{"id":28973,"date":"2026-09-09T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=28973"},"modified":"2026-09-07T10:18:57","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T09:18:57","slug":"the-family-business-ltd-the-family-business-ltd-hellcat-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=28973","title":{"rendered":"The Family Business LTD \u2013 \u2018The Family Business LTD\u2019 (Hellcat Records)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Family Business LTD are a ska collective put together in 2023 by Rat Boy frontman Jordan Cardy and Preston from The Ordinary Boys. The duo headed across the pond and joined Rancid legend Tim Armstrong in LA to write material. Tim roped in Antonee First Class of The English Beat for some authentic \u2018two-tone toast\u2019 and Operation Ivy man Jesse Michaels as creative collaborator, and The Family Business LTD were born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the rhythm section of fellow Hellcat label mates The Calamatix providing the groove, Tim producing and adding guitars, the debut album was written and recorded over a two-week period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the two-tone-inspired cover art depicting Walt Jabsco captured in a Tim Timebomb-style leap, and the main man producing, it does sorta give the game away as to what to expect from this unusual collaboration, With less emphasis on punk and more on mixing up the roots of ska with modern street level punk of the 2000\u2019s, it\u2019s a refreshing listen from beginning to end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If their intention was to make you move, then opener and lead single \u2018Floor Burner\u2019 delivers in spades. 1 minute and 33 seconds of pure energy, it\u2019s a song designed to make you dance like no one\u2019s watching. Imagine if Operation Ivy were on a two-tone label, and you\u2019ll be close; with Tim\u2019s guidance, it\u2019s a perfect mix of British 70s two-tone with a 90s punked-up delivery. It could be the best song of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so it continues; Antonee First Class adds Jamaican sauce to the likes of \u2018Detonator\u2019 and especially \u2018Still A Jamaican\u2019, songs that bring to mind the heady days of The Specials and The Selector, with added Hammond and horns, and those essential ska grooves laid down by the tight rhythm section of Clarence Kid III on drums and Matty Taylor on bass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lyrically, they dip from party hard escapism (\u2018Floor Burner\u2019 & \u2018Detonator\u2019) to deeper social commentary like on closer \u2018A.S.B.O.\u2019, highlighting the fact that the same political and social issues are still around some 40-odd years down the road. Elsewhere, \u2018Armageddon\u2019 builds to an earworm of a chorus. A street-level anthem with its heart deeply rooted in classic ska. \u2018Bambi\u2019 is very up the Rat Boy street of scuzzy, anthemic punk infused with added ska bite, coming on like The King Blues in full on Clash mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018No Vacancy\u2019 skanks along nicely, giving Antonee more freedom to give added toast to proceedings. Then, album closer \u2018A.S.B.O.\u2019 rounds things off nicely with a killer refrain and enough rude boy references to keep any long-time lover of sharp suits and pork pie hats happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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