Ranking Full-Stop Wit Da Toasters

It’s hard to believe, but the Toasters actually preceded the early-90s ska-punk explosion by a good decade or so, the band ranking full-stop since ’82 and serving as an important musical bridge between the late-70s Two-Tone movement and whatever/whenever the next ska-styled tsunami washes across the radio airwaves. A good decade after the entire bloated ska-punk thing was put to sleep by a fickle and indifferent market, Gwen has morphed into a hip-hop diva and Bradley has gone on to that rockin’ houseparty in the sky, but you’ll still find the Toasters jammin’ at a roadhouse somewhere near you right now!

A nifty little construct of passion and energy, One More Bullet is a gift for the musical faithful; them that got the riddims stuck in dey craw back in the day and just can’t let it go. It’s a dirty job, to be sure, but I’m glad that somebody’s gotta do it and the Toasters are the one single groupa rudeboys that continue to strut up to the plate time after time. One More Bullet offers up the band’s usual homebrew of island-by-way-of-Britain-influenced ska (think Madness or the Specials) and old-school soul and R&B like they used to hear on WLAC-AM way down on the island of Jamaica back in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Vocalist/guitarist Rob “Bucket” Hingley is the ringleader of this Toasters’ posse, the one constant over a quarter-century, and it’s his warm vocals and melodic sensibilities that raise the Toasters’ sound above that of many long-dead poseurs who didn’t have the faith or chops to pull off such a joyous noise.

One More Bullet offers up spry originals like the fierce “You’re Gonna Pay,” which features some tasty horns and a menacing vocal performance, or the grand title cut, a gentle skankin’ workout that belies the seriousness of the lyrical tale of criminal desperation at its core. The Toasters also tackle a couple of unlikely covers in the Dave Clark Five’s classic “Bits And Pieces” and the Everly Brothers’ vintage “When Will I Be Loved.” The former is supported by some inspired high-speed vocal “toasting” by bassist Jason Nwagbaraocha, coupled with a chaotic horn-driven arrangement, while the latter is a fairly straight play on the original that rocks with just a modicum of ska flavor. The instrumental “Step Up” mixes a jazzy vibe with a ranking rhythm while “El Chopo” pairs a throwback SoCal roots-rock sound with a ska-punk shuffle, kind of like the Blasters mashed up with the Mighty, Mighty Bosstones.

At this late date in their career, the Toasters know that they’re not going to break the bank with their record sales, and that live dates will remain their bread-and-butter. They continue to do what they do best, however, and they’re quick to point out that they’ve done it longer than anybody else. As long as the band continues to deliver albums with the energy and joie de vivre of One More Bullet, they can hold their collective heads high! (Stomp Records)

(Click on the CD cover to buy One More Bullet from Amazon.com)