King Django

King Django has been one of the most active figures in the American ska scene since the '80s. As the founder of Stubborn Records and the Version City record studio as well as fronting and playing trombone for seminal NYC ska bands like Skinnerbox and the Stubborn All-Stars, Django knows how to make good music. He also isn't afraid to try new things, having previously released a solo CD that mixed ska with klezmer. There are moments of brilliance with excellent tracks at the beginning of the album, including a new version of the Skinnerbox song "LKO" and the title track, which is a powerful blend of hard rock and Django's toasting. However, things go downhill quickly after the song "Chase Pum Pum," where Django boasts that he doesn't have to chase "punani" because "punani" chases him. His infantile lyrics and attempt at incorporating drum & bass lose me. Much of the rest of the CD follows this pattern, attempting to blend hip-hop and techno into his music, which has been done better a million times.