Duff Review: Heavyball "When Can You Start?"

(Review by Steve Shafer)

Heavyball When Can You Start? (digital and gatefold LP, Magnetic North Melodies, 2017): Their debut 2015 album Black Eye Diaries featured a super ska cover of Bronski Beat's mid-'80s synth-pop hit "Smalltown Boy" (about a gay teen's experience with homophobia, gay-bashing, and familial rejection), and an hilarious, self-aware/regretful, still-in-love with your ex/drunk bar fight song "Black Eye Friday" that manages to work in a bit of Toots and the Maytals' "54-46 (Was My Number)": "I hit him one time/He hit me three times/I was talking, when I should've been listening..." Heavyball's follow-up When Can You Start is an incredible concept album--a mod-ska-Britpop opera, if you will--about a week in the dispirited and demeaned lives of a variety of British workers that doubles as a sharp (and in many ways timeless) critique of our capitalist system if you're not amongst the Chosen Few at the top.

The album opens with "Top of Your Game," where the singer is past his career prime--it's far too late for a major course correction, but he's determined to forge ahead with what he's got ("You're not getting any younger/Feel like you're in the way/You're not getting any younger/Every dog will have its day/I like it, I wouldn't change it/I still sing my song/I love it, I wouldn't change it/The show still goes on"). And the scenarios depicted in the songs that follow become more grim. "Heist" compares people involved in investment banking/hedge funds to outright (and entitled!) thieves ("No, he doesn't have a shooter/And he doesn't wear a mask/He'll empty out your pockets/All you have to do is ask/It's nothing less than he deserves/He's worked very hard for this/It's just another day/In a bank-ster's paradise..."). "People Person" is about the opposite--the forced socializing with people you'd never know apart from work driving one mad ("Is there anything more boring/Than hearing about someone else's holiday?/You had this dream where you were drowning/I hope your dreams come true some day"). "Yesterday's Man" expresses dread at the implications in the rise of automation/AI at work: "You can call the union/You can write a protest song to sing/It wouldn't change a thing/'Cause you are yesterday's man/We'll set you free with redundancy/Oh yeah, you're yesterday's man/Your time's your own/Spend more time at home." You'll have plenty of leisure time, just no way to pay for it. Individuals not suited or qualified for office work are shunted off to the service industry ("Retail is Detail": "Someday...we won't be ordinary") and others are only useful as fodder for the war machine ("Year Out" with its dissonant Fishbone-y horns and spaghetti Western ska: "Welcome son/Yeah, it was a pity, was a job well done/We know you were only 21/and martyrs never die").

The cheeriest track on the album is the bouncy, carefree ska tune "The Perils of Midweek Drinking" ("Oh my God, that beer tastes good/I want another/I want another.../And it's so good/Until the following day/When you know you should have stayed in"), which helps make work more tolerable, yet all the more miserable to do hung over. And the shimmering "After Dark" conveys the relief and small freedom people feel at the end of the work day before they have to start it all over again in the AM (and questions this way of living): "This is for all the lovely people in London city tonight.../And some might say/There's another way/Listen to the sound of the city breathing/See the sights of the city alive." The final track is the lush, numb, and defiant "No More 9 to 5" (with a chorus that you can't help but sing along with) where the singer is perhaps permanently unemployable and preparing to opt out of the system forever: "Drinking in the evening sun/Sitting with a loaded gun/And like a .45/I'm by your side/Never know what life will bring/Or the song the fates will sing/But when the story ends/I'm by your side...No more 9 to 5 for us, baby/It's a holiday, till the day we die."

In sum, When Can You Start? is about wasted years, unfulfilled lives, dashed aspirations--all sacrificed, willingly or not, at Mammon's altar. There is great sadness, beauty, and empathy, as well as bits of joy and humor in Heavyball's songs, which also seem to capture the absurdity of our economic system and the collective experience of the 99% during our current revival of the Gilded Age. Listening to When Can You Start? inspired me to pull out another British album that perfectly reflected the tenor-of-its-time: Blur's Parklike. The comparison is apt--it's that good.

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Suggs Interviewed in MOJO Magazine!

There's a fantastic four-page interview with Madness' Suggs by Ian Harrison in the March 2017 issue of MOJO Magazine with The Kinks' Ray Davies on the cover. The occasion is to help promote Madness' excellent 11th album, Can't Touch Us Now (which The Duff Guide to Ska has reviewed, if you didn't know), but the interview is quite wide-ranging, covering much of the band's--and Suggs'--career.

Here are some choice bits:

Ian Harrison: "Presently, there was Britpop, an arguably Madness-indebted notion."

Suggs: "I was a bit sort of jealous to be honest. 'Cos I remember being around in Camden Town and seeing Oasis and Blur and Menswear and fucking whoever, and thinking, 'Why aren't we in this frame?' Obviously forgetting that we weren't 19 anymore. But I remember Ian Dury being a bit malevolent about us, that we were nicking his shtick. What you should be is flattered."

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Suggs: "With Morrissey, Clive [Langer] was producing him, and he wanted someone to be a bit Cockney and talk about Piccadilly. I think he wanted to meet me and Cathal [Smyth, Madness co-vocalist], especially. So we went up to sing some backing tracks and had a very bizarre weekend at this residential studio. Someone said, 'Oh Morrissey wants to have a word,' so I knock on the door and there's this tap-tap-tap. I open the door and he's walking round with sunglasses and a blind stick. Did he explain himself? Of course not. Never dull with Morrissey!"

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Ian Harrison: "But you are, in the lineage of The Kinks, the Small Faces and Ian Dury, avatars of British pop exceptionalism..."

Suggs: "Yeah--'quintessentially.' I don't mind that we sound like we're from London. I like how the Buena Vista Social Club sound like they come form Havana or Bob Marley sounds like he's from Jamaica. I think the fact that it wasn't intelligentsia-ised resonates with the general public, too--you were either jumping up and down and getting into it or you weren't. I was thinking of the under-cultures--the skinheads, the Mods, and the suedeheads, the Northern soul thing... even John Peel said he'd never heard reggae before the mid-'70s; he just thought it was for yobbos having punch-ups in discos. I felt part of that firmament. It might have had huge social importance, but that wasn't the point."

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In this issue, there's also a great review by David Katz of the reissue of Keith Hudson's Pick A Dub.

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Duff Review: Kid British-It Was This Or Football...(First Half)"

Mercury Records (UK)
2009

One shouldn't be cowed by the ska purists who will no doubt scoff and snort derisively at the likes of a band like Kid British--a major label, multi-racial Britpop-ska act--since you'll be missing out on some excellent music from a band with the chops and backing (some of Football's cuts were produced by Stephen Street, who has previously worked with a few acts you might have heard of like fellow Mancunians The Smiths, as well as Blur, and Kaiser Chiefs) to keep legitimately good ska music on the radar of the music industry, press, and fans alike. (While we can endlessly debate the merits of keeping ska music underground after the hijacking of the US ska scene in the 90s by the majors, it still takes money, fans, and hype to keep a scene going, whether it's mainstream or not--so when a major label supports a better-than-decent band making "authentic" ska music, respect and support are due.)

For those keeping score, of the seven tracks on It Was This or Football...(First Half)--the second half of the album is being released this fall (why split the album in two--maybe they hope for twice as many opportunities for the release to be reviewed?)--Kid British serve up three flat-out ska songs ("Elizabeth," "Part-Time Job/Shirt & Tie," and "Cosmopolitan"); a ragga bonus cut about (what else?) footie and Manchester United; generously sample Madness' "Our House" on the awesomely addictive "Our House is Dadless" (okay, the original wasn't a ska song--but that band obviously has a major ska pedigree); which leaves us with two catchy Blur/Kaiser Chiefs-y songs: "She Will Leave" and "Reaction" (which makes this musical Anglophile happy).

Taking a page from The Specials' playbook, Kid British don't hammer you over the head with overt "message" songs, but sing about topics everyone can easily relate to (family, money, relationships between the sexes, jobs, and sports) and slip the social commentary in the subtext. Casual listeners might mistake the ska-romp "Elizabeth" as a conflicted love song to a woman--which in a way it is: the Elizabeth referred to is the royal one depicted on the British pound ("At the end of the month you always disappear/When I get paid somehow you reappear/My mates love it when you're out on the town/'Cos you're the one who always gets in the first round"). "Our House is Dadless" is a smart, funny, Doc Marten's-on-the-ground, 21st century update on Madness' nostalgic take on the (stereo)typical working-class household ("And every one of our houses are dadless/So no wonder our houses are Madness"). The Catch-22 (referring to the book and phrase, not the band) desperation of "Part-time Job/Shirt & Tie" ("I got to get a part-time job/I really need to make this music/but look at all the bills I got/I need help just to see me through this") isn't just for musicians trying to figure out how to pay the rent while pursuing their musical vision, but is for all clockwatchers out there in soul-deadning jobs, seeing their time, energy, and spirit robbed from the pursuit of their vocation.

Perhaps the best song on this half-album is the gorgeously lush "Cosmopolitan," which manages to embody the thrilling experience of being young, single, and on the make with the day ahead of you ripe with possibilities for finding a new girlfriend ("There's a warm summer's breeze, not a cloud in the sky/You put your worries on hold when the sun shines/And the girls are outside reading Cosmopolitan/And the boys are outside, and you know they're watching them..."). Pure ska-pop for rude people.

Can't wait to see what the "second half" brings...

Kid British Duff Guide to Ska Grade: B+/A-

Madness and Blur Share the Love in the UK

Sigh. It sure would have been nice to be there.

Madness, Blur Wow Glastonbury Crowd

GLASTONBURY, England, June 29 (UPI) -- Fans acclaimed British bands Madness and Blur the stars of this year's Glastonbury music festival, observers say.

The 100,000 people who packed the festival grounds at Worthy Farm Sunday afternoon broke into a mass "Two-Tone" shuffle when the ska/pop band Madness played their 1981 hit "It Must Be Love" and saxophone player Lee Thompson took off into the air as he did in the band's video, The Times of London reported.

Damon Albarn and the rest of Blur made a similar impression on the massive crowd, the newspaper said, with fans -- some dressed as the milk cartons from the band's 1999 video for "Coffee and TV" -- joyously shouted "yes!" as Albarn and the band broke into "Girls and Boys."

The Times said Blur's highlight was a seven-minute rendition of their song "Tender," as well as guest appearance by actor Phil Daniels, who came onstage for a performance of "Parklife."

And...

Madness Make Glastonbury Return
Ska heroes return to Worthy Farm
Posted by Robin Murray Mon, 29/06/2009

Legendary British ska icons Madness have played a spectacular set at Glastonbury, marking their long awaited return to the festival.

Formed in the late 70s, Madness took ska and gave it a cheeky twist. In love with the sounds of Jamaica, the band were inspired by punk and soon gathered a rabid following. Releasing their debut single through Two Tone, the band soon came to dominate the charts.

Scoring hit after hit, Madness were the most successful act on the British singles chart throughout the 80s. Gaining a massive fan base, the nutty boys blended ska infected pop with lyrics that spoke of everyday life.

The band last performed at Glastonbury in 1986. Since that time the Berlin Wall has fallen, Apartheid has ended and The Specials have reformed meaning that the group were overdue a return visit.

Madness played a secret show in Glastonbury's now dis-continued Lost Vagueness area back in 2007, but this time were given an official place on the bill.

Playing a series of classic hits, the group also unveiled a clutch of tracks from their recently released album 'The Liberty Of Norton Folgate' as well as covering Max Romeo's reggae classic 'I Chase The Devil'.

Madness ended their set with a run through of some of their biggest hits, sending the crowd assembled around the Pyramid Stage into overdrive. Beginning with their number one hit 'House Of Fun' the band played a series of skanking hits.

Well known for their inventive videos, Madness saxophone player Lee Thompson was hung aloft during 'Baggy Trousers' recreating his role in the original promo. However the crowd held back their biggest reception for the 1981 classic 'It Must Be Love' which sparked a huge singalong.

Madness played:

'One Step Beyond'
'Embarrassment'
'The Prince'
'NW5'
'My Girl'
'Dust Devil'
'The Sun And The Rain'
'I Chase The Devil'
'Clerkenwell Polka'
'Bed And Breakfast Man'
'Shut Up'
'Forever Young'
'House Of Fun'
'Wings Of A Dove'
'Baggy Trousers'
'Our House'
'It Must Be Love'
'Madness'
'Night Boat To Cairo'

Kid British: Britpop Ska

Forgive me for my ska obsessions (see: RiceRokit, for example), but what better place to express my pathetic pathologies than in the public arena of a blog (that is, if there are actually more than a handful of people out there reading this thing on a regular basis). I continue to be intrigued by Kid British, who seem poised to hit it pretty big in the UK with their mix of ska (think Madness' ska-music hall pop--they cover "Our House" on their upcoming album, which, if it's good, seems to guarantee them some airplay--and The Specials' mid-tempo stuff like "Do Nothing"), Britpop (a la Blur or the Gorillaz, which I know is almost being redundant), and whatever other genre suits their mood (British musical tastes seem to be much more omnivorous than American's, much to our detriment). I just mail-ordered Kid British's 10" vinyl EP from a record shop in Britain and will review it when it arrives at my lair in Gotham (sure, I could just listen to essentially the same tracks on their MySpace page--but that just ain't the same as putting the needle on the record, looking over the album jacket, and listening to the whole thing on my stereo a few times in a row).

Here's a bit from RWD Magazine to pique your interest, and be sure to check out "Part Time Job/Shirt & Tie" live clip at the bottom--it's good stuff:

Kid British: Kool Brittania

We found Manchester quartet Kid British ‘lost in London,’ so we directed the ska/ slash/ indie kids to tell us exactly what they have in common with Take That, Suggs and Queen Elizabeth! words By Rajveer Kathwadia

“Sorry, I’ve gotta finish mixes for this great album,” beat-maker Sean explains of having to rush off from our interview with Kid British. Once we’d received a heartfelt promise from the producer that he would be present next time, we sat down with the Manchester menagerie. The remaining British Kids are found striking a pose and expressing their love of The Clipse and the rest of their wide and varied spectrum of influences to our photographer James. “Their first album was amazing,” says band member No. 1 AKA James before bandmate No. 2, Adio adds. “All four of us are writers and we all listen to different stuff – just anything that’s good.” Final member Simeon concludes “From Take That through to The Clipse, if we think they’ve written a good song, we’ll listen to it.” It is this eclectic taste that has sculpted the music of the quartet who dabbled with garage and hip hop before evolving into the hotpot of noise they are today. “The musical path we took helped us develop our sound,” James explains. “The lyrics are written in the same way as putting a rap down, except to a different kind of music and with a bit of a melody to it. It’s just disguised rapping, it’s nothing we’ve formulated.”

With a sound that incorporates all of the options found under an iTunes genre field, it is hard to pinpoint Kid British’s style, though they have been likened to ‘80s ska outfits The Specials and Madness. “A lot of people compare us to Specials cos of the mixed race make up of the group,” Simeon decides of the comparisons. “But I think we are more like Madness when it comes to the way we write our music cos it is fun, but also with clever messages and stories behind the songs.” Kid British have paid homage to Suggs and Co. by covering the classic Our House, yet they have a whole slew of original material that is just as good. “There is substance to our music,” Adio furthers. “It’s not just about the chorus. If you don’t listen to the lyrics you won’t get the song.”

“Manchester is known for having ‘real’ music. It’s built up on a great tradition of artists coming out with a lot of confidence. The former firefighter insists though that’s it’s difficult for a group from outside of the capital to be heard by the industry. “Everything’s down there so we do have to work extra hard.” Another problem that outsiders to London have is negotiating the public transport. The group have documented the pitfalls of TFL with their song Lost In London.

With an album on the way that includes other live favourites such as Let’s Have A Party, Part Time Job and Sunny Days due some time in the New Year, what does the future hold for Kid British? “We wanna come out with a bang and stick around,” James asserts. “We don’t wanna be one of those bands that people will look back on in only a few years time and think to themselves ‘They were good them, weren’t they.’ We still wanna be going in 10 years time and have a sustained career.” Simeon concludes. “In the same way Madness and The Specials are named when people talk about us, we wanna influence people so that we’re mentioned when people talk about them.”

Kid British's new EP Leaving London is out now and features She Will Leave, Elizabeth and Lost In London.

Kid British
"Part Time Job/Shirt & Tie"

Kid British-Manchester's Best New Hope for UK Ska?

Kid British describe themselves as "a gooey mixture of The Specials, Outkast, Madness, De La Soul, Gorillaz, The Streets, and Blur." (Hey, I like all of these bands, tell me more!) Take a listen to three of their tunes, "Elizabeth," "Sunny Days," and "Rum Boy," on the Kid British MySpace page and see what you think.

Most obviously, there is a heavy Madness and Specials-as-channeled-through-Damon Albarn/Blur influence, which I personally dig. Ska on the pop tip (yes, "Sunny Days" does remind one of ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky," a song I'll be bold enough to admit liking)--it crawls into your head and lives there happily for a while. Kid British is definitely something worthwhile to listen to--in its own right and while you wait for Madness' new album, The Liberty of Norton Folgate, which is supposed to come out exactly when? (While we wait impatiently, Suggs has apparently been filming a travelogue about Italy for British TV: Suggs's Italian Job.)

I hate the whole "next big thing" crap hype (hey, it helped kill US ska and Moon Records at the end of the 90s..once bitten, right?), but these guys sound like they might be able to deliver on their promise. Their first single is going to be released on October 27th in the UK on Another Music=Another Kitchen Records (don't miss the Buzzcocks reference there, folks) and distributed by Mercury/Universal. I don't know if this will be available as an import in the US, but perhaps we can buy it on iTunes? Their album is slated for release in spring 2009.

Read a bit more about the band in these articles from the Guardian and the BBC.