A new day for ska

Although they formed in 2011, over a decade since the ‘90s emergence of ska punk into a mainstream audience, The Interrupters have taken the genre back to its classic roots. With their newest release, Fight the Good Fight, they channel classic ska punk that somehow fits in a genre many deem past its prime. This is the third LP from the Los Angeles band following Say It Out Loud and The Interrupters.

Something about the Interrupters is cool. Maybe it’s lead singer Aimee Interrupter and her Joan Jett charisma as a frontwoman – especially in the current time in punk where female fronted bands like Camp Cope are causing their own little revolution within the genre. She has a chill sassy tone in her voice that comes off as the chick that could outdrink you if you dared cross her. This can be seen on “So Wrong” where she reiterates “remember my temper” in the most somber yet threatening tone. The track concludes with a fun guitar solo from Kevin Bivona followed by the addition of claps and background “whoa”s that close off the track in a harmonic way.

“She’s Kerosene” is catchy enough to get you up on the dance floor with its up strumming typical in ska and reggae bands. It has one of the catchiest ska choruses as Interrupter sings “I’m a match, she’s kerosene / You know she’s gonna burn down everything.”

“Got Each Other” has a feature from famous punk band Rancid. It is a classic punk song with gang vocals in the chorus that really are like something off of …And Out Come the Wolves. These vocals isolate at the end of the track into a really satisfying build-up and conclusion, solidifying the simplicity of Fight the Good Fight, but also its infectious hooks.

“Not Personal” and “Rumors and Gossip” are the most the most ska tracks on the album. “Not Personal” has a classic ska style chorus as Interrupter sings “It’s not business / It’s personal” solidifying herself as the Michael Corleone of ska. “Rumors and Gossip” has the classic sand shaker sound effect vocals that happen in so many classic ska songs.

Fight the Good Fight isn’t breaking the ska barrier, but it shows that the genre is still alive and well. It has a great frontwoman and good instrumentals that channel the classic forefathers of ska’s past. The still relatively new band has jumped right into the forefront of modern ska bands.