Review Summary: 'The Skints we are gon' kill you inna dis here time-a'
It’s been four years since The Skints’ debut album and the ragga-punk upstarts have finally clawed the funds together for a follow-up, thankfully just in time for summer. After the unmistakeably rough-n’-ready debut
Live, Build, Breathe, Believe, The Skints’ second LP is instantly striking as a far more old-skool, reggae-centric affair. The raucous yelp of east-London rude-boi Josh Rudge is markedly toned down in favour of a less strained, more soulful croon, which clearly takes more cues from roots reggae icons like Gregory Isaacs and The Wailing Souls rather than the hip-hop/R&B sensibilities found in much modern reggae music. In addition to this, female singer Marcia Richards’ presence is felt much more fully on this release than on The Skints’ previous efforts. Rather than mainly providing backing harmonies, she comes to the fore on lead single ‘Rat-at-at’ as well as many other occasions, however rather than revert to the tried and tested formula of male vocals for the rougher sections, female singing for the smooth songs and choruses, all vocalists are relentlessly proficient at a range of vocal techniques, with Marcia opening the aforementioned single rapping with a blistering flow and drummer Jamie Kyriakides frequently also handling the melodic sections with considerable skill, not to mention a welcome dose of Laaan-don twang.
Part & Parcel takes a far more laid-back approach than its predecessor, with The Skints moving further from the influence of ska-punk stylings coming from peers such as Sonic Boom Six or the ill-fated King Blues. I must admit that on my first couple of listens I didn’t think it measured up to LBBB, since without the killswitch being stamped on for some contrasting and often unexpected heavy sections this album initially may seem to lack the variety of their debut, but after a few listens it begins to become clear why The Skints’ have opted for this approach. Rather than throwing together pop-punk powerchords interspersed with vague ska/reggae rhythms, The Skints have matured and become a much more authentic and fresh outfit. Combining old-school Jamaican flavours like rocksteady (‘Ring Ring’) and dub (‘Rise Up’) with more modern, London-centric lyrical content and delivery (themes include urban decay, working class life as well as a few love songs which walk the fine line between charming and trite), The Skints have created a much more unique and subtly nuanced sound than with their punk-fuelled debut.
Of course, there are a couple of small issues; with the instrumentation often being more restrained to deliver the most authentic reggae vibes possible (the rhythm section stands out in this area particularly, consistently keeping the high-hat shimmering and the bass deep n’ heavy), the songs often rely on their hooks to reel you in – most of the time they are infectious, but the last few tracks lack the killer melodies needed to match up to the anthems of the first two thirds. For some people the lack of changes in dynamics compared to the first album may cause the whole affair to seem somewhat pedestrian, however if you’re a fan of any of the genres mentioned in this review you should give this a go, as most of the time The Skints manage to blend the sunniest parts of Jamaica with the slightly grittier parts of London in a part joyful, part melancholy harmony. Not perfect, but so brilliantly listenable it could coax even your Nan into a zut-smoking swagger.
