A lot of ska has come on the scene in recent years, and bands like Squirrel Nut Zippers, among others, have brought swing back into the limelight after a nearly 50-year absence. The closest thing in the Christian market was Ralph Carmichael's big band project about four years ago. Well, The W's bring a nice mix of those genres to the modern music scene, and they do it well. Along with some nifty saxophones, spicy muted trumpets, the occasional clarinet, and a hard-hitting rhythm section, lead singer Andrew Schar emanates an unexpected confidence, as he nails every note, just like those wildly crooning big band guys of the 40's. The W's are one o' the coolest bands to ever enter the Christian market.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Linda T. StonehockerThe sight of trumpets and saxophones at rock concerts doesn't send audiences into shock anymore. It sends them into fits of skanking, because brass has become so closely associated with ska in the recent Christian music scene. The muted trumpet and clarinet of The W's opening track, however, put listeners on notice that this is not their big brother's ska. This fledgling group from Oregon had a…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Steven S. BaldwinIn yet another contemporary swingster offering, The W's have concocted an album that owes more to other hip hit-makers climbing the current Billboard charts than your Granddaddy-O's swing. The result is a youth group's "Christian alternative" to bands like The Cherry Poppin' Daddies or the Royal Crown Revue and even the more ska-focused Mighty Mighty Bosstones. The W's swing-core is a similar…
