Big D & the Kids Table: Fluent in Stroll
Boston-based Big D & the Kids Table are still chugging along, with a tenth album in 12 years. Unfortunately that is all they seem to be doing, playing the same, tepid ska-punk that rolled out with the Third Wave in the mid-’90s, and hasn’t changed much at all in the intervening time. Third Wave Ska was much less political and much more pop, thriving on a dynamic hard rock attitude that made big names like the Mighty Might Bosstones and No Doubt thrive, and that dynamism is completely missing on Fluent in Stroll.. The call and response between lead singer David McWayne and the gaggle of rudegirls is entertaining at times, but McWayne’s vocals are bland as white bread and their reputable live energy is too diluted in the studio to capture much attention. Lyrically there is nothing more challenging than fare for teens and drunk college students at a summer fair. Perhaps that is the appeal of Big D; they are predictable but comfortable, undemanding but fun like sipping a watery American beer at your favorite local pub. Perhaps they are too similar to their contemporaries from the left coast, Reel Big Fish, who also continue to churn out the same old ska punk… both had well received albums in 2007 that tried to put a lie to “ska is dead,” but both 2009 follow-ups fall flat. Side One Dummy
Neil, did you even listen to this album? (Or read the liner notes? You spelled McWane’s name wrong.) You seem to have a solid handle on what ska-punk is (Bosstones, No Doubt, Reel Big Fish – you’ve really delved deep into the genre!) and yet you’ve completely misapplied the term here. There are actually very few songs on Fluent in Stroll that can be technically called ska, and even fewer that can be called ska-punk (if any). The album overall averages out at mid-tempo, distorted guitars are kept to a minimum, and there are almost no punk beats to be found. What exactly makes you think the ska-punk label is accurate? This is actually a pretty significant tonal departure from all of Big D’s previous LPs, which actually were ska-punk.
This is a very flawed album – the main problem is that McWane hasn’t found a voice to fit this new style, and while I wouldn’t call him “bland as white bread,” I would say he needs to get away from the upper-register hollering and focus more on the croony baritone he displays on some tracks.
P.S. Here is a better review from someone who has apparently actually heard this album.
I totally agree with you Tim-neil clearly didn’t even listen to the album. But I don’t think it’s a very flawed album either. Big D is taking their music and turning it into an entirely new genre, and I hope they never feel like they need to settle into a genre to appease anyone. Unlike Reel Big Fish, Big D’s new album displays that they are maturing as musicians and song writers in a very good way. I do agree that the review you posted is much, much better.
This may be the worst review I have ever read. Please listen to the album and try again. I’ve never heard of this website before, but if this is the type of editorial work you do, I don’t think I’ll ever find my way back here again.
Let a girl say a few words on this…Neil, you really need to listen to this….ground breaking CD….musically they took a chance…they are true musicians…I listened all weekend long…It was in your face/fun…I never sing songs in my head and I had to laugh at myself and the others I was with because we could not get at least 4 of those songs out of our heads….try again it will make you happy and maybe laugh a little and really want to dance….
AND I would give it a 4 or 5 rating….
Yea seriously… did you even listen to it? Calling it third wave ska makes me think you are an actual retarded person.
Honest to God, it’s obvious you didn’t even listen to the album and you’re going to give it two and a half stars and trash it? It’s a complete different sound than anything they’ve ever done and I’VE ever heard. What an awful reviewer.
Here’s my review of this review
1/5 stars.
Neil Carver’s attempt at showing his musical aptitude falls short of displaying any palpable knowledge of the subject. The review starts by making unsubstantiated claims about musical genres, and shows clear bias against both ska and Big D who’s first album rolled out in 1999 like all the other mid-90’s Third wave like No Doubt, and Shaggy. Big D released ska-punk music back then, and this new album is described as free of punk themes, and thus the same as EVERYTHING ELSE THEY (or Reel Big Fish) HAVE RELEASED. I think this reviewer is actually the man who had a steel rod go through his skull and remove the logic centre of his brain. He should take this test to determine his ability to judge simple qualitative differences in objects:
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pennck/pboc/
This review is as shitty as this site. Seriously, is this a one-man show website? I can’t count the flaws I see in it. I was going to list them (oh and I did) but when I first went to hit ’submit’ on this post the captcha failed and deleted all my content.
Don’t like my oppinion? Think I’m being too critical on something that you put a lot of work into? Think I’ve failed to see any of the brilliantly awesome parts of your site? (yeah right) Well now you know how Big D would feel if they stumbled upon this poor excuse for a review.
This album is properly named. I could put my headphones on and walk to this music for days. Yes, it’s very different from their older stuff. Hell, it’s much different from ‘Strictly Rude’. When I got this album I was hoping for the band to continue drawing from their strong dub influences that, in my opinion, was what made Strictly Rude such a success.
I didn’t get what I was hoping for, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Big D has re-invented their sound once again while still staying true to their personality which in the end is what they are all about.
While their old sounds are tried and true, I welcome this progression. It’s what music is all about.
The same tepid ska-punk that rolled out in the mid 90s? This album barely has any punk in it. It’s a new genre called “stroll”. But that’s okay. Go ahead and rate albums based on the 30-second preview clips on itunes.
i agree with everyone else the reviewer didn’t listen to the album i’v followed big d for a number of years and like that they have something new to offer, i came to this site looking for other opinions and i found them (good ones)
I think that its sweat that they took a chance with something different.