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There was a late '90s phase where you simply couldn't go to a punk concert without having to endure a band with funny circus music as well. Admittedly, this at least brought more girls to the concerts. But additionally, several punk bands felt encouraged to play some of their dull strumming songs in a clumsy offbeat, just to have something to offer in that regard. No, too much is too much, and it was just annoying. (I had no idea that with the emo wave, an even worse hype was waiting in the wings, but that's another chapter.)
Among the mass of ska punk bands, there were few that I could listen to offstage without getting annoyed after a few songs, and those usually had a bit more to offer than just constant switches between bouncy music with horns and distorted guitar. The MAD CADDIES could definitely get more out of the genre with their first album "Quality Softcore," sometimes charging ahead and then again taking it slow, with beautiful melodies and biting lyrics. Then I lost track of the band, pulled out the old record now and then (converted to mp3) and saw the crazy shopping carts last year in the opening act for NOFX, SLIME, and BAD RELIGION again. They somewhat passed me by at that point, perhaps because I preferred to toast our reunion with old friends. But maybe it was also the music, and that brings us to the current release.
Dirty Rice is the first album in seven years, and during the creative process, everything was at least once thrown overboard to make an even better album. Right from the first track, it starts with piano, which will happen more often and gives the pieces a jazzy bar vibe. Not bad, although a bit too much of a schunkel beat for my taste.
From track two, it rocks to start, but such passages are overall sparse on the record. In fact, the label ska punk no longer fits; it's more ska-pop-rock with a strong sing-along factor. The multi-voiced harmonies are omnipresent and will drive away all goths within earshot. More something for sunshine, California, indeed.
Track four, "Ska City," stands out because it doesn't sound quite as offensively cheerful, but rather like when you've drunk schnapps on antibiotics and are somewhat out of it. An interesting change. In contrast, the following track "Airplane" is pure longing guitar pop. Textbook-like, but beautiful. I also like "Little Town" with its wonderful beach-and-reggae feeling, which should actually be a LESS THAN JAKE song, as it deals with their favorite theme of stagnation in small towns. But that's fine, solidarity with those who oppose the desolation in the provinces! In between, there are two love songs and to close, the minimally instrumented "Drinking the Night Away." It sounds like the after hour when, after the concert, in some foreign place in the wide world, the chairs are being stacked up, the band is still killing the remaining drinks, and they all join in for one last song. Not bad, although I could have done without the pub singing to make the song even quieter.
OK, and now I also know why the MAD CADDIES didn't lure me to the front row at the last encounter. Aside from their tough position against the main bands, the youthful exuberance has somehow faded over the years. In the insert, the band expresses joy at being able to perform at both punk shows and family-friendly concerts, and that might be the problem. Everything is sung, played, and arranged perfectly, but for me, it's too harmless. Too few captivating moments, more music to set the mood for a drive when going on vacation. Every band deserves a development, and especially when the band doesn't go too overboard with sugar and instead grooves the song nicely and relaxed, that has its charm. However, I expected more punk attitude; there's still room for improvement.
