MattA75's Full Review: Good Luck by Big D & The Kids Table
It is not an easy thing to do for an opening act for the Aquabats to steal the show. After all, the Aquabats have to be one of the most fun and mindless bands to watch on stage. But back in November, a local Boston ska band, Big D & the Kids Table did just that when they opened for the Aquabats at the Worcester Palladium. It was after this performance that I knew I was going to have to buy the newest Big D record, entitled Good Luck.
Big D is certainly not your "normal" ska band, at least not when compared to popular ska bands like the Mighty Mighty Bosstones or Reel Big Fish who have broken out in recent years. They are made up of ten members, all of who play intricate parts in the band. They not only employ two guitarists (which gives the band a much more full sound, not to mention more room to experiment), but Marc Flynn also doubles as a vocalist and he plays valve trombone, an instrument that I personally had never been too familiar with.
And while Big D certainly owes more than little bit of their sound to the English two tone movement, there is also more than a little bit of hardcore and punk in them as well. As this becomes more and more popular to do in the ska scene across the nation, it is also becoming harder and harder to scope out the bands who can meld those 3 styles together with any talent or success at all. Big D is one of those bands.
In just about every song, the horn section of Gabe Feenberg (slide trombone), Dan Toppelman (trumpet), Chris Sallen (tenor sax), Chris Bush (tenor sax), and the previously mentioned Flynn show off thier chops. In the mellow Find Out, there is an extended horn jam that will have you skanking in no time.
In other songs, like the punchy and catchy lead track Myself, they play more of a backing role, adding flavor to the driving beat set by the main instruments. And then there's the song She Won't Ever Figure It Out where they really aren't a very important part of the song other than laying down an added layer and dimension to the music.
The chemistry in this band is also something that cannot be overlooked. The two guitarists, Jon Lammi and Sean Rogan, play wonderfully off each other for the entire length of the record, trading heavy hitting riffs on songs like 5 Kids Down and I'd Rather. And the vocals of Flynn and David McWane also have a nice contrast between them. One seems to be more comfortable spitting out rapid fire lines while the other seems more comfortable taking a more laid back approach to his singing.
As far as "ska-core" bands go, Big D and the Kids Table has what it takes to take the torch from bands like the Bosstones, who have begun to move on to bigger and better things musically. This young, fresh, and energetic group has the talent to go a long way. This CD, and their live performance, dictates that in a very convincing way.
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