This Friday over at Emo’s you can get into see the legendary The English Beat. Even more legendary is the fact that they’re known as a different band on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, as our British compatriots refer to them simply as The Beat. But, what stands the test of time is their music. They combined a lot of the two-tone ska elements and they combined them with really catchy pop hooks. Sure, this was over-done by many people in that last wave of ska (we’re looking at you Sublime and Reel Big Fish), but The English Beat did it with a whole lot more sensibility than the rest; they did it a whole lot earlier too! My first introduction to the group was through “Mirror in the Bathroom,” though I found the rendition from SLC Punk by Fifi a bit more my pace. The song that sticks for me though is perfect for all your dance party mixes, so throw this tune on the mix, and revisit The English Beat, or The Beat. Whatever.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/07-Save-It-For-Later.mp3]
Honestly, I’m not a huge connoisseur of the air waves in our nation, but occasionally there are those days when I rush out the door without my iPod and I have to suffer the pain that is radio. Recently, with my hectic schedule, this has happened more and more, so it left me to ponder why on Earth some bands still get ready play, and more so, some certain songs. I thought of my top five, and while some are song specific, others just need to leave the airwaves in general.