(label)
11 March 2008 (released)
10 April 2008
SKANKt have been around for years, I first 'remember’ witnessing them at what was once the Fish and Fiddle when I was finding my feet in drinking terms. It was an absolute party and this is true of any SKANKt gig; they know how to party and infect the audience with a compulsion to pull ridiculous shapes and skank their heart out. Naturally you cant make a party from nothing and SKANKt have the musical abilities to back it up. New(ish) album 'Thieves Operate in this Area’ is a prime example of the talent that lies therein. A bunch of well thought out ska punk songs that deviate from the manic 'Cruise’ through to the anymore relaxed and you’d be dead 'Chillin’.
The title/lead song on the album is a great little ska ditty dominated by a horn section secure in its abilities as shown throughout the whole album. These guys live and breathe ska/punk, the following 'Disclaimer’ showing off their ear for dynamics and great timing.
'Art of Self Delusion’ is a masterfully understated song with a simple yet beautifully crafted solo. 'Watch Your Back’ shows they are aware of more than the bottom of a pint glass with its wry look on the corrupt and the little guy’s inability to do anything about it. Star Shaped is easily the best song on the album with an introduction that sounds like Pink Floyd gone all ska and a great melody from the horned section but it’s the rhythm section that owns this song, driving it along with a beat so simple yet geared towards making the audience flood onto the dance floor and if you’ve ever witnessed a gig in Cheltenham you’ll know that’s an achievement!
The rhythm section are dominant again on the slightly jazzy 'Thirty Five Ten’ but it’s hard to fault any part of the band as they all sound at the top of their game.
Ska does stand accused of being very repetitive and it’s a just accusation in some cases. SKANKt manage to avoid this with inventiveness and a willingness to incorporate different musical styles within their sound; Matt (vocals) sounds reminiscent to a ska Brandon Boyd on the brilliant 'Laminate My Life’ which also features a solo that comes out of nowhere at the beginning of the song. 'No Consideration’ ends the album in fantastic style, at first you could be forgiven for writing it off as just another ska song but at 2.22 the whole mood of the song changes with a fantastic building up which upon reaching its climax bursts into a furious bout of ska craziness that ends all to suddenly.
If you’re young and fed up with the relentless mediocrity of the modern emo trend try this; if your old and disillusioned this will brighten your mood; whatever age you are you wont be able to keep from dancing!