Album Reviews

Now that third wave ska bands like Reel Big Fish are mostly making a mockery of themselves, there are still ska bands around that are actually worth listening to. Enter Chase Long Beach from… yes, you guessed it… Long Beach, California. These seven boys and girls play guitar-driven skapunk that’s heavy on the horns and comes with charming vocals courtesy of Karen Roberts. She immediately brings Dance Hall Crashers to mind and if you mix that band’s sound up with Streetlight Manifesto or Catch 22, then you’ll have a pretty good idea of what to expect on “Gravity Is What You Make It”. Just like Mad Caddies, they are not afraid to throw in some more traditional swing sounds but expect to hear metal riffs just the same. It certainly makes for an entertaining album that I’ll keep on playing long after the summer’s over.