Less Than Jake- Abandon Ship
Less Than Jake are old hats in the punk-ska business, with 9 LP’s prior to their latest and a back catalogue of festival appearances to match. Taken from “GNV FLA” (Zip code Gainesville, Florida for us non-American goers), Abandon Ship is a step back in time almost, refreshing the sound of early 16 year old LTJ and embarking on a new career with their very own independent label “Sleep It Off Records”.
The track itself is based on an individuals battle with suicide, however the record leans one step towards an up tempo ska punk revival. It’s a pleasant surprise given their recent downfall in success, with guitar, bass and brass back to their best. Demake’s and Maganelli’s vocal performances are as strong as they were the day LTJ first embraced the scene and you can already envisage the crowd going crazy for their latest single.
Nevertheless, comparisons to Busted and Elliot Minor are not far off and punk ska 16 years ago probably represents modern day pop rock…