Coming at you from Bergen County, New Jersey, this 10 piece band has found a blend of ska, punk, rock, and funk unlike any that I’ve ever heard. Each of these four styles does not make it into every song, rather the band seems to flow between styles. “Listen Up” the first track on this CD is a great attention grabber, blending ska, punk, and rock this song will grab you by the balls, (or the what have you) and knock you on your ass in one fell swoop. The next track, “Dr. Evil Ska” sounds similar to “Listen Up” and these songs prove for one that these guys are very good at what they do, and that it is possible to rock out and play ska at the same time. “Up and Down” and “Freak” both have an almost Catch 22 sound to them. “Freak” is an amusing little song about a stalker ex-girlfriend, think Swimfan, or don’t think Swimfan, I heard that movie sucked.
The Spec’s funky side comes out for the second half of this CD. Starting right out with “Pimpn’ in N.J.” for all the ladies’ men out there, and moving on to “Porno Paradise”. The bass line for “Porno Paradise” actually sounds as if it was taken form a bad porno. “White Russian” brings back that NJ ska-punk sound. The horn section really shines on this track. I think that every one of the members of the horn section gets a chance to jump into the spotlight for a solo on this instrumental track. “I Thought I Knew You” finishes out the CD in that classic NJ ska-punk style.
I’d recommend this CD to anyone who’s looking for a new sound in ska-punk. Personally I’m tired of bands like Less Than Jake and their commercial brand of music. I found the Spec’s to be a welcomed relief from some of the other plain crap that has come out in recently under the name of ska. And while no one would argue that the Spec’s are a traditional ska band in any sense of the word, they do have heavy ska influences. And their ability to blend diverse styles of music together and rock out with their cocks out makes this disc a worthwhile addition to any collection.