Streetlight Manifesto
In ska's third (and possibly final) wave, Streetlight Manifesto's "Somewhere in Between" definitely deserves being mentioned. The band is a sort of rebirth of Catch-22, but the sound is much more polished, and this is their first release of completely new material. I would compare them to Reel Big Fish, with whom they continue to tour, but Streetlight Manifesto just isn't as annoying. They're a little more raucous than you would expect, and full of lovely, beautiful heresy. That's not much of a surprise with tracks titled " Down, Down, Down, to Mephisto's Cafe" and "Blonde Lead the Blind."
Agenda aside, the tunes are catchy and the musicianship nearly flawless. This band has both the power and the horn section necessary for ska/rock fusion, and the result is one of the best of the genre. The little island riffs will make you smile, the guitars might make you thrash around a bit. Try not to dance, I dare you.
Released November 2007
Victory Records