On the shortlist for “Album Of The Month April 2015” are fantastic new releases from the Soul Radics (USA), John Brown’s Body (USA), The Bluebeaters (Italy), The Valkryians (Finland) and the Banana Peel Slipers (Germany).
The Soul Radics already snatched the “Video Of The Month February 2015” with “One Time”, “Big Shot” is their second full-length album, released in the USA by Jump Up Records, in Europe by Grover Records.
US label Easy Star Records stay on course with their current string of high-quality releases. In April 2015, they offered the new collection by John Brown’s Body from the state New York, the dub version to their last album “Kings & Queens” (2013), aptly called “Kings & Queens in Dub”. True Future Roots music.
Top notch Original Ska, that’s what The Bluebeaters from Italy are all about. As Guiliano Palma’s backing band, The Bluebeaters saw the world (and top positions in the Italian charts). With the release of the compelling singles and videos “Toxic” and “Roll With It”, the band showed that they can easily do it on their own. The album “Everybody Knows” comes in style on the Record Kicks label.
“Rock My Soul” (Grover Records), the fourth album by Finland’s best-loved ska export The Valkyrians, brings us loads of new high-pressure tunes, with the unique vocal stylings by the band’s frontman Angster Man. Great work. If you get the chance, don’t miss the band on tour, either.
The longest running ska band from Cologne (Germany) is called the Banana Peel Slippers (founded in 1992). Although only playing occasional gigs in their home region, they do continue to release new music, influenced by 2Tone as well as Original Ska. “Ska Studio” is dedicated to the memory of their late keyboardist Michael Bretzke who died in 2013.
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Soul Radics – Big Shot
released: 1 Apr 2015
country: USA
style: Original Ska, Rocksteady
label: Jump Up Records, Grover Records
audio/buy
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John Brown’s Body – Kings And Queens In Dub
released: 6 Apr 2015
country: USA
style: Roots Reggae, Dub
label: Easy Star Records
audio/buy
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The Bluebeaters – Everybody Knows
released: 13 Apr 2015
country: Italy
style: Original Ska
label: Record Kicks
audio/buy
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The Valkyrians – Rock My Soul
released: 17 Apr 2015
country: Finland
style: Rocksteady, 2Tone
label: Grover Records
audio/buy
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Banana Peel Slippers – Ska Studio
released: 20 Apr 2015
country: Germany
style: 2Tone
label: self
audio/buy
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Note: We made it obligatory to log in to take part in our polls to make sure that it’s “one person, one vote”.
Which releases can be nominated?
All nominees …
– have a ska, rocksteady, early reggae sound or feel.
– can be listened to on the Net (at least in parts), via bandcamp, amazon, itunes etc.
– are an album, at least 20 minutes long.
– have been released for the first time that month.
– consist of predominantly new material.
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Deadline for voting is Thursday, 21 May April 2015, 20:00 (Central European Time).
