Review Summary: Ill Scarlett blends their punk roots with modern reggae to make their own unique sound which ranges pleasantly from rock, punk, pop, ska, and reggae.
Many bands have shown the ability to blend reggae with a completely different genre. Sublime is obviously the prime example, blending reggae elements with countless other genres. Many other bands have followed Sublime's footsteps. Ill Scarlett is one of these bands who, in this case, is taking their punk roots and merging them with a reggae style.
Thankfully, Ill Scarlett has aligned the tracklist of the album so we never get the same genre twice in a row. Never will you hear a punk thrash more than once. Each song seems to move to a different genre, saving the album from feeling repetitive. Reggae and punk seem to be the main sounds you'll hear, but there are numerous others you'll find thrown in the mix. Of course, when you're singing a reggae song, it's only proper to make a drug anthem. And so is the opening of All Day With It, Who's Got It. Thankfully, each song structure is a little different. For instance, Life of a Soldier and Who's Got It both have similar reggae verses, but Life of a Soldier morphs into a rock chorus, while Who's Got It sticks with the same reggae we've heard earlier. On another note, the transition between genres is completely seamless. Many of the songs transform right while you're listening. Pacino begins with a calm, gentle beat, and grows over time until, by the close, it has transformed into a screaming punk ballad.
While the fast, hard punk and rock tracks will get you feeling energetic and pumped, the album really shines during its slower portions. NTF and Paradise Burning are easily the two gems of All Day With It. NTF has such powerful lyrics and the twin guitars play together perfectly. The guitar lead in NTF is beautiful. Paradise Burning will take you away to that beach you've been dreaming of visiting. Both are big chill out songs, easy on the ears, and will leave you with that feeling of euphoria.
Something which is incredibly unique about this album is that it's near impossible to pinpoint a certain genre for this band to fit into. One song their playing full out punk rock, the next there are violins and all acoustic guitars. Listening to just one song will not give you an accurate representation of what to find on this album. The first single, Nothing Special, sounds almost completely different than half the other songs on this album. Some songs are made of a certain genre, while many songs blend up to four different genres all at once. Each song is a new adventure, a new suprise.
In Ill Scarlett's debut, there is a little something for everyone. Life of a Soldier and NTF will please those who are into the lyrics, while Dense Macabre and The Fashion will please those who want to hear the instruments going at it. The only part of the album which really lags is in the verses of Wake Up, when the singer tries to scream at the top of his lungs over a fast ska beat. Other than this and a few minor flaws, All Day With It is a strong, strong debut. Not one of the members of Ill Scarlett appears to be incredibly talented, but they use their ability to play together and switch genres at the flip of a coin to create an album that will find its way into your iPod some way or another. Whether you are a rock, punk, ska, or reggae fan, All Day With It will find some way to please you. I would plan on seeing bigger things from Ill Scarlett in the near future.
