Released into the 'third wave ska' market glut a few years ago, the Dingees distinguished themselves with a reggae-punk-two-tone variety that established character and confusion on BEC distributed Armageddon Massive and Sundown to Midnight. That 'third wave' thing is finally a fading memory, and the Dingees have been moved to the mother label (Tooth & Nail) for their third full-length, The Crucial Conspiracy -- an album that wraps up a lot of loose ends while still retaining the personality and musical historicity of Pegleg and friends.
Opening tracks "Spray Paint" and "Middle Man" (as well as later tracks "Moving Underground" and "General Information") are the closest things to Armageddon-era Dingees, with that jutting Op-Ivy lip-rock, and scratchy vocals. The thing that stands out this time around, though, is their tempered use of tempo, showing constraint and respect for their less-modern influences -- basically, the opposite approach of early Squad Five-O -- while still swaggering out some kick-em-up rock flair. The album transitions from there into the summer-pop "Summertime," the grooving "Dear Sister," the ruckus anti-eating disorder battle anthem "Christina Fight Back," and the spooky, superbly produced "We Rot the Voodoo" (which deals with spiritual warfare).
Shifts in stylistic exploration and fusion continue throughout the record, as a Dingees album is prone to do, and there are moments of disorientation, but for the most part the band has found a confidence and songwriting consistency previously alien. They haunt you and soothe you, still find time to move you, and they have something to say -- a righteous chip on their shoulder, gentle wisdom to impart, and non-condescending maturity to share. And there is just something so right about that.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Michial FarmerThe really ironic thing about The Dingees, I think, is the way they're ostracized by the "Welcome to Paradise"/"What's My Age Again?" "punk" community for not being "punk enough." What the pop punk scenesters don't realize, however, is that The Dingees may indeed be the punkiest band in the Christian market--instead of aping Green Day or Blink 182, they instead ape The Clash, without a doubt the…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Ken MuellerThe Dingees are back with their third full-length cd, The Crucial Conspiracy, which is a bit rawer than their previous efforts but the end result is a pleasant surprise. Much of this is due to the guiding hand of producer Frank Lenz (drummer in Fold Zandura, Lassie Foundation, and Cush). The band was originally supposed to go into the Green Room with Gene Eugene to record this disc, but…Similar sounding releases
2002The O.C. SupertonesHi-Fi Revival
1999Common RiderLast Wave Rockers
1999The HipposHeads Are Gonna Roll
2000Five Iron FrenzyAll the Hype That Money Can Buy
2004The Slackers / PulleySplit
1999The ChinkeesPeace Through Music
