The Mighty Mighty BosstoneS – ‘When God Was Great’ (Hellcat Records)

The Mighty Mighty BosstoneS – ‘When God Was Great’ (Hellcat Records)

I’ll confess right from the off and admit I’ve been a casual listener of Boss ToneS over the years sure they’ve made some great records but I always had other bands who I thought did it better or more consistently that would be fairer to say.  When this album dropped it was the sunniest day of the year I’d been couped up for months with this pandemic so I went on my daily walk and put it on the walkman and BANG! it hit me hard and I was skanking in no time with a smile wider than kid creoles brim hat.  Man, this album is like a ray of sunshine and such a feel-good record and it just connected with me from the opening skank blast of ‘Decide’ right through the tootin’ of ‘Don’t Believe In Anything’ to the gang choruses that make you want to join in no matter where you are its just such a great record.

 

Sure these cats know their field and are masters at their craft.  They manage to mix styles throughout without seams from the lap steel and horns blasting out the melancholy on ‘Certain Things’ with the lyrics sitting front and center the albums had me thinking and not just getting lost in the music either.  What a gift.

 

‘Lonely Boy’ is like the sound of waves lapping your feet whilst the tide drifts in whist in contrast the more edgy ‘The Killing Of Georgie (Part iii)’ is like a big band going rogue.  The title track is piano-led glancing over your shoulder kinda stuff but it’s with a smile and a mellow intake of breath – reminiscing is cool and makes the heart beat faster in a good way. The album does go a little easy listening for a couple of tracks but don’t let that distract you,  the overall feel is good, possitive, up and on point.

 

The album closes with a seven-plus minute epic story ‘The Final Parade’ and it encapsulates all that’s good about this record as it waves its magic into your ear and reaches its final destination of your heart.  BossToneS magic that is right there.  Check it out for yourself if you don’t believe me I believe in something, the power of good music.

Buy ‘When God Was Great’ Here

 

Author: Dom Daley

 

 

THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES SIGN WITH HELLCAT RECORDS & new epic video

THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES SIGN WITH HELLCAT RECORDS & new epic video

THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES SIGN WITH HELLCAT RECORDS

 ‘THE FINAL PARADE’ FEATURING MEMBERS OF RANCID, THE INTERRUPTERS, FISHBONE,

THE PIETASTERS, THE SPECIALS AND MORE

 

Hellcat Records is pleased to welcome the progenitors of ska, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones to the family.

Today, the band shares their new track “The Final Parade.” The track heralds the ups and downs of the band’s journey, the history of ska, and features vocal cameos and guest appearances from many ska-punk luminaries. At nearly 8-mintues, the track has been referred as “The Ska Summit” by Tim Armstrong, who co-produced the track with fellow Grammy award winner Ted Hutt. “It’s a love letter to Ska music and the people that make Ska music and it’s a whole lot of fun,” says vocalist Dicky Barrett.

The features on the track include Tim Armstrong (Rancid), Aimee Interrupter & The Interrupters, Stranger Cole, Angelo Moore (Fishbone), Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers), Jay Navarro (Suicide Machines), Chris DeMakes, Pete Wesilewski, Roger Lima (Less Than Jake), Jimmy G (Murphy’s Law), Toby Morse, Rusty Pistachio (H2O), John Feldman (Goldfinger), Laila Khan (Sonic Boom Six), Robert Hingley (Toasters), Dan Vitale (Bim Skala Bim), Dave McWane (Big D and The Kids Table), Sirae Richardson, Erin Mackenzie, Brie McWane (The Doped Up Dollys), Jesse Wagner (Aggrolites), Karina Denike (The Dance Hall Crashers), Christian Jaccobs (The Aquabats), Jon Pebsworth (Buck O Nine), Peter Porker (The Porkers), Steve Jackson (The Pietasters), Felipe Galvan (Los Skanarles), Jet Baker (Buster Shuffle), Fumio Ito (Kemuri), Glen “The Kid” Marhevka  (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy), and Roddy Radiation (The Specials).

Since their formation in 1983, the BossToneS have been credited as one of the forefathers of ska punk and the creators of its subgenre, ska-core. With a career spanning over 30-years Boston’s best dressed band has built and continued to build a devoted following with their unique brass-infused brand of punk rock. To date they have released ten studio records; Devil’s Night Out (1989), More Noise and Other Disturbances (1992), Don’t Know How to Party (1993), Question the Answers (1994), Let’s Face It (1997), Pay Attention (2000), A Jackknife to a Swan (2002), Pin Points and Gin Joints (2009), The Magic of Youth (2011), and While We’re at It (2018).

The Mighty Mighty BossToneS are vocalist Dicky Barrett, bassist Joe Gittleman, saxophonists Tim “Johnny Vegas” Burton and Leon Silva, Bosstone Ben Carr, drummer Joe Sirois, guitarists Nate Albert and Lawrence Katz, keyboardist John Goetchius, and trombonist Chris Rhodes.

Find Mighty Mighty BossToneS online at:

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