Record Label: Do The Dog Music
Genre: Ska
Band Link: link
Buy on Amazon.com

It’s been twenty plus years since the second wave of ska appeared on the shores of the UK and unleashed influential bands such as the Specials, the Madness, Bad Manners and the English Beat to the world abroad. Twenty plus years, but to the New Town Kings it could have been yesterday.

You could call them the second coming of the Specials if you would be so bold, the New Town Kings play a sound that is one part reggae and eight parts two-tone. In fact, the intro to the first track “La La World” sounds and awful lot like “Ghost Town”. One could say that two-tone is a thing of the past and the New Town Kings are flogging a dead horse. What I would say to those folks is that two-tone never really went away. Listen to the Toasters (who are essentially the first American two-tone band) or listen to bands like the Planet Smashers, Go Jimmy Go or The Pietasters and then tell me that two-tone is dead.

“Sound Of The New Town” delivers one danceable track after another. Whether it’s the horn-heavy, reggae-laced “Somebody” or the two-step groove of “(I Look At The) Sky At Night”, there just isn’t a sour spot on this entire album. The New Town Kings have one of the best horn sections that I have heard since the days of the Mephiskapheles and the dual vocals on a few of the songs add just enough variety to keep it interesting.

Bottom Line: It looks like ska’s checkered past is quite clear to the fellas in the New Town Kings. To hell with trad-ska…give me more two-tone and the New Town Kings answered my wish!
Notable Tracks: Caesars and Pharaohs, Stay On Your Feet, Fire In The Hole, (I Look At The) Sky At Night
Overall Rating: