WARPED TOUR BANDS: CD REVIEWS & WRAP
UP
We
The Kings (S-Curve Records)
If the Warped Tour were a senor prom, you
could bet your over-priced corsage that We
The Kings - the pop punk pride of Bradenton,
Florida - would likely, and literally, BE
the kings.
On the Camden, NJ leg of the Tour, we saw
the band perform around 6pm, on the Second
Stage, with about a 50' high, by 100' long
hill as a backdrop. First time I've seen a
mosh pit on the side of a hill! The hill was
full of fans, and there was hardly a patch
of green to be seen. There were just as many
crazed fans moshing in front of the stage.
The Kings played most of their new self-titled
album in their allotted 30-minute set. My
daughter Melissa had recommended the band
as a "must see," and they really
held their ground. Pop punk to the max!
The melodies on their album are burned into
the loud, powerful harmonies, as the electric
guitars break through the strong rhythm section.
We The Kings turn out some impressive, jangly
pop punk on tunes like "Secret Valentine,"
"Stay Young," or "This is Our
Town," with the precision and looseness
found in seasoned bands. A grade-A album from
a young band who, just a few years ago, successfully
crashed the Warped Tour. According to Travis
Clark (vocals/guitar, the rest of the band
includes Hunter Thomsen, guitar/vocals, Drew
Thomsen/ bass, and Danny Duncan/drums), they
made fake tour passes (kids don't try his
at home), to see Fall Out Boy when they played
the Texas leg of the Tour. Getting all the
way through to the band, they gave their CD
to Pete Wentz, and were invited to see the
band's set. With that kind of inspiration
and moxie, the band has created a full-blown
rocker of an album!
On their first release, We The Kings commercial
moment has come. Let's hope they don't rest
on their laurels for the next album. They
have a lot to offer!
- Phil Rainone
Oreskaband
(www.oreskaband.com)
Yikes! The opening cut, "Pantime"
on the self-titled album from Oreskaband (all
one word) is a one minute and two second skalicious
blast that sounds like these Japanese gals
(six of ‘em, all dressed in school girl
attire with white shirts, black ties, and
black pants) took a page out of the Catch
22 song book. The horn-fronted, party-all-the-time
tune sounds like it came from for Catch's
fiery "Point the Blame" album!
In fact, when we spoke with two of the members
of the band at their merch tent at the Warped
Tour ( Frank did a live set review), and when
we brought up Catch 22 as our hometown favorites,
they squealed with enthusiasm at the very
mention of the band's name! This album is
super charged ska, sung at times in both English
and Japanese. I don't know the translation,
but when Oreskaband hits those guitar-fueled
notes, with a rock steady rhythm section holding
down the bottom end and those infectious incendiary
horns, it needs no translation. You're out
on the dance floor skankin' to some of the
best stage quakin', mosh pit makin' music
around!!
The blistering remake of Toots and the Maytals'
"Monkey Man" is groovylicious to
the max! Although already redone by those
skanktakerious revelers of all things ska,
Reel Big Fish, Oreskaband's version puts them
in major-league status! Again, like most of
their songs, it's sung in half English, half
Japanese, but after hearing their version,
you'll want to rush out and take a quick study
course in Japanese.
Oreskaband's influences and musical desires
stretch over an enormously expansive musical
landscape with ease. Whichever way the band
turns, this record bears their unique stamp
- from the Shonen Knife-like cut "U,"
to the closing number "Chuck," you
need all the tunes here to say their piece.
Coherent and somewhat conceptual, the tracks
share a maturity of vision and a consistency
of character. Collectively, Oreskaband is
proof positive that they are not limited by
anyone's expectations. They have the exuberance
of a young band that is glad to be performing.
There's no self-restraint whatsoever, and
that's a good thing! It shows in their stage
presence and in the short but interesting
conversation we had with them. I gave them
a contact for Asbury Lanes to hopefully play
a date there. Hey, how about they get Oreskaband
(Japan) and Brain Failure (China)? Now that
would be a great start for a fun, interesting
Musical Olympics!
So, to come full circle starting out with
our post-Warped Tour story about getting "Disengaged,"
I would say... YEAH! HELL YEAH! After a few
interviews and seeing some really fun, over
the top sets by both known (Reel Big Fish,
Bouncing Souls) and up and coming bands (Oreskaband,
Family Force 5), along with a few cold frosty
brewed beverages, we reconnected with the
music, the mayhem, and each other. We took
the road less traveled (hey, does getting
lost in Camden for an hour trying to find
a free spot to park count?), and put a few
new colors in our collective paint boxes (green,
blue and red, respectively.) It's like it's
been said before by the Boss, it's always
more fun when the kids are around, and that
includes all of us kids - the bands, the fans,
and the reporters - we all had our mojo working.
A full day of "Peace, Love, & Bar-B-Que,"
as the song goes, with a good vibrations all
around that will last a lifetime!
- Phil Rainone
CD Reviews 
