Imagine the hard-edged punk band Ninety-Pound Wuss driving home from a gig. The car swerves in an effort to miss hitting a hapless armadillo and "Bam!" The band collides with an oncoming car carrying The Supertones. The crash leaves the band members unharmed, but The Supertones' horns are rendered useless. Get the picture? Don't worry. That didn't actually happen, but it may be the best way to describe the sound of punk band Squad Five-0: hard-edged, old school punk with hornless third wave ska rhythms. On What I Believe, its debut release, the band generally starts with a chunky ska rhythm than explodes into a blistering punk beat. Vocal clarity is often not a priority on this recording. The song "Differences," with its mild, laid-back reggae rhythm, is the sole exception. Some listeners will be thankful for that fact that it's one of the shortest songs, as the singer's vocal approach, shall we say, lacks subtlety--admittedly, not a requirement for punk rock. There's probably been too much better-than-average punk produced in the past year for Squad Five-0 to make huge waves anywhere else besides the punk market. And even there, the band will likely be overshadowed by an abundance of artists that have a more musically satisfying package. But with a lot of hard work, Squad Five-0 may yet reach the upper echelon of this quickly-growing genre of Christian music.
Similar sounding releases
2003The InsyderzSoundtrack to a Revolution
1999The ChinkeesPeace Through Music
2004Hanover SaintsBlood, Guts & Glory
1998PotshotRock'n'roll
2003Kid DynamiteCheap Shots, Youth Anthems
2002Mustard PlugYellow #5
