Review Summary: Reel Big Fish, Streetlight Manifesto, Less Than Jake... if this list doesn't contain Big D and the Kid's Table, it certainly should now.
Big D have always been an interesting band for me. I like them, but there's always been something about them that bugged me. It seemed like they tried too hard.
Good Luck and
How It Goes were more punk influenced, while
Strictly Rude seemed to have more dub stylings. But finally, with
Fluent in Stroll it seems like they've hit their stride, quite literally, in fact.
This is a wonderful summer album. I myself picked it up, as I'm quite a fan of ska, and popped it into the CD player in my car. I was just going for a drive, no place in particular, just out to enjoy myself. This album is the perfect soundtrack for such a situation. Every song flows perfectly from one to the next, with nothing seeming out of place. It is completely laid-back, but that isn't to say it doesn't have energy. It's just something to listen to as you're bopping along, and works, well... Fluent in Stroll.
The instruments all get their time to shine, as there are solos galore of each, but it never feels like it shouldn't belong, and is never overstretched. Lead Singer David McWane has also improved his singing quality as he actually sings now, instead of the yelling found on past records. The inclusion of female vocals on many of the tracks also adds an interesting dynamic to the band's sound, for the better, in my opinion.
There are also great moments of unexpectedness, but these too are welcome, such as the Latin breaks in
Where did All the Women Go? which segues perfectly back into the original sound of the song, and the 50's lounge styling of
Known to be Blue.
While it may not have the in-your-face feelings of such tracks off of "Good Luck" or "How it Goes," it seems as though they've made up for that by becoming more proficient at what works, instead of such filler tracks that were found on "Strictly Rude."
All in all, this album seems to be Big D at their peak, and if that's not the case, I can't wait to see where they go next!
Recommended Tracks
Well... pretty much all of them.
BUT:
Doped Up Dollies on a One Way Ticket to Blood
Where Did All the Women Go?
Stop, Look & Listen (Shake Life Up)
