THE COLDSPOT 8
It's The Feelgood (Beatville)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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The Coldspot 8 are an Orlando, Florida, based unit producing some of the best traditional ska and rocksteady sounds I've heard in awhile. While the ska scene devolves into so many local variations and there seems to be more attention paid to the relative merits of the various ska schools, from Two-Tone to punk-ska to third-wave to gawd knows what, than to learning how to play the instruments and create artful arrangements of the songs, these guys are a refreshing change of pace.

That a band so steeped in old school sounds could be described as a change of pace may sound self contradictory, but it's their attention to the musical, rather than social, elements of ska that sets them apart and offers them early entry into the ska elite. No gimmicks, just a strong horn line, good songs, effective vocals and steady riddims. If you want more than that, you want something other than music, I fear.

If it's music you want, good music, then you'll want a copy of It's The Feelgood.

Track List:

I Can't Explain * What's Coming To You * Stand-Off * Give And Take * Shine * Sound Of Sitkara * Rough And Tough * Because I Know * I Can't Take It * Gun The Man Down * It Makes No Difference * You Gotta Work * High-Five * Sound Of Version * Explanation Dub

© 2000 - Shaun Dale