PorkPie – Skandemic
Pork Pie are an 8-piece ska and reggae band from Edinburgh, Scotland and even though they have 20 years under their belts, this is their fist album release!
Why oh why did they wait so long?! This is an absolute pearl of an album! Released back in March 2023, we’re a little late to the show, but we weren’t about then so can hardly be blamed!
It kicks off the fun with a sweet instrumental, the title track ‘Skandemic’. A piano and horns driven danceable ska tune that sets the tone perfectly and just makes you want to get up and dance. I didn’t obviously, I’ve got this review to write!
‘Feet on the Ground’ is another great danceable track and is followed by a pop-Reggae sounding number ‘Floating on the Water’, which is as good as anything you’ve heard in the charts over the years – great stuff!
‘Dog Fight’ is a cracking ska number and my favourite on the album I think. An upbeat happy sounding number, with lyrics that are quite the opposite! The trials and tribulations of a feisty relationship!
Rosa Parks, the civil rights activist lends her name to the next reggae infused track, which sets the tone for the subject of what is an excellent track.
‘High Price Ride’ picks the pace up again and wait, have I already picked my favourite? I Have? Oh ok, 2nd favourite then! Close though!
‘Food for Thought’ was the debut single from UB40 way back in 1980 and it’s covered next, followed by ‘Hold Tight’, a reggae infused upbeat number, with deep baselines and some nice brass.
‘Follow the Sun’ rounds the album off in great style! A classic old school sounding track, complete with vinyl crackles! It’s a great tune that wouldn’t have sounded out of place in the original ska scene. Now, this one I did get up and dance to…because the reviews finished! 😄
Looking at the bands web site, they appear to concentrate mainly on being a covers band but I hope they are including at least some of these tracks in their set as they are better than just another covers band, which I intend as being wholly complimentary 👍
The album is available on all the usual streaming sites of course, but there’s also a sexy vinyl available on their bandcamp page…which I for one, will be ordering! Go buy it now…or at least add it to your streaming favourites!
Skandemic | PorkPie (bandcamp.com)
PorkPie on Facebook
PorkPie on Instagram
Pork Pie (porkpieband.co.uk)
