The Vagabonds: Ska-Core Jazz Ensemble
Well first off, this is my first review in a very long time and I am very glad to be back. This album and band are truly one of the most incredible pieces of musicianship my ears have ever heard. The Vagabonds create a sound, so powerful that you will be in awe after hearing them. They are a dream team of musicians from around Long Island, New York, that range from high school to college. The horn section is literally a dream. These artists are not only great writers, but also some of the best that I have ever heard in any ska band. Although this album, just over forty minutes, has 15 members, there are currently 10 members. But when a number so high is shown, many may think this is a gimmick. Now hold on one minute. This band is definitely not a gimmick. To hear such an orgasmic sound created by any other band would be uncalled for. This band can pull it off. The raw talent put into this music by the rhythm, vocals and horns is incredible! Aside from that, if it seems this review is more of a promo than a review, I apologize. It’s an honest reflection about how I feel about the album and I think it deserves attention from not only the ska community, but also the music scene. Now lets get on with this review and you will hear just it is that I speak of.
The Band ~
Christopher J. Shultz ~ Vocals
Dan Warnken ~ Vocals
John Ryan ~ Percussion
Nickel “Jonsey” Yeomens ~ Aux. Percussion
Lee “Bags” Monti ~ Guitar
Greg Swirson ~ Bass
Amanda Morante ~ Keyboard/Organ
Christopher Weber ~ Music Workstation/Webermania
Jonathan Degen ~ Tenor Saxophone
James Ragusa ~ Alto Saxophone
Thomas La Rocca ~ Baritone Saxophone
Daniel Wichart ~ Trombone
Nicholas Fox ~ Trombone
Geoff Moonen ~ Trumpet
Kyle Zwyer ~ Trumpet
The Tracks ~
1. D.D. Mao ~ Holy Sh*t! What an intro to an album. Yes folks, this is The Vagabonds, and its one of my favorite introductions to any album I have ever heard. Although it is an instrumental, it shows the talent, passion, fire and energy this band possesses. The rhythm and the way the horns battle back and forth is incredible and I think it would amaze any ska fan as well as any music fan. The guitar riff is amazing and the percussion is outstanding. The bass riff also shows you just how good of a bassist Gregory Swirson is. The lower brass and woodwinds battling back and forth really shows you how much talent this horn section has and it is extremely tight for seven horns. I love this song and to top it all off, there is an amazing bari sax solo near the end, which is real impressive for a tenth grader. This song is exceptional. 6/5
2. Obnoxious: Estate 1986 ~ Christopher Shultz is his name. This is the first time you hear him on the album and it really shows his ability to sing as well as his witty and charismatic lyrics. This song is not my favorite on the album, but it’s definitely not bad. There is a cool bass riff in the beginning and the woodwinds are great. The instrumentals are cool and there’s a nice saxophone solo near the end. Lyrically, this song is very symbolic of life in my eyes. The way it progresses works really well but it can be boring at times. 3/5
3. You Ain't No Secret Agent ~ This being the third track on this album is one of my all time favorites. It’s the first song ever written by The Vagabonds and it’s a very fast paced ska song with a real upbeat tone. The lyrics are pretty sick and there is a pretty nice sax solo. The bass riff is also quite cool and if you can hear the conga part, that’s pretty cool too. There’s really nothing that bad about this song, the instrumentals are all really well done and it’s very catchy. 4/5
4. Prince Of Thieves ~ In my eyes this song is kind of an ovation or continuation of Secret Agent. Its starts out with a sick horn riff (In the same key as Secret Agent) and it hits off with a cool conga percussion intro. I think this is probably one of the best horn songs on the album. They really drive this song. The song is also lyrically one of the best. You are also introduced to the hardcore aspect of this album and band through Dan Warnken, who has a great voice for screaming. “So watch your backs on the street at night. No one is safe with this menace afoot. So take this warning with heed and keep watch at all times because well if your name's on his list, then I suppose this is in vain. You must already be gone.” Some more cool parts include the three amazing solos by the alto saxophone and organ. They really kick some ass and keep the song alive. This song is a great song to see what The Vagabonds are all about. 5/5
5. Roger Ebert Has No Sense Of Humor ~ This song appears to be a slower song in the beginning with the acoustic intro but once it gets started its real fun and catchy. This is again, an older song and it has a lot of core parts as well. It’s a nice short song and it has a nice horn part, but then again don’t they all? 4/5
6. Let's Be Honest ~ This song is the most emotional song on the album and it is about love and relationships. It’s also an older song in The Vagabonds archives. Musically its not that complicated, but the vocals are really powerful and Chris puts so much soul into this song. It’s a very melodic song and a nice relaxing song. As you can see the lyrics are also very deep, “I'm not so proud of how I act. I've lied before and I've talked behind backs. I've found it brings me down again much farther than I'd like to go. I'll scream this out until I find my conscience clear.” It also has a great ending, that I find most will enjoy. 4.25/5
7. You're My Best Friend ~ “Best friends? Those you love. Always got your back. Eye out for your intentions, keeping you on track. Well I'm here today to tell you that what you thought you know is wrong. No one loves you constituted by the things I've seen go wrong.” This song is another very deep song about relationships, friends and how you can only count on yourself in life. It has a pretty tight horn part, a funny synth part and some cool triplet transitions. It is also one of the most core songs on the whole album and near the end there is a lot of screaming. The breakdown is hammered down as well and it sounds crazy! This is definitely a song geared towards the more ska-core fanatics. 4/5
8. 35 (Thirty-Five) ~ A very fun and catchy song compared to the rest of the album. This song kicks it off right from the start with no bullsh*t. Its bass and drum parts shine with the two bass lines and the double bass drums. The keyboard sounds good too and the baritone sax part is cool. The lyrics are really catchy and have a good message about trust and friendship just as the previous track. “I've been there one too many times with no one else by my side and if you'd join me there I could be whole.” The horn melody is well done too and the rest of it just makes the song solid with a fun tone to it. 4/5
9. Theme From Casino Night Zone ~ This song is a cover/instrumental of the theme from Casino Night Zone in Sonic 2. It’s really a cool cover too, especially if you remember casino night zone. It sounds relatively similar to the original version with much a bigger bang to it. The piano part is pretty cool and the “Sega” beginning brings me back to the old days. This song is filled with some really great solos, and it shows you the talent and musicianship of the band. The guitar, sax, trumpet, and percussion solos are real solid. The percussion one is real cool though and trust me, you will never hear another drum/conga solo back and forth like that. This song is a great fit for the album and is a good lead into Duct Tape. 4/5
10. Flawless Victory, Fatality (Duct Tape) ~ Holy sh*t this song is one solid definition of a perfect track. Right from the start, the synth lead-in is really cool into an awesome rhythm part. The bass part is real sick and the minor guitar chords fit in awesome. The vocals really shine here too. The lyrics are a deadly, and they are real powerful. Then when the horns come in, you are in utter amazement. The horn part for this song with the bass riff in between sound excellent. The saxophones really have an awesome melody here too, especially the bari. Then out of nowhere, the horn breakdown that is simply amazing. The way the sax’s and trumpet fit together is awesome. Then the bass comes in with a sick bass riff and the breakdown is in full gear. After the breakdown is over with a sick bass scale, the song goes back into the verse and the vocals are real smooth here. This song has to be one of my favorite songs ever and its ska-core elements are amazing. They really propel this song to be near perfect. 5/5
11. Track 11 ~ A filler track with a fun little guitar and bass backing. The song was apparently a lyrical freestyle. It is fun and has some funny lines, but there’s nothing real special here. NA
12. Track 12 ~ This song is another filler track but with a more hardcore sound. It is a funny conversation between the album and listener almost about skipping to the next track. Its only 45 seconds long and sets the tone for the closing song of the album. NA
13. This Is N.Y. Not L.A. ~ This song is a good pick for the closer. Although its not nearly as powerful as the rest of the album. It has a very catchy horn riff and the drumming is solid with the triplets throughout the riffs in the beginning. It sounds like a closer to a set and after the beginning it slows down to a fun slow ska riff. The guitar solo also adds a nice touch to the slower part and it kicks the song back into melody. It’s kind of draggy near the end and could be a little shorter but still has a solid piece of the album. 3.5/5
The Vagabonds create a sound, so original that you will hear a symphony of sound when you listen to this album. This disc is a milestone for this band and is a great album if you want to get into this genre. Although the band has changed quite a bit since this album, the sound has not changed. The band is now only ten members long and many of the members like Amanda, Nickel, Nick, Dan, Geoff, Tom, and Weber are no longer with The Vagabonds. To listen to these songs, most of them are on their website at “www.the-vagabonds.com” for free or you can support the band and buy their album. I can send some samples of their songs too if you contact me on my AIM. This summer they also plan to go on a countrywide tour. I believe it’s only a matter of time before the record companies get a hand on them and contracts begin, but take a listen to these guys. And Still Counting is amazing and I doubt you can hear this kind of musicianship anywhere else. Support The Vagabonds and a stunning album!
Support Local Bands And Keep Ska Alive!
Average Score ~ 4.15
My Score ~ 4
