Looking for the album to boost your serotonin levels over the summer months? Then look no further, Popes Of Chillitown with ‘To The Moon’ will have everyone running around in circles, ‘skanking’ the summer away.
Sounding like the bastard child of Capdown and Skindred, POC have created a release that summarises why Ska Punk in the nineties and noughties was so popular, and why bands like Reel Big Fish are still kicking around. It is the fusion of instruments from Latino, Jazz and Punk that brews a concoction literally impossible to stay still while listening to, it demands you stand up and dance around your room like a beheaded chicken.
Opening track ‘Vamos a la Luna’ highlights Matt Conner’s Ska vocal ability with his Rap/Dub infused, rippling lyrics which builds up to a wicked little Ska breakdown, ‘to the moon’ before returning to a more reggae style section, then launching back into a heavier whirlwind of instruments and vocals, before the brass section picks you up and chaos ensues.
‘OPOOM’ highlights POC’s more poignant lyrics such as, “Everybody I’ve come across wants to be the boss, I wouldn’t want to run the world at any cost, that’s their loss”. Conner inviting everyone to lose their shit for the brass section, his growly vocals as strong as his rap-reggae bits and higher moments, his vocal variety evident; not always the first thing that you would associate with Ska bands, adding a extra plus to this release.
‘Time’ is a more relaxed offering, with some well crafted lyrics and some reverb guitars, POC declaring their position on Ska, “This is not Kingston, this is London, England”, seemingly a shout out to people who question their reggae roots, their modern twist evident and refreshing.
The thing with Ska is that the over-reliance on the brass section can outweigh the other instruments and POC do rely on this a lot for breakdown sections and the general melody in all of their songs. This is no bad thing, they are a Ska band after all, but it would have been interesting to see a creation that utilises the huge pros of brass but that also focuses on the strengths and individuality of the guitar, perhaps a fusion that has yet to be born? Nonetheless, ‘To The Moon’ is an astute release of competent Ska/Dub tunes that will certainly make your summer sunnier.
‘Everyday’ finishes the album with some pleasant echo on the brass section. There is no doubt that in a sweaty venue or festival tent, POC will whip up the dirt and people will go away with smiles plastered across their faces. It’s Ska, it’s Reggae infused, it’s fun. Will it be the album of the year? Probably not. Will it be remembered in 10 years? Probably not. But who cares, this album was made so people can have fun, and that is no bad thing.
DAVE BULL