beatville
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
You can learn a lot about a band from its B-sides and outtakes (who knew that the members of R.E.M. had such a Velvet Underground jones?). In this case, the revelations come in the form of an unexpected X cover (a charming, Cajun-flavored version of "In This House") and a straight-up ska rendition of the Beatles classic "Rain." The rest of the program is what you'd expect: outtakes from Universal and Eyes & Ears (including a homemade demo tape of the rollicking "Set Me Up"), a great version of an old mento song about getting caught with someone else's wife, and, most fun of all, dub versions of two Universal tracks mixed up by the great Mad Professor. Of course, collections like this invariably have a few clunkers, and the plodding "Burning Underground" fills that function quite nicely, with "Sequoia" not far behind. This collection will probably appeal primarily to the band's fans, but anyone with an interest in American ska will get a kick out of it. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The late 1990s saw quite a few bands combining ska and rock, and the alternative rock audience's acceptance of ska was beneficial for everyone from Reel Big Fish and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones to No Doubt. But the fusion of ska and rock didn't start with those bands; Madness and the Specials had combined the two during the punk and new wave explosions of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Bim Skala Bim came along in 1983, and the American ska-punkers still had a lot to say when they recorded Universal in early 1997. From high-energy originals like "Rings of Saturn," "Red Eyes" and "Freeman" to an inspired cover of "Shaking All Over" (first recorded in the 1960s by Johnny Kid & the Pirates and later popularized by the Who), Universal is a fine example of a band that hadn't lost any of its freshness after being together for 14 years. Another high point of Universal is "Electrolux," an instrumental that recalls the instrumental surf-rock of the 1960s (a la the Ventures) without sacrificing the ska beat. Fans of ska-rock shouldn't miss this CD. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'Live at the Paradise'
Release Date 1/5/1994
Tracks 19
Label BIB (Best In Boston)
See Album Tracklist and Review
