Everything Goes Numb

If you though Catch 22's 'Keasbey Nights' was a good album, well this is even more impressive. The second Tomas Kalnoky's vocals begin on the opening track you'll know this is a superb album.'Everything went Numb' is a faultless track as are all of them.'That'll be the Day' introduces a little distorted guitar with a nice interchange of a fast and slow pace. 'Point/Counterpoint' is the track which stands out slightly on the first listen. It has everything you could want from a ska punk tune. 'if and when we rise again' is probably the weakest track, but on this album that's nothing bad as it would stand out on any other album. I like the way that 'a moment of violence' and 'a moment of silence' are contrasting songs. '..Silence' is the most laid back tune with a kind of reaggae feel. '...Violence' uses the same melodies, horn parts and some lyrics but is an angry fast outburst which is pure brilliance. These two tracks outline the creativity of Streetlight Manifesto. The last two tracks are top quality too and 'The Big sleep' reminds me a little of the last tune on 'Keasbey Nights' There is so much variation with this CD. this record is fast, slow, happy, sad. The vocals are so varied from the quiet voice of Tomas to the more gruff aggresive and he is also aided by added gang vocals. The horns are outstanding and play a big part on all the songs. Most of the tracks are around 4 or 5 minutes long which is very surprising for such a band but this simply means that the listener is entertained for longer. Also, although the cd has a generally happy feel, may of the songs look at problems such as suicide and generally giving up on life. The lyrics are incredible but I think that they follow the same theme too often. Although most of the tracks follow the ska punk theme, Streetlight Manifesto outdo all of the other Ska bands. They are in a league of there own. The only band that come close to having a cd this good are Catch 22, who happened to have Mr Kalnoky himself as singer, songwriter and guitarist on their first album. One conclusion that can be made is that he is a genius. Also, Streetlight Manifesto have shown that Ska punk is alive. If you like any other ska punk, it is almost guaranteed you will like this record. This is also a great album for anyone wanting to get into ska punk but after listening they will have to prepare for the disappointment of other bands. I would say that this album is almost revolutionary as Streetlight Manifesto are taking the genre to new unexplored levels. Anyway, this album could be discussed all day but I'll let you go and press the order button. You won't be disappointed. And once you get it, sit back and enjoy one of the best hours of your life.

Streetlight Manifesto will be shocking familiar to you, with regard to their sound. This will only occur though, if you own the Catch 22 album ‘Keasbey Nights’; An album which I sincerely hope you do because it is one of the most important and exciting Ska revival albums of the 90’s. The familiarity stems from the fact that this band was formed from the members of two similar groups from the same region, ‘One Cool Guy’ and ‘Catch-22’.

So now you might have an idea of the sound, but I will go into it anyway. Streetlight Manifesto are a bass and brass led group with cheeky flurries of clean guitar topped off with speedy, tuneful & sometimes almost rapped vocals that your will adore. Despite what you may think from that description, this is very relaxed and chilled out music with 4-7 minute songs that offer huge expansive journeys and tales of death, reflection and life. Despite its inherently bouncy feel this album is chock full of violent and pessimistic references. This makes for an even balance and exciting subject matter for this genre and could be compared to the lyrical content of ‘The Transplants’.

A perfect example of this would be; ‘They’ll try to tell you that it’s ok, but it’s not and your shot and your bleeding pretty bad, and you cant stop thinking about the things you never had, like a wife and a kid and the things you never did’ from the most accomplished and wonderfully fulfilling song on this album; ‘Point / Counterpoint’. Too long have punk and Ska songs been sentenced to never dip their little toes beyond that 3 minute mark. ‘Catch 22’ were the men that jumped headlong over it and now Streetlight Manifesto take the plunge and don the spy movie scuba gear as they swim under the music industries radar and emerge way past it.

There is a real dramatic feel to this music; because the timing constantly speeds up and slows down it allows the listener to gauge their reaction and interpretation of that moment of the song. Add to that; addictive and incredible bass lines plus some outstandingly mood creating brass moments that cater for spy movie drama to the true excitement of the chase. ‘Here’s To Life’ finds a real Jewish/Latin flavour once again added to the proceedings and turns such a blank canvas into a magical sense enhancing scratch n’ sniff tale of wonder, excitement and drama, this acts as though it’s not only a movie soundtrack but the movie it’s self!

This is such a diverse arrangement of songs from a dream team formation of some of Ska’s most talented mid-90’s artists. There is a real complexity to this record that is welcome as it merges styles, instruments and speeds to create mood after mood and acts as a call to arms for each and every emotion a human possesses. This is a must for ‘Catch 22’ fans but also anyone who wants a record that really does offer a listening ‘experience’.

Standout Tracks: ‘Point / Counterpoint’, ‘Heres To Life’ & ‘The Big Sleep’

Just when you thought that the SKA world wasnt going to produce and new sound, Streetlight Manifesto come out all guns blazing.

3 of the band were in the original Catch 22 Lineup - the band that saved the scene for me with perfect horns and a singer you could believe in. Well that singer left Catch 22 and left them a hollow shell.

Now hes back with his buddies on a self financed SKAfest, the horns just keep traveling south, past mexico and almost have a Peurto Rico feel to them. Smart, witty lyrics and a Ska beat that makes you smile, wriggle and roar!!

Buy It!