The Mad Caddies now have three fine albums under their collective belts but it is this release, a five track EP, that currently stands as their best collection of songs. The Holiday Has Been Cancelled was basically a stopgap release, intended to give musically starved fans some new songs prior to the release of 2001’s Rock the Plank. What was essentially an impromptu jam has resulted in what can only be described as a classic ska-punk EP.
Opener ‘Falling Down’ is noticeably heavier and faster much of their previous work and is a great indication of things to come. Chuck’s vocals sound better than ever with added aggression and a superb horn section adds much to the track.
‘Nobody Wins at the Laundromat’ is even faster than the previous song and is another superb tune, clocking in at just under 2 minutes. ‘Something’s Wrong at the Playground’ slows the pace down a little, with the chorus being a real highlight of the EP.
‘Destro’ removes the horn section and proves that the band can play simple plain old punk songs with the best of them. Again, it features an incredibly infectious chorus. The EP closes with a superb cover of the ABBA classic ‘S.O.S.’ which will have you jumping around like a madman.
In short, whether you already own material by the band or not, you need to own this release. It is ska-punk at its finest and is a cd you will put on your stereo time and time again.
Mark