Search - Big D & The Kids Table :: Strictly Rude

Definitely a step up

Matthew Moore | 07/03/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"referring to the review above...DOESNT SOUND LIKE REEL BIG FISH!!?!?!??! OH NOES!



anyways...this album is definitely my favorite Big D album, and has, to me at least, revitalized ska for me, since there are so few good new ska bands out these days, since streetlight isnt gonna come out with their new album in at least 239084923974 years.



definitely slower in some areas, and a little less punk and more reggae and dub. but theres still certain song that are straight up punk/ska, like noise complaint.



the songwriting is really great, and overall its just a good album"

Hit or miss

Nick Colosi | Chesterland, OH, USA | 04/25/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Okay, it's March 2007. I am going to the House of Blues to see Anti-Flag. There's some opening band called "Big D and the Kids Table." Funny name, probably not very good.



Well we all know how that ended. On the fateful day that I heard these dudes for the first time they were possibly better than the headlining band at that show. Seriously, these guys impressed me, especially Steve their bassist. Most of the songs were very distinguishable and then I found out that they had a CD coming out soon, and the track listing led me to believe that most of the material they had played live was from that CD. So naturally, I had to get it.



The album overall, as the title claims, is hit or miss, they just happened to play the songs that "hit" when I saw them live, so I guess their live shows are the way to go. The first four songs are really great, they feel both polished and raw at the same time and the ska influence is sprinkled on just perfectly. Then is kind of drops off for a while, picks up again with "Try Out Your Voice" and "Hell on Earth" and then again drops off at the end with the last three songs.



All in all, it's a pretty okay CD, probably deserves 2 and a half stars instead of three. The guitar is nice in that it goes back and forth from ska-guitar to electric guitar and back again. The bass is not as predominant as their live set made me believe it would be, and the horns sound like they've been watered down from their previous material (and I can say after buying "How it Goes" that yes, they are watered down a little bit). If they hadn't put so many ballads and slower songs on this CD like "Strictly Rude" "The One" and "She Knows Her Way" and had more upbeat and fun songs like "Noise Complaint" "Souped Up Vinyl" and "Breaking the Bottle" this would be a superb CD.



But it's not. It's just an okay CD from a great band. I would buy "How It Goes" first because it's got a lot more to offer than this does, and it's longer, plus the bass is more defined, (bassist ego showing?) and then after that, sure, pick this up. You'll listen to it quite a bit actually, the only issue is that you'll probably skip over a fair share of tracks. I still haven't been able to find a copy of "Good Luck" yet."