Daniel O’ Day and other members of punk band River City Rebels return with a new collective project delving into one of the most relevant music genres of now: ska. A completely different sound than the glam punk style of R.C.R., Steppin Razor Blades take a hold of the elements of 2-Tone, or New Tone as it’s being called in 21st-century America, and take it to the dancefloor and leave it there.
Their debut album Stay Sharp is a 10-song collection that commands you to move for every tune. With strong keyboard chords, a reliable saxophone, and powerful drum fills, Stay Sharp is musically pleasant to the ear, near impossible to not dance around to, and has politically conscious lyrics that appropriately fits its 2-tone grooves.
Standout tracks for me include “Friend to a Memory”, “Ska Boy//Ska Girl”, “True Drug Lords” and “Coming of Age”.
While Ska in itself is a hard genre to master, 2-Tone is a different beast; and Steppin Razor Blades are quick to tame it. This is a great example of how to blend ska and punk to near perfection. I can’t recommend this album enough to punks of all ages.
Stay Sharp by Steppin Razor Blades is available now on Bandcamp.
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