The great white hopes of the UK ska scene broke out of the toilet circuit in 2000 with this album. After having toured non-stop for something like 27 years, and a split EP with Link 80, this album heralded their attempt to make a solid reputation for themselves as the UK’s premier ska-core band. And it is fair to say that while Capdown do not sweep the board here at Punktastic in terms of fans (Hello Sav), I believe that Civil Disobedients is a fine example of heavy ska mixed in with some punk rock of the highest order. The subject matter in some songs (the trademark ska appeal for a relaxing of the cannabis laws, anti capitalist rants) may seem familiar and well-trodden, yet the intelligence displayed in a song such as Ska Wars shows another side to a band who cannot be written off as just another nuisance punk rock band.
‘Unite to Progress’ opens the album, and is basically an excuse for the rest of the album. “Yeah I’m young I may have got it wrong, but at least I can admit, react and move forward†could be adopted as Capdown‘s manifesto as a whole. It’s a classic punk rock song, with the band seemingly trying to get to the end as quickly as possible while trying to include as many riffs as possible. In this song there’s a clear Pennywise influence, but not excessively so, as Jake’s voice sets this aside from other identikit punk. This is followed by ‘Kained But Able’, possibly the least clever name for a song ever, but don’t let that spoil your enjoyment of what is, again, a really good fun track. Keith’s shouts in the background add a sense of depth to the song, and it all seems like a bit of a sing-along-a-punk-song. The ability of Capdown to turn a mundane and clichéd subject which has been covered by so many mundane and clichéd bands into an exciting and interesting song is something that is no mean feat. What could easily have been yet another rant against ‘the system’ is an energetic and lively excursion into the territory of some harder-edged punk, a million miles away from the chunky polished sound of the SoCal scene.
The third track on the album is by far and away the best. I’m leaving all journalistic tradition at the door for a bit, because pure and simple, this track is the absolute bollocks. ‘Ska Wars’ is the first real ska song on the disc and contains Jake’s superb sax over the top of a pretty damn funky bassline and some jolly party-esque drumming. The guitar only kicks in during the bridge really, but when it does, it’s the signal to start playing air-sax (you’ll find it next to the air-bassoon and air-french horn) and to just go a bit nuts. While the music itself is impressive, it’s the lyrics that really set this apart from most other ska songs doing the rounds right now. A significant and intelligent comment on the surfeit of aggression on the ska scene, and you have to believe that they mean it when they say “Gonna punish you for the things that you’ve done.â€
‘Snr NBC’ seems to morph into a Beastie Boys track halfway through (no bad thing in my opinion), and is another straight-up punk track, as is ‘Deal Real’, and to be honest, while they’re good, solid tracks, there’s nothing within them to really grab the attention. They seem to be a bit of filler, and you have to think that a bit more ska would have done the job a whole lot better. And it is on the ska tracks that Capdown really do shine, or to put it a bit more pertinently, kick some major ass. The live favourite ‘Cousin Cleotis’ sits perfectly next to ‘The Neverlution’ as upbeat songs that manage to soar with the aid of the ubiquitous sax. It’s this distinctive sound which, in my opinion, sets Capdown aside from the majority of ska-core outfits at the moment. While many have trombones or other brass instruments, the unusually hard-edged sound of the saxophone when combined with the buzzsaw guitar makes for thrilling and unique listening.
The title track, ‘Civil Disobedients’, is the best non-ska track on the album, because it melds seamlessly from a fast, Rancid-ish punk song into a more chilled verse, then back into the shouty chorus. Jake plays some wandering, random sax at the end, and it just sums up Capdown – seemingly directionless, but always managing to impress. ‘Bitches and Nike Shoes’ deserves a mention as it demonstrates another facet of Capdown, their open mindedness when it comes to music. They open their live shows with a tape of some blistering dancehall drum ‘n bass and although this is the most chilled and laid back song on the album, it has the clear mark of a more bassy background. There’s even a bit of DJ scratching in there somewhere, but think it all fits perfectly and doesn’t ever seem to be clumsy or misplaced.
Four stars seems fair for this album, because while it’s undeniable that Capdown have talent and the ability to own the UK punk scene, too many of their harder songs sound the same and there is simply not enough ska! Obviously, not all ska is good ska, but this album shows that Capdown really can play some blindingly impressive skanky tunes. Catch them live as soon as possible, for they have the potential to be the globe-straddling punk monsters that a band who sound like the illegitimate offspring of Rancid, Reel Big Fish and the Bouncing Souls should be.