Forming a record label so you can release your first record is the epitome of D.I.Y.
Big D and the Kids Table embody every facet of that kind of thinking, everything from said label, to handing out fliers and stickers at each show on their tours.
After the 2005 Warped Tour the boys were just about to head into the studio to record a “chill-out album,” as frontman David McWane explains, when they got a call from SideOneDummy Records urging them to record a, “Record that ska needs.”
After short deliberation they agreed. With fellow Bostonian, and Bosstone bassist Joe Gittleman set to produce, they headed into the studio.
Strictly Rude may be just what Doctor Rudy ordered. The band flows from fun-loving party Ska on “Noise Complaint,” to the chillout creepiness on “Snakebite” without losing their vibe or missing a beat. There are joints that remind me of Out Come the Wolves-era Rancid while other tracks have a brassy funk that Lily Allen fans would enjoy.
Big D and the Kids Table accomplished the goal for that needed ska record, and with the label enhancing their already keen D.I.Y. prowess, it should be a healthy marriage.
Considering this act is probably the only successful ska band still around, it should have a corner on the market as well. It’s always hard to evolve when you’re in such a specifically labeled genre, and although Big D doesn’t evolve that sound necessarily, the guys do mix it up enough and have enough talent to make a aka record that didn’t make me want to suffocate myself with a tartan when I heard it.
The band is currently supporting Anti-Flag when they play with locals, Love Me Destroyer along with Set Your Goals at the Ogden this Friday, March 30.
