While ska is on the rise all over the US, one scene that is typically under-represented is the South. Under-represented definitely isn’t the same as unrepresented, and the number of ska bands from the south continues to grow, from Stuck Lucky in Tennessee to Mississippi’s Flying Raccoon Suit, from a growing scene of bands in the Carolinas to Joystick!, Bad Operation, and the Ghost Town Steppas in Louisiana. The newest band to add to explode onto the Southern Ska scene is Atlanta, Georgia’s very own Bad Leavers.
Bad Leavers’ 6 song EP Give and Take is their debut studio recording on Jabroni Records and features trad, two-tone, and reggae influences in a nice, clean recording. The lead vocals from Joe Hottel (formerly of The Skunks) are calm and clear while being harmonized with the backing vocals of A Sherman.
Hottel also handles the guitars and pairs with Reid Stegall on the bass to lay most of the rhythms and upstrokes that are constant throughout the album. A Sherman plays the trumpet while not taking care of backing vocals, and teams up with Rein Stegall and Dave Sherman on tenor and bari sax respectively to fill out a stellar horn section that mostly adds texture to the songs without ever becoming over-bearing or stealing too much attention except when given room to shine in instrumental portions like the outstanding finale in “Going Nowhere.” Finally, drummer Luis Nieves sets up solid tempos to keep the songs moving that definitely carry the tracks forward.
With only 6 tracks to the album, there definitely isn’t any filler, but to me, two tracks stuck out in particular- the opener in “Bait & Switch,” and the closer, “Song for Nobody.” Both tracks are somewhat uplifting, songs about overcoming problems and validating others. “Bait & Switch” is more of a slow reggae jam with a nice, solid horn line in the intro, calm, clean vocals, and a strong duet for the chorus. This track feels like it gives the vibes of a laid-back, smoky, speakeasy, and the end of the track lets the horns out a little bit to breathe. The closer, “Song For Nobody,” is much more two-tone inspired. The rhythm picks up; it requires a dance floor, but definitely not a mosh pit. The horns are a little sharper, the backing vocals are echoed for punctuation in the verses, and harmonized in the chorus. The drums definitely beg the listener to move their feet and the constant upstrokes do their part as well. There is a nice mixing of pace with a short bridge with no guitars to help keep the texture of the track fresh and fluid.
Sure, Give and Take is only six tracks, but in my opinion, this already cements Bad Leavers with the likes of bands like Joe Gittleman, The Operators, and the Prizefighters when it comes to bands that deliver on that reggae, trad, and two-tone sound. It’s such crisp, clean, easy-to-listen-to music that feels instantly familiar and easy to appreciate, with a rhythm that begs to get you moving while also demanding that you listen to the lyrics. The talent level of Bad Leavers is top notch, and it’s evident that everyone in the band has years of experience in the music industry because the mastering and production is equally flawless. It’s so easy to isolate and appreciate every instrument on every track. This is just the beginning far Bad Leavers, and I expect much more to come.