I wonder, if there were no such thing as "ska", would Work Song be classified as jazz? Well, it would in my book. In fact, it would sit alongside the jazz classics thanks to its wonderful groove and great horn line for the chorus.
Speaking of the groove, I'm such a fan of it that I'd probably like almost any Slackers song by default. Case in point is Runaway, which isn't particularly memorable, but their style makes it an enjoyable listen nonetheless.
The third song on the album is a brilliant Jamaican influenced rhythm'n'blues. Most of a song is husky and understated tale, which will have you tapping your toe without realising it. Then it suddenly bursts into an infectious "party mode", which is also a treat. And the lyrics- the classic tale of man and woman making eyes at each other in a dimly lit bar. It's such a cool song... so why oh why did the band have to tarnish it with the awful title Pedophilia?!
The sinister James Bond / Al Capone ska tradition is brilliantly executed for Two Face. The story of betrayal is perfectly delivered by the husky mobster vocals. And the horn line is brilliant. In fact, everything about this song is brilliant!
Just to quickly mention the recording quality- I haven't heard the original version of this album, but the remastered version is hardly a polished production. However, the raw sound does bring a unique character to the sound, in particular the dark "quacking" sound of the horns. And I do like the crackling vinyl effect, which fits in nicely with the album's character.
Cuban Cigar is just a quirky interlude, in my opinion. You Don't Know and Tonight are both traditional ska songs, and quite similar. Yet the former doesn't work for me, but I dig Tonight as cheesy fun. What's the difference? I have no idea!
The next song, Sarah, is the reason I bought this album. It reminds me of The Nurse somehow, and both are brilliant songs. The wonderful piano/horn melody will get stuck in your head for days, and I really dig the stumbling semi-chaotic groove. The lyrics are wonderfully obtuse yet illustrative; on one hand, there's:
Mother said "You turned my food to poison",
To my father on a cold thanksgiving day.
Holidays leave me with empty noise,
And so I turned my head and walked away
...which I have absolutely no idea what it is meant to mean, yet I think it is wonderfully descriptive! On the other hand,
I guess I thought that we could live forever
In this state of such imaginary grace.
You could find your diamonds in my arms, dear.
And I could find a reason in your face.
...perfectly sums up being lovesick in a futile situation, and clutching at straws to try to make it work. I'd better stop myself before I quote the lyrics of the whole song! Because it one of my all-time favourite poems.
The lyrics are also the highlight of Prophet, not just telling the story but also creating a strong sense of character for the first-person narrative. And this is backed up by a typically brilliant Slackers groove, of course.
Treating us to some great variety, Our Day Will Come is great "sleepy" rocksteady. And Contemplation is batshit crazy (yes, that's the technical term!). Love it! 7 & 7 hits the nail on the head as a Skatalites tribute.
A Certain Girl is great cheeky fun. The band perfectly ham it up to emphasise the tease of the lyrics. It is a standout cover of this incredibly adaptable song (The Slackers' version, this, this, this, this, this, this, this and this original. Yikes!)
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