They’re back! The interactive/ultra-powered/
Chock full of frenetic, danceable reggae/ska jams, ROCKSTEADY features special guests Jesse Peter Wagner (lead singer with legendary reggae/punk/ska band The Aggrolites), Grammy-nominated Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, and Father Goose (featured on the Grammy-winningDan Zanes family albums).
A mashup of ska with punk rock, hip-hop and doo-wop — often played at lunatic speeds — is the foundation of the Josh & the Jamtones sound. ROCKSTEADY (a word that historically describes an early type of ska) is easily the most ambitious album the band has ever recorded, with 19 songs and skits performed by 18 musicians on over 40 instruments.
ROCKSTEADY is produced with a focused conceptual element that could be thought of as “Jamtones FM,” with its mock DJs and radio-static “channel surfing” transitions between songs that display the Jamtones signature blend of reggae, ska, doo-wop harmonies, ’90s hip-hop, and Weezer-like guitar solos. Themes of love, friendship, and dance parties prevail, and all the songs on the album are seriously danceable. The “Rocksteady,” the “Tailfeather,” and the “Katmandu” are specific dances, hearkening back to the old radio singles days, while other songs, like “I <3 Ur Face,” have their own kinds of moves.
Josh & the Jamtones have been making music and lots of laughs for kids and families since early 2012, when singer/songwriter Josh Shriberstarted buying fancy lattes from producer/drummer Pat Hanlin at a café near his house. Since then, the titanic twosome and their intrepid band have crisscrossed the country, playing hundreds of shows and sharing the stage with massive bands like The Wiggles, Yo Gabba Gabba, and The Fresh Beat Band. The Jamtones have performed at loads of major festivals with mega-acts like the Dave Matthews Band, Hall & Oates, and The Roots.
Previous Josh & the Jamtones releases include Bear Hunt: The Movie! (2014) and the albums Bear Hunt! (2013) and JUMP UP! (2012).
I received a sample of this one and really quite impressed! This one is a lot of fun! Kids will love the original sound of this band! They are simply “cool” and have an unique sounds of their own! Be on the look out for this one!
ROCKSTEADY will be available on the Josh & the Jamtones website, CDBaby, Amazon, Spotify, iTunes, and other online retailers.
Self Disclosure: I received a free sample of this CD to facilitate this music media post.
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