Album review: Half Past Two – “Talk Is Killing Me”

Bad Time Records – 19 April 2024

Ska-influenced pop-punk with a darker tone.

Half Past Two have been around since 2006 and yet I still feel like they are a newer band. The mid-2000’s was a time when ska was not very main stream popular and Bad Time Records was still over 10 years away from even existing. Maybe it’s because this album fits the “New Tone” ska sound of today’s younger bands or maybe it’s because this is the bands first full release with their new home on Bad Time. Whatever the reason this sound feels new and fresh to me. I went back and listened to some of their previous releases to re-familiarize myself with the their past sound. I know they’ve had some line up changes over the more recent years and comparing this new release to previous ones, I have to say, this album feels like a departure from the older tracks I listened to, more serious and less silly.

Things start off with fast paced, heavy guitar, pop-punk track with more aggressive vocals called “Barrier for Entry”. During the break down you get a real taste of the horns in what otherwise is less of a ska tune and more punk. That’s not to say that’s a bad thing, as the song is great as it is, and there is no need to make it more ska. Although, that break down with just the horns is pretty ska and pretty cool. There are some very subtle gang vocals mixed in to make this one a sure to be a live crowd favorite.

The next track “Lie to You” skas things back up and then follows “Dominoes” which blends the ska and pop-punk and contains some of those more serious lyrics addressing the bands history.  

Slowing things down with a little reggae style number is “I Don’t Dream Anymore”. Up next is the album title track “Talk is Killing Me” which is musically fun and upbeat, but again the lyrics are weighty in contrast to the sound.

A few more spots down is “Our Playlist” an acoustic duet with guest vocalist Scott Klopfenstein (Reel Big Fish, The Littlest Man Band) that’s soft and sweet. It has some fantastic toy piano sounds mixed in and although this is not a ska or punk song, it could be one of your favorite tracks on the album, I know it was for me.

This record goes back and forth between more pop-punk and ska songs with a few slower tracks sprinkled in. Overall, it has darker tone with lyrics about some of the bands struggles over the years. The album was a little different than what I was expecting to hear, but after a few spins this one will be going in my future playlists.