Album Review; New Town Kings – ‘M.O.J.O.’

The New Town Kings
‘M.O.J.O.’
Bomber Music Ltd. www.bombermusic.com

This album has never been off the With Guitars stereo so if I sound a little familiar, please forgive.’Games That People Play’ is the first track sets the tone, its catchy hook laden up-tempo fusion of classic early 1970’s reggae and with a heavy wedge of ska influences, stir, add modern production, nine talented individuals, and you maybe close to cracking ‘it’. What ‘it’ is I am not totally sue, all I can offer is the fact that they are mostly 95{56f2936c3fbc3de09a84fd52b6c7526482536b9cf55829985307b198e62a23d8} original although the compositions are the band’s own, the weight of what has gone before them creeps in just here and there, it only adds to the overall effect. First started when you see the CD packaging, it looks just like an old vinyl record sleeve, the CD is designed to look like its a slab of vinyl, from the first note you could believe it to be so – I could I imagine this album as a 10" or 12" of vinyl, pleased it isn’t;t it would probably be scratched by mow. But back to my point, great CD design of the that there is no doubt.

My intention was to pick songs like ‘Dynamite’, ‘New Town Hop’, ‘Hollow Head’, ‘Round & Round’ or ‘Star Of The Show’ break down each of them; I could trace their influences from playing style, influences… but with so many great songs, I figured you may want to read an album review not a dissertation. Although I must comment it on the music. The rhythm section of percussion and drums that sit back mostly in the song, before coming to the fore with the brass section to irresistibly engaging effect, put simply, this is 20 Century, classic Trojan Records era reggae and ska, New Town Kings have the 21st centaury song-writing skills and musicianship to not only make that sound come alive they help push it on. On one song it’s that brass hook, the next the narrative vocal delivery if I sound upbeat, its The New Town Kings and their music, there is no other way once the CD or band start playing, thoughts of that classic Kingston sound must have crossed many a mind.

I would be happy if this Colchester band toured with the likes of The Selecter, Neville Staples or Lee Scratch Perry – they would not look out of place, the opposite, many a Two Tone or Rasta back could be put out dancing to New Town Kings. This is infectious. Oh happy days! 9/10
Steve Janes
www.facebook.com/newtownkings