What The Critics Say
Very few of the bands that emerged during the third wave ska revival of the early 1990s are still standing, let alone still producing worthwhile records. That the Slackers have maintained a steady (though not exactly prolific) schedule of releases over the past 18 years is a tribute to their rare ability to create timeless music in an archaic genre, as well as to their simple stubbornness. Self Medication is perhaps their strongest album yet, one that spends relatively little time in ska mode; at this point in their development, the Slackers' genre of choice is rocksteady, the transitional musical style that emerged in Jamaica in the late '60s, after ska had faded but before reggae was fully formed. The album's theme song (and maybe the band's) is the brilliant "Don't Forget the Streets," a defiant declaration of purpose and determination ("We still stick together/We still get along"). But its strongest entries are some of its strangest, such as "Stars" (with its strong evocation of Paul Simon's "St. Judy's Comet"), the lovely and Latin-flavored ska tune "Sing Your Song," and the bizarre "Walkin' with Myself," which starts out with a wheezy, Tom Waits-ish accordion part before relaxing into a loping rocksteady beat. The album's low point is its strangest song, however, a weird Elvis Presley parody with fake crowd noises, titled "Don't Have To." Great album overall. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
From the moment Vic Ruggiero takes the mic on Peculiar's opening track, "86 the Mayo," there's a notable difference in sound from the Slackers' previous sets. But that's deliberate, for the band recorded this set in a very unique way. A hybrid set created from a live show recorded before a packed Dutch club, with rhythm tracks and overdubs done in the studio, the album captures the group's on-stage energy, while simultaneously offering a clarity of sound that's studio-perfect. All the better to appreciate the Slackers' superb musicianship, adroit genre shifts, and sublime crossover styling. The instrumentals showcase the former in two very different genres, "Capo" highlighting their funky, early reggae, skinhead-stomping sound, and "Sauron" their jazzy, big-band skills. "What Went Wrong," meanwhile, highlights the band's ability to meld styles on a song that begins as a rock ballad but subtly shifts into classic Stax-flavored R&B. "Wrong" is one of a clutch of relationship songs found within, but the set swings from the personal to the highly political, and in today's climes it's those latter tracks that most deeply resonate. The roots reggae "Propaganda" is the centerpiece of these concerns (its video is included), determinedly questioning the spin, platitudes, and cover-ups fed to the public, while these lies and hypocrisies are used to indict the Bush administration as "International War Criminals." Indeed the world has gone "Crazy," and to a compulsive rockers riddim that will send the skankers raving. The cover of "I Shall Be Released" ends the album on a positive note. Peculiar is a stellar set, the sound magnificent, the lyrics thought-provoking, the music sensational. And even better, it brings Hepcat's Alex Desert back to disc, the cherry on a most spectacular cake. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The Slackers return with Close My Eyes, and it might be their most mature album yet. Whether that's a compliment or a slight depends on your opinion of ska, and if you say you don't have one, you're lying. Eyes mixes dub and ska rhythms with Vic Ruggiero's increasingly conventional songwriting, which can be really effective, as it is with the concise, soulful "Mommy." But sometimes the Slackers seem to slip in the integration department. The puttering, rocksteady-inspired groove of "Axes," for example, seems completely disconnected from Ruggiero's conventional (and clunky) vocals -- the track could have easily been an instrumental. And while the band's ruminations on 9/11 are no doubt inspired, "Real War" gets a bit uncomfortable when it begins pleading for racial equality from warmongering politicians. The sentiment is respectable, to be sure. But the track's by-the-numbers dub begins to work against it, mostly because it seems to rest on your perceptions of past reggae/dub protest songs. This is a persistent issue with the third wave and beyond, since the music is by design tradition-minded but still wants to push things forward like any functional band would. The Slackers may or may not have succeeded at achieving this balance, but they've likely made an album their established fan base will love, if nothing else. Close My Eyes is also perfectly recorded, aping the flat, splashy Studio One sound. This is especially apparent on the opening and closing instrumentals, as well as the light dub of "Lazy Woman." ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
"Boogie in the Bayou" might be a better name for the Slackers' fourth studio album, Wasted Days. No longer just a traditional ska band (if they ever were to begin with), the band experiments here with different instruments, including a petal steel guitar and a violin. The twangy guitar adds a down-home country feel to the band's unique brand of ska and rocksteady, especially on "Dave's Friend," a tough-love message to a drug-addled comrade. Keyboardist Vic Ruggiero's songwriting and vocals are as strong as ever, with compelling stories about love gone awry in the title track and "So This Is the Night." Fans of the swinging rhythm of "Sarah" on Better Late Than Never will love "Please Decide." And the Slack does an admirable job of applying the rocksteady to Bon Jovi's "Dead or Alive." The Slackers seem to take a democratic approach to the microphone -- almost everyone gets a turn at singing. Ruggiero's rough, crooning Brooklynese, supported by the soul-filled harmonies of Marq Lyn, never misses. Jeremy Mushlin, who played trumpet on earlier albums, appears once on this record in the goofy yet lovable persona of "DJ Mush 1," where he howls reggae-style over the dubbed-down "Pets of the World." As he did on The Question, trombonist Glen Pine sings one song, called "Midnight Rendezvous," which isn't bad, but probably would have sounded better coming from Ruggiero. The only trumpet sounds on this album come from Rolf Lansjoen (Stubborn All-Stars, Skinnerbox), who blows just a little bit on "So This Is the Night" and "The Nurse." Given Lansjoen's skill, it's a shame the band didn't have him take any solos. Not that the Slackers need a trumpet player. Dave Hillyard (saxophone) and Glen Pine (trombone) are solid players who complement each other like an old married couple. And Hillyard's solos have come a long way since his days in Hepcat. But having Lansjoen around and not using him is like eating a gourmet meal and declining dessert. Other guests include Regina Bellantese on violin and the ubiquitous Agent Jay Nugent (Stubborn All-Stars, King Django) on stick guitar. The weakest points of the album, aside from irritating excerpts from an answering machine tape, are when vocalist Lyn (a.k.a "Q-Maxx 420") goes solo. The lyrics to "Made Up My Mind" are trite at best ("I've made up my mind/I still love you/I just got to find the time/To show you how I feel" doesn't sound too convincing). And the novelty and humor of his "Sermon" wears off after one listen. Even with its shortcomings, Wasted Days has enough power and danceability to make it an essential piece of any ska lover's collection. The Slackers are perhaps the best and the brightest of American ska to date; they reinvent their sound with each album, keeping the music fresh, alive, and relevant. ~ Margaret Crandall, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Are the Slackers America's finest ska band? Maybe so, though there are a few close competitors in the band's hometown of New York, and at least one that comes close on the other coast. As the tide of the most recent ska revival ebbs and takes scores of lightweight wagon-jumpers with it, what's left behind are the real heavyweights: the Stubborn All-Stars, the Toasters, Hepcat, and the Slackers. And, as this live album demonstrates, the Slackers rip it up in concert as well as -- and in some cases better than -- any of them. In this context, singer and bandleader Vic Ruggiero sounds even more guttural and thuggish than usual, which has the effect of accenting even more than usual the sophistication and grace of his songs. "Sooner or Later" and the rock steady anti-skinhead anthem "Keep Him Away" are both based on chord progressions that go far beyond the usual three-chord ska rave-up, and when the band lets loose on "Work Song," you can almost hear Art Blakey skanking up in jazz heaven. And "Feed My Girl" is hysterical. Highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Sometimes growing up is the worst thing that can happen to a rock & roll band. However, it's almost always the best thing that can happen to a ska band. Why? Because when ska bands grow up, they slow down and start paying attention to craft, the last thing on the mind of most young skasters. The Slackers are something of a departure from the norm in that regard -- they've sounded like grown-ups from day one. But their latest effort still shows the effects of growth and maturation, both musical and emotional. For one thing, there's almost as much reggae as ska here: the elastic rocksteady beat of "Knowing" follows close on the heels of the Latin ska bounce of "Manuel," while the 2 Tone inflections of "And I Wonder?" lead directly into the straight one-drop riddim of "No More Crying." For another thing, bandleader Vic Ruggiero is worried about mortality and the nature of love, and his lyrics are all the better for it. Songs like "The Question" and "Have the Time" actually reflect some serious and skillful thinking -- another rarity in the world of ska, quite frankly. If the Slackers keep getting better, things are going to get scary very quickly. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Given the fractious relations between the Slackers and the Moon Ska label, it might rankle the band to be told that Better Late Than Never was their best album. But as of early 2000, that's still the case. Opening with a ska arrangement of Nat Adderley's hard-bop composition "Work Song" and ending with a cameo from the ageless ska queen Doreen Schaeffer (actually, there's one more instrumental after her gently powerful rendition of "Our Day Will Come," but she should have been the closing act), this album proves once and for all that New York City ska is the best. Keyboardist Vic Ruggiero and sax man Dave Hillyard both write great songs, with the slight edge going to Ruggiero, whose "Sarah, I'm always thinking of you/ I'm so sorry I can't make you my wife, this life" trumps Hillyard's "I see the bucket full/ I want my food!" The rest of the band is responsible for the best old-school ska and rock-steady grooves this side of the Stubborn All-Stars. "Sooner or Later" is one of the most compellingly singable ska songs written in the last 20 years, and "You Don't Know I" rolls and bounces like a barrel of skanking monkeys. Victor Rice's production is just bass-heavy enough without sacrificing clarity or definition. Essential. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
