London ska-punk bands are pretty commonplace. Open the front door and you’ll probably see groups of trilby-donned, camouflage-suited skankers lining the pavements. As a result, any band that releases a ska-punk album needs something to set them apart from the abundance of said genre. Call Me Malcolm don’t have a secret weapon under their belts, but the four-piece have managed to release an album which really is accessible and has some solid layers of melody behind tongue-in-cheek lyrics.
Clips from TV and film are always welcome to kick off a track, and in Dillinger Four style, Call Me Malcolm begin the record with one from 1994’s Airheads. It shows that a band aren’t steely-faced machines who think that they’re ‘God’s gift to music’. The album starts off with ‘You’re Free’, showing off some grooving bass and vocals which don’t allow for much breathing, setting a precedent for the next thirty minutes of ska.
‘I Sold My Cat’ is a highlight – an ironic track about exactly what the title implies – with a welcome nod to The Specials’ ‘Ghost Town’ within the backing vocals. ‘Headshot’ focusses on the dire consequences of a drunken night out, serving as a somewhat anthemic rundown of various bodily fluids being found all over the house, the day after. Ska-punk is at its most enjoyable when it’s not taken too seriously – The Aquabats and Reel Big Fish being two clear examples – as Call Me Malcolm must know too.
The production is fine, with distorted guitar contrasting well against bass that bounces freely. While brass is sparingly used to provide an infectious hook or two. Lyrically, everything is casual and conversational, as it should be. ‘Suckerpunch’ and the Bonus Track serve as fast paced romps, justifying the -punk suffix. The Bonus Track also contains the lyric, “If I could do any animal, it’d probably be your mum”, which is evidently open to a degree of interpretation.
Call Me Malcolm may not bring anything new to the table, but their sense of humour and lack of self-importance works great here. It’s a well produced, energetic and tight record which is amusing above all else.
SAMARTH KANAL