the voodoo glow skulls: exitos al cabron

The Voodoo Glow Skulls, friendly ska-punkers from the San Bernardino Valley, slip-slide between sonic brilliance and amelodic grating on their new album, Exitos al Cabron. This faction of the ska smorgasbord conjures up images of skanking and moshing in dank clubs filled with hazes of dubious origin. Musicianship may be lacking, but the band makes up for it in pure energy.

Driven by a two-piece horn section, the Voodoo Glow Skulls' Latin flava offers a diversion from the homogenous landscape of ska-punk. But even with their Spanish language vocals, the band remains indisputedly ska-punk. While only a few tracks actually ride ska's bouncy beat, most break down from galloping punk rhythms into slower lopes in which rudies can skank their stuff.

Aside from the cacaphonous catastrophe that is the first song, the rest of Exitos is easy to swallow. "Rancho Grande," "Cielito Lindo," and "Feliz Navidad" build upon Chicano folk themes, while "La Migra" and "Botellas Vacias" reveal the staples of the VGS sound: Spanish lyrics trip on singer Frank Casillas' tongue, and intricately layered horns hover above and sometimes dip down into the up-tempo guitar, bass, and drums.

Although Exitos al Cabron is certainly emphatic, it's in dire need of variety. VGS's overdriven sense of purpose is a case of too much of a good thing, even considering the album's brevity. "Randy Gordo," for instance, lacks direction and instead darts about like a misbehaving 2-year-old.

Still, the Voodoo Glow Skulls are on the vanguard of third-wave ska, fusing punk and Latin themes in ways both unexpected and quaintly refreshing. For the ska-punk greenhorn, the jewels on this album make it worth your while. (Grita!)

—Jacob Paul

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