Thursday, March 21, 2013

Warming Up With The Screw-ups

Things I've learned this winter. My neighbors are allergic to shovels, the state of Massachusetts owes me at least $300 in pothole damages, and although drinking a Corona in the snow won't encourage summer to magically appear, it can make you feel warmer. Similar to when you listen to a reggae band like The Screw-ups.

The Screw-ups, Danbury, CT
warm you up during winter months (image credit)

If you follow Bishop And Rook on Twitter, you may have caught me pimping out The Screw-ups' previously released Los Straightjackets sounding instrumental track, 'Cuidado', a few weeks back. Although the anticipated self titled EP (available this April) takes the stride down a few notches to a more mellow level, The Screw-ups produced a steadfast record of truthful lyrics and established rhythm.

Jamming out of the Danbury, CT area, The Screw-ups bring the necessary grooves that make reggae music so fluid, while satirical lyrics about the music industry in 'Don't Care Much', illustrate the sarcastic irony you like to see from ska/punk bands.

Out of the pile of recent demos featuring less than angelic voices, it's refreshing to know lead singers like Screw-ups' front man, Julian, can actually, well...sing. Carrying a Bradley Nowell (Sublime) and Kaustubh Pandav (Lucky Boy Confusion) tune, Julian's easy listening vocals make for a uniform partnership with the required saxophone.

With messages like "It's easy to complain" (New Song) and "There's really no one else to blame but you" (Watch Yourself), The Screw-ups dispatch the angst and turmoil you know and love in punk music, and package it in a record of plucky guitars, organ chords and funky horns.

So internet friends, listen to The Screw-ups. I am right now and it's a tropical New England oasis.

The Screw-ups self titled EP drops April 2013. Until then, stream select sounds on ReverbNation and Facebook, and catch them live April 12th with Riki Rocksteady & The Arraignments at Dusk (Providence, RI) and April 14th at All Asia Cafe (Cambridge, MA).

1 comment:

  1. Reggae always puts me in a summer mood and I need summer really badly right now.

    ReplyDelete

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