Hoodlum wastes no time setting the scene. It's chaotic and hectic-paced ska, yet it also manages to establish a menacing feel. Great stuff. The breakdown works a treat to provide some contrast, establishing a nice bouncy hip-hop feel.
The frenetic style is used to great effect throughout the album, such as for Identity Crisis, On My Mind, Out Of Control and Secret Agent 8. I think the appeal comes from the band continually sitting right at the edge of chaos. Yet their fantastic musicianship holds it all together superbly. The horn section is a particular highlight for me, with wonderfully layered horn lines that is a rare treat for a ska band. It could perhaps be said that these guys are too good for ska!
On My Mind has great contrast between the verses and chorus, while maintaining the bounciness throughout. And Identity Crisis has a fantastically catchy chorus. Beer's OK is an infectious pub ditty, especially the very catchy chorus. It reminds me of The Porkers (alcohol is also a common subject for The Porkers' lyrics...), which is always a good thing. And while it's just a simple feel-good song, there's still some fantastic horn work going on in the background.
The handful of slower songs do well to bring some respite, such as the anti-racism calypso song, Looking Ahead. I probably wouldn't think much of it in isolation, but it works well to break up the album. Friends is also a solid effort. The obligatory Specials' tribute, Rude What Happened To You, is also probably a decent effort. However, unfortunately I've already heard a thousand versions of this song, so I'm a bit over it.
Finally, the wonderful secret track is well worth the wait. I won't spoiler it, other than to say that the vocal glissando is a touch of genius!
Hold the phone, there's actually a song I haven't mentioned yet: Number 4. My first experience of this song (and in fact the band) was when I heard it on the radio one day while driving. It captivated me so much that I literally had to pull over so that I didn't cause a collision! So, where to start on dissecting it's brilliance... The random vocal interludes are hilarious (it actually made me assume the band was Japanese). The main melody is brilliantly catchy. The solos are exceptional, and I particularly enjoy the contrast between each of the two trumpets and the two trombones. It evokes a mental image of the band throwing around the solo mic throughout the song, with everyone itching to have a play. Of course, the musicianship is stellar throughout. And then the orderliness goes out the window at the end, where it degenerates to chaos. Yet it's a wonderful musical chaos, which is somehow still coherent. An incredible song, it's an all-time favourite of mine.
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