Essay for the Ordinary - Cool Cats
 

If they get a good video, you may see Essay for the Ordinary on some small-time music channel. Scuzz or something. Maybe even on Kerrang. But it will be on one of those shows that I will invariably abandon the music channels for and see if Dave is showing QI in the hope that I can recover the few IQ points I have just lost by accidentally exposing my ears to the angst less attempts of adherence to punk in its suffixed position to pop or ska. Here is a ska-punk band at its most ordinary.

I find that the brass section in a ska-punk band are usually the more accomplished musicians, even when they’re still not that good. Essay for the Ordinary maintain this form, and the horns are good. The guitar sounds lifeless, playing dull and predictable and yet still more dull ideas; the drums are timid and the timing is loose; everything else is just poor. And the vocals? Still holding firm to what you would expect from an English ska-punk band, is delivered in a Californian accent and does that not just infuriate you?

There is undoubtedly an audience for this, but it seems too much to expect that it can be executed particularly well. Pop-punk seems to do slightly better than ska-punk but apart from a rare, fleeting, masochistic ‘guilty-pleasure’ indulgence to this style I cannot see why ska-punk is ever seen outside of its own cliquey live scene. As a live entity it can satisfy the band playing and the few friends they have brought along, and even any unsuspecting passers-by. In that setting you can go along with the energy, miss the terrible lyrical contents and clichéd themes, and enjoy a moment of regression to your seventeen year-old self. If you are reading this and you are seventeen; by all means go and see them live, they should be fun, but do not buy a recording, you may accidentally hear it again and wonder what you could have bought instead. A coat-hanger, perhaps.

So that is all the boxes checked, by my count: it’s a pretty good ska-punk song. Which I hope never again to hear.

Re: Essay for the Ordinary
 

Re: Essay for the Ordinary
 

Isn't Kerrang a small time music channel?

Re: Essay for the Ordinary - Cool Cats
 

On youtube, they have videos of them rehearsing all their tracks. I hope they practiced a LOT after these videos were released, because there's quite a lot out of tune and performed very badly.

I don't think I'll look much further into their music.

Re: Essay for the Ordinary - Cool Cats
 

Hi there,

As a young, trying to improve band, they appreciate most comments and reviews of their stuff. They have had mixed reviews for Cool Cats, the track picked by the Record Label, and will use most of the honest criticisms to try and develop their song writing, and hopefully produce something better next time.

Some of the inane, verging on abusive, comments can probably be ignored, but they will relish the opportunity to try and prove those people wrong. Ska is an inclusive genre, and although not everyone's cup of tea, welcomes listeners and fans from many varied genres.

To be fair, Essay For The Ordinary are primarily a live band, and get a good reception wherever they play, often playing on eclectic mixed line-ups, and get good appreciation from Metal Heads, Punks, Indies and even EMOs.

Finally, further to the comment about the videos on Youtube. They were all recorded using my cheap camcorder, which is absolutely rubbish for recording live music, and cannot cope when the music is loud, particularly in rehearsal rooms, despite covering the built-in mic with a cloth. We get mixed opinions on whether we should put some videos up, some say do - any exposure is better than none, others say don't unless it is good quality - which costs I'm afraid.

Anyway, anyone reading these comments, if you get the chance come and see Essay live, I tend to make a deal with anyone that doesn't think they will like them. Come to a gig, and if you end up liking them I will buy you a beer, and if you still don't like them then I'll buy you two beers!!!!

Colin - Manager, Essay For The Ordinary

MySpace.com - Essay for the Ordinary (Text ESSAYCOOL to 81088) - Worthing, UK - Ska / Punk / Pop Punk - www.myspace.com/essayfortheordinary

Re: Essay for the Ordinary - Cool Cats
 

Hey Colin. That's an offer I can't refuse!
:-)
When's the next London gig?

Re: Essay for the Ordinary - Cool Cats
 

This is a really young band who try really hard and have done really well for themselves through their hard work. My band has played with them and they were really good, we were really impressed considering their young age.

and what's the point of replying to a ska review with 'i hate ska'? That's the kind close minded view that is killing our local music scenes.

Re: Essay for the Ordinary - Cool Cats
 

I think that it;s really cool that the manager took the time to read and despond to this article. Props my good man.