Scootering Words & Sounds

Nu Ska Vol. 1 - Various Artists (Specialized Records)

For the last seven or eight years, the Specialized charitable organisation has released compilation albums based around a theme to raise funds for The Teenage Cancer Trust, Tonic and others. They've roped in an ever-increasingly global range of bands from across the ska spectrum to cover classic records as inventively as possible. This time around, they've taken on the big step of releasing a compilation of original music from 17 acts, again taken from a wide variety of countries. The compilation leans more towards the 2-Tone sound than the revival of the earlier forms, or its ska-punk successor. Even allowing for that fairly narrow field, there is a wide selection of sounds on show. Bands range from the completely unknown (to me) Inca Fido and Stop The Presses, through the bubbling under sounds of The Skapones, Lead Shot Hazard, Staya Staya and Melbourne Ska Orchestra, through to genuine names of the current scene Cartoon Violence, Call