Self-Released- 19 Oct 2021
Don’t let the tongue in cheek name fool you, Skappository are happy to march their brand of ska-punk right up your ass
Skappository has violently bucked all of my expectations on Up Yours!, the five-piece’s debut self-released EP. With sophomoric (and brilliant) word play so in your face (or up your rectal cavity) I anticipated a silly, Aquabats-esque style of horn-laden zaniness, but instead I was greeted by a straight-forward, upbeat bouncing ska-punk aural enema more akin to The Suicide Machines.
Born as a four-piece amidst the pandemic’s Long Island lockdown of 2020, the band’s pedigree is a who’s who of major and minor players in East Coast ska and punk. Skappository is led by the gruff vocals of Tony Morace (Sheep Surveillance, Splatterhouse) on vocals and guitar, accompanied by Jess DeBellis (King Django) on keytar (you’re goddamned right that says keytar), Mike Nigro (Close Call) on bass, drummer Cody Phillips (Pin Cushion) and lead guitarist Christian Lesperance (Jersey Interchange).
On the four-song EP, the band plays homage to raucous rabble-rousers who influenced their sound, including Operation Ivy, Mighty Mighty Bosstones and The Specials. Following a brief introductory track, the band kicks in with “R U Rude 2?,” less a love song and more of a realization of what we are looking for, as the band looks past the well-mannered girl they are riding with in hopes of rendezvousing with the unabashed and unfiltered young woman who is willing to cuss them out at a stop light.
“The Blood I Bleed” follows up with a searing commentary on racism in the police force, harkening back to The Selecter’s game-changer “Danger”. Blasted over punk riffs and ska dancability, the band sends a simple message “There’s no point in giving up/So do what you can/Look out for one another/And help your fellow man.”
“Funeral” and “Crabs’ ‘ continue to bop about with that same blend of punk and ska that Skappository does so well on Up Yours! The Long Islanders are carving out a niche of well written, powerfully produced, horn-less ska that could quickly catch on with fans of The Last Gang or The Interrupters.
Skappository is right on time and just out of step enough to keep pace with the ska-punk renaissance we are seeing, surfing the post-third-wave directly up your ass.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
