Mad Caddies - Just One More

Reviewed on Oct 8, 2005 by Tom

The Mad Caddies are a band of many faces that are like to push down set barriers when they create songs. Having evolved from a ska-band with a lot of Dixieland influences (Quality Softcore) to more of a skapunk outfit (Duck And Cover) to then produce "Rock The Planck", a harder and more "punkish" album with less horns. A lot of fans didn't take it that the Caddies left their horn-section somewhat in the dark on that album, and others fervently urged to continue in that direction. With this, their latest effort, the Caddies have returned to their roots, and incorporated everything they have learned along the way to release "Just One More", which is nothing short of an instant classic!

"Drinking For 11" starts this one off and it's kind of opposite to what i'm used to. Normally a band always kicks off with their most striking, best and fastest song, whereas the Mad Caddies introduce us to a slowgoing somewhat ballad-like sort of track that floats along on some smooth ska-rhythms and a thumping bass. Off course, there's also Chuck's voice, which i am personally quite fond of that tears down the house again on this release with some phenomenal vocals. The second track is a magnificent example of that, as "Contraband" is an all-out raging track in the vein of what they brought with "Rock The Plank". I already told you that they went back to their roots for this one, as "Villains" and "Silence" could easily have been tracks from "Duck And Cover". They have Dixieland ska written all over them and also have enough weight to convince the more regular punkrock audience. Fast and crunchy guitars against a set of kicking horns and layered with those superb vocals that can strain every genre. The Mad Caddies always had a knack of combining agressivity with kickass horn-lines and they are at the summit of their cunning with "Just One More". "Silence" is so agressive and fullout rocking that it reminds me of Strung Out at times. "Just One More" slows things down again as they grab back towards the laid-back ska-music. The despair in Chuck's voice is almost tangible here, as he even manages a chorus or two in Spanish (at least i think). I know this won't appeal to a many amongst you but i like these slowgoing ska-tunes and i am stoked that the Mad Caddies had the audacity to just do their own thing on this one. Then we arrive to "Day By Day", one of the highlights of the album because of the devastating chorus. This is one of those trakcs that gets tsuck in your head and you keep repeating it time after time. You all know the next track, that was on Fat's latest sampler. I'll let you discover the rest of the album for yourself, but this is yet another superb effort by the Mad Caddies that open every register and dirty trick in their books to make this an enjoying 44 minutes covering a myriad of styles. Recommended!

The Caddies are back, and how ...

Album Information

Best Song:Day By Day
Medium/Type:Full-Length
Released:May 11th, 2003
Record Label:Fat Wreck Chords

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Tracklisting

  1. Drinking for 11
  2. Contraband
  3. Villains
  4. Silence
  5. Just One More
  6. Day by Day
  7. Leavin
  8. Rockupation
  9. Last Breath
  10. Spare Change?
  11. Riot
  12. 10 West
  13. Good Intentions
  14. Wet Dog
  15. Game Show