Info

INTERMITTENT WAVES (of unusual size and force)
Squidhat Records - 2018

Track List:

1. Intermittent Waves
2. Hitchin' A Ride
3. Sugartown
4. Still Gonna Be My Girl
5. Glass Bottom Boat
6. Rude Vibrations
7. Bossa
8. Lovers War
9. Bowling with Mr. G
10. Bassinet

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**ALBUM REVIEWS**
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BOB’S SKA RADIO (Seattle, WA)
Some of you may know the California band MONKEY has a new album coming out soon. I must say it's a great album, I have been listening to it on the back end of the radio here....I know it would be terrible if I accidentally placed a new song into the playlist for everyone to hear before it is released. And even worse when it happens again.

VIVA SKA RADIO - JR Ska Boss (Las Vegas, NV)
I'm so stoked! Just letting you know I've heard it! It's amazing!

DO THE DOG ZINE - Kevin Flowerdew (Berkshire, UK)
Long running US West Coast outfit MONKEY are still very much alive & kicking & have just unleashed their 6th studio album, titled "Intermittent Waves", on Squidhat Records. This San Francisco based 5 piece have always had a knack for penning super catchy 2 tone & trad ska gems & this continues on "Intermittent Waves" with 10 cool tunes for your dancing feet.

TALK THE SKA (Antioch, IL)
With their upcoming 6th album, Intermittent Waves, San Jose's Monkey have produced their best work to date. A celebration of the various waves of ska, performed with a deftness few other bands could pull off while still distinctly maintaining their own sound. Beyond the allusion to ska's history, the tracks themselves come in waves. From the rollicking opening of the title track, to the slower soul tinged "Still Gonna Be My Girl", the rambunctious "Rude Vibrations" featuring a surprise guest vocalist, leading into the eerily relaxing and aptly named "Bossa". This all comes to a head with "Bassinet", in which front man Curtis sings "it's not over yet." If the quality of "Intermittent Waves" is an indication of things to come from a band, 21 years on from their debut, I certainly hope that is the case. Score: Highly recommended

READJUNK - Creature of War (Jersey City, NJ)
Following up their 2015 release “Bananarchy”, these Bay Area rudies are back again with 10 tracks of soulful ska and raucous ska punk.

With “Bananarchy” Monkey put their ska punk sound in the forefront. “Intermittent Waves” finds them slowing things down as they explore traditional ska, reggae and two-tone ska influences.

After an instrumental opening track and the faster paced “Hitchin’ A Ride”…which sounds like a carryover track from “Bananarchy” with a skankable fast pace…the third track “Sugartown” arrives with its horn-heavy reggae beat. “Still Gonna Be My Girl” is a soulful bluesy reggae influenced song that is reminiscent of a Slackers track. “Rude Vibrations” goes dancehall while “Bossa” channels the Skatalites. There are a few more instrumental tracks throughout the remainder of the 10 tracks on “Intermittent Waves” including a third wave number called “Bowling With Mr. G” which is one of my favorite songs on the album.

On “Intermittent Waves” Monkey finds the time to wax nostalgic as they take a trip through every wave of ska since the 60s all the while managing to keep up with that familiar Monkey sound. Even though “Intermittent Waves” has an eclectic and varied track selection, it still stands strong and is a tribute to the band as they expand their sound and their songwriting to reflect all of their influences.

Bottom Line: A varied selection of ska and reggae tracks that still have all of the fun and flavor of Monkey throughout.

RUDE BOY TRAIN - By Vince (France)

MONKEY started playing music in the San Francisco Bay area in 1996, during the Californian third wave, although they were far from Orange County at that time.

With singer / guitarist Curtis Meacham, the band has released five albums: "Changito! In 1997, "Station Wagon Living" in 2003, then "Cruel Tutelage" at Asian Man Records in 2005, followed by "Lost At Sea" in 2008 and "Bananarchy" in 2015, again for Mike Park, the eternal discoverer of talents.

The group, composed of five musicians, remained very discreet on the old continent, even if Dr. Ring Ding went to record with them in the United States.

"Intermittent Waves Of Unusual Size And Force", their sixth album, has just released on Squidhat Records (a Nevada label) in beautiful orange vinyl.

THE DISC
I’m sure that when you think of the American scene, the name of Monkey is not the first to come to mind. However, after more than twenty years of existence and a half-dozen albums, the group has a lot of material to back them up.

Maybe this will be the case with their latest opus, as there is a lot of good stuff, here. Limited by their reduced band size, Monkey ska is simple but never simplistic. There is coolness rocksteady on a "Lovers War" that takes its time, sung with intensity by a well-inspired Curtis, but also a maximum of energy on the intro "Intermittent Waves", which is not very far from a ska-punk upbeat. Followed by the excellent "Hitchin 'A Ride" made in the tradition of German (or American) ska revival, as it was 25 years ago, and that's all I like! It’s an invitation to the dance floor, with it’s super catchy chorus, perfectly supported by a solid brass section and a flawless keyboard. It is superb!

And since we were talking about the German model, let's stay there since the group invited their buddy Dr. Ring Ding to come and sing a song, but for the record in a registry closer to Dr. Ring Ding Ska Vaganza than his records with the Busters or with El Bosso Und Die Ping Pongs. On "Rude Vibrations" (nothing to do with the track of the same name Busters), the tempo plays quietly, with a Ring Ding with phrasing recognizable between a thousand, his hoarse voice and his Jamaican patois. Neat and tidy.

Very big impression also on the Caribbean "Bossa", finally closer to Trinidad or the Bahamas than Rio de Janeiro, loaded up to the edge of the sun, and a finesse to make pale the best combos of Southern California ( at random the Steady 45's).

Everything here is not amazing with originality and power of execution, but with his new album, Monkey comes to remind us that on the side of the bay of San Francisco, we also know perfectly play music out of season, with simplicity but with a lot of efficiency.