Capdown

Capdown are a ska-core band but unless you’re listening closely, it’s hard to find any example of "ska” and there’s almost no evidence of "core.” What one does find if they listen closely enough are typical ska guitar and song structures buried beneath a wall of distorted guitars and pounding drums. Wind Up Toys is an album that will grow on you, especially with tracks like "Terms and Conditions Apply” and "No Matter What.” What the album suffers from most severely is over-production, most notably on the singing — sometimes the vocal effects can be interesting but more often than not, they make the singing sound distant and hollow. The lyrics are of the vague political nature, with emphasis placed on social commentary rather than explicit political issues. With songs ranging from the groovetastic "No Matter What” to the straight-ahead thrash of "Thrash Tuesday,” it’s clear that Capdown are a band that wear their influences on their sleeve, and Wind Up Toys is a good album to show them off.