Hub City Stompers – Caedes Sudor Fermentum: The Best of Dirty Jersey Years (Rebel Sound/Crowd Control Media/Not Dead Records)
Although the name suggests a rock hard oi! band, as soon as this collection opens up you are treated to some uptempo off-beats and a brass section leaves no doubts that this is actually a red hot ska band. I put the album straight on without reading the blurb, and immediately I was transported back to New York in, say, the late 90s or early 2000s. Think of a time when Hellcat records was flying high, Moon Ska was pumping releases out, and in fact it was a very vibrant time on the US ska scene. And indeed that is what the Hub City Stompers are. Originally formed in New Jersey not far off 15 years ago, the Hub City Stompers have recently come out of retirement and this album is a celebration and reissue of some long-gone recordings. Their style is pretty varied, starting off with the up-tempo style and toasted vocals, they know when to slow things down and bring in the soul. It does remind me of various artists from the Stubborn records stable – think bands like the Stubborn All-Stars or The Skoidats – with a streetwise party style that reminds me of when Murphy\’s Law bring in the horns. Funnily enough these guys also recorded an album for Stubborn records, so my instincts weren\’t far off. These guys are loud, brash and proud and don\’t mince their words either – when they sing \”I\’ve got a boot\” they tell you they mean business. All in all a great stomping collection of ska tunes done east coast style. Tom Chapman