Note: This EP was recently reissued as a full length album, with new tracks, live tracks, and rare tracks being added...it was also retitled Washed Up and Through the Ringer to reflect these changes. Epinions has not added it to their database, and once they do, this review will be moved.

In 1999, New Jersey skasters Catch 22 issued an EP of new songs and hidden live performances titled Washed Up. Among other things, it was most fans' introduction to new singer Jeff Davidson, who took over for founding member Tomas Kalnooky. It also signaled many lineup changes besides their singer. In May of last year, Davidson left the band after touring behind the only full length release featuring him, 2000's Alone in a Crowd. In November of 2001, the band repackaged this EP as a full length album, adding in live tracks, two new songs without Jeff singing, rare tracks, and the inclusion of the rare Point the Blame EP, of which, only 5,000 copies were pressed.

If nothing else, this album is a farewell tribute to Davidson, and especially, the charisma, energy and heart he took onstage with him every night. There are a grand total of 9-10 live tracks here. The first batch is completely new, recorded in December of 2000 in Detroit. The second batch is merely the "bonus tracks" that appeared on the original issue of this CD.

The newer tracks suffer from a bad mix, as the horn section drowns everything else out on more than one occasion. But when they do get the mix right, as It Takes Some Time shows, it's fabulous stuff. Even the songs with a bad mix has some sort of delightful low-fi quality to it that the punk in me loves or something. However, the hack job this sound engineer did to What Comes Around Goes Around is atrocious.

The older live tracks that appear are just that: old songs that Jeff is now singing. Unlike the new recordings, these are mixed just about perfectly, and they sound great. 9 MM and a 3 Piece Suit has a ton of energy behind it and the best ska song of the 90s, Kristina, She Don't Know I Exist is even reworked as a punkish number that while it loses all it's sweet saccharine flavor and becomes even more bittersweet than it already was lyric-wise.

The studio recordings are a mixed lot as well. Two brand new songs that feature the vocal stylings of horn section players Ryan Eldred and Kevin Gunther start the album off. The first one,Straight Forward, is about as rambunctious, infectious and just plain fun as Catch 22 gets. Featuring a guest appearance from former Pilfers frontman Coolie Ranx (the Pilfers broke up last year), this one will have you skanking, dancing, and maybe even bouncing for hours. I also think it shows off Eldred's ability to sing, and it was after hearing this song that I came to the conclusion that they should stop their search for a lead singer because they already have one. It's too bad the other new song, To Be Continued, isn't half as good.

A couple of covers are in the mix as well. Bob Marley's One Love is the first one, and for the most part, the band sticks to a general reggae cover. They punk it out for a verse, and even do a bit of rap/rock on another (don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounds)), but what really comes out more than anything is the true influence Marley has had on the band.

The other cover, which appears twice, once from the studio and once from the Detroit performance, is Don MacLean's American Pie. It's before the live performance that one of the band members sums up my feelings on this song: "Here's an annoying cover of an even more annoying song." Damn he got that right. As you could probably guess, this is a punkified version of the chorus (nothing else thankfully) of American Pie. I don't know, I suppose when you're actually in the audience it's a lot of fun, but listening to it on CD does nothing for me.

The songs that were originally featured on the Washed Up EP, the American Pie studio version among them, are either very strong or very weak. Leaving is the high energy ska with a smidgen of punk that Catch 22 has made their trademark, while Hard to Impress is, if nothing else, a fabulous showcase for the talents of the horn section. But The Death of My Blood Is Your Indulgence is hardcore music gone haywire and is just utterly crappy. No two ways about it.

However, the other track, No Love for the Roadie, is a hilarious rap track that if nothing else, shows the band can do many genres, even if it is nothing more than "for fun," as the band themselves say on the track.

All in all, this is a very satisfying purchase. It's a good mix of new, rare, and live material that pretty much sums up the first 5-6 years of the band's career. Personally, I think the CD is worth the price of admission alone for the Coolie Ranx track, nevermind some of the live tracks and the One Love cover. If you're a Catch 22 fan, you're collection is certainly not complete if you don't own this. And if you already bought the Washed Up EP, well, this is still worth your money. I know. I have both.

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Waking up