Title: Outlier
Format Reviewed: MP3
Format Released: 14th April 2014
Reviewed By: Millie Manders
New York based Mrs Skannotto are a rollicking mix of ska, punk and other niche alternative influences. They have toured with some big names, most notably The Mad Caddies and spent the last two years picking up a respectable number of skank-hungry fans.
The first thing I am struck by with this record is the huge variation in vocal styles used within the first thirty seconds. Running from something close to Sweeny aka The Dead Pets front man's outright rage, to the lilting lift of Panic! At The Disco's vocal diva Brendon Urie.
While this album is predominantly ska-punk, outright rock and roll abounds and there is a strong undercurrent of funk brought forth by technically punchy bass lines as juxtaposition to the upstroke simplicity of the guitar riffs. Not that all the guitars are simple, oh no! There are some awesome solos going on in there too.
Nothing is over done and there is a sharpness to the finish giving clarity to the production. If you hadn't guessed, I'm enjoying myself right now. While I am not generally a fan of such pretty vocals, there is a thriving market for it and this is a very sellable record. Happily there is just enough of the gravelly bits to keep me well entertained too.
By the way… The brass… THE BRASS! Brilliant musicianship going on here. Beautiful, crystal clear, perfectly in tune (trust me, that isn't always the case on some of the best ska records out there) and just gorgeous.
The namesake to this album Outlier is actually one of the highlights for me. As previously mentioned, the sheer polar opposite in vocal techniques is applaudable. It's a great opener for the album. It's upbeat, catchy and a true reflection of what to expect with regards to genre-bending within the ska-punk spectrum.
Entropy and Way Home are fantastic mid album ‘come downs’. Outliers is choc-full of mosh friendly, skank inducing anthems, so a couple of slower dub tracks for good measure was a good call. You'll still be swinging and head bopping, but you'll have around eight minutes to let your sweat dry before letting rip again.
Mrs Skannotto have gone out of their way to construct a journey through their track list here. It's well thought out and put together. No boredom to be had, they have interesting use of minor inflections and diversity of style. A well rounded, well produced ska-punk record.
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