Overweight - The World For Sale
Formed in 2001 by a group of school friends, Belgian Ska-punkers Overweight (who describe themselves as "Fun, terrific atmosphere, feel good and occasionally a sonic guitar avalanche") finally release their debut album several years later.
In the 10 years since Overweight formed they may not have many releases to their name, but they've certainly managed to hone their chops through plenty of live work as 'The World For Sale' is a consistently solid album played by a band with experience and who clearly have a passion for what they do.
They may well have missed the this genre's heyday by a good few years, but The World For Sale is a catchy, if slightly formulaic, slice of fun-filled, ska-flavoured punk somewhat reminiscent of Millencolin..It's nothing you won't have heard before, and it won't have Ska or Punk fans dropping their jaws in amazement, but Overweight have an undeniable knack for writing immediate, uplifting tunes that, despite the fact their influences are relatively easy to spot (think the label Fat Wreck Chords), it is hard to dislike a band that sounds so unfailingly cheerful.
Vocalist Gert Thielemans doesn't have a great voice, but the liberal sprinklings of Trumpet and trombone throughout add some extra charm and bite to the tracks. The band are currently playing several live show in the UK and, if you're a fan of Less than Jake, NOFX etc, then Overweight, whose slight lack of originality and standout tracks is made up for by good-natured exuberance, are likely to be right up your street.