Latest Episodes

JJ and Matt take a close look at the Specials, a band that redefined ska for decades to come. Then they consider some Specials albums for the Ska Canon.

JJ and Matt head to the late 1960’s to look at the earliest music of the emerging genre called reggae. What’s the difference between this music and the Jamaican styles that came before and after it? Then your hosts debate some albums that defined the… Read More »005 – Tighten Up

JJ and Matt look back at the 2010’s and discuss which ska albums stand above the rest. Will any of these newer records be worthy of the Ska Canon?

JJ and Matt discuss the new documentary Pick It Up!: Ska in the ‘90s, and in particular reevaluate their thoughts on the role of Reel Big Fish. Then they consider six – SIX! – big albums from the mid-‘90s for inclusion in the Ska Canon.

JJ and Matt discuss how their respective spouses feel about the music they both love. Then they pit two Mephiskapheles albums against one another in a head-to-head showdown for Ska Canon glory: it’s God Bless Satan vs. Maximum Perversion.

JJ and Matt talk about their personal histories with ska, JJ as a radio host and Matt as a musician. Then they discuss their first candidates for the Ska Canon, considering bands from their home towns: the Suicide Machines and MU330.

JJ and Matt discuss what should and should not be considered ska. Who’s definition is broader and who is the “gatekeeper”? Then they consider two albums for the Ska Canon from artists who were there at the very beginning: Prince Buster and Carlos Malcolm.