Afterbeat Personals
Published Mar 01, 2006
Does anyone remember what wave of ska we are on? For Manitobas the Afterbeat, at least, it really doesnt matter. Judging by the sounds of their debut LP, give them a dance floor filled with merry skankers and forget whether or not ska is hip this week. The Afterbeat represent all that weve come to love and expect from a ska band: first, a great name (and one that doesnt even bastardise the word ska wow); second, a seven-piece, complete with a horn section troupe of midnight revellers whose only desire is to give you a cardio workout; and third, straight ahead brisk-tempo ska songs drawing from both the origins and the offspring of ska. Expertly produced by another ska-head, Greg "Milka Crowe, Personals is a strong start for a band bound to make their mark. Standout tracks include balls to the wall skanker "Together Strong (dropping a spring reverb in the middle of a song can never be a bad thing), "It Doesnt Matter, complete with an addictive horn riff, and the impossibly funky reggae of "Girl I Need.
(Bacteria Buffet)