Third Wave Ska
 

From the stuff I've heard third wave ska sounds pretty awesome. I really have only listened to stuff like Mighty Mighty Bosstones, King Prawn, and The Fad.

I'm actually not sure if those would be considered third wave or just ska-punk, Still I'm curious as to what your favorite Third Wave Ska artists are.

The Toasters are just about classed as 3rd wave even though they have been around since about '81.


Japonicas
Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra
New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble
The Aggrolites
The Aggronauts
General Rudie
The Flaming Tsunamis

are some of many that I like.

Sonic Boom Six!!

These guys are known? About a year ago I saw like a billion advertisements around the city for one of their concerts. Now I'm sad that I missed it.

The 80's NY Ska scene really deserves it's own sub-genre to distance itself from the marginalizing third-wave label, then again so do all of the other fantastic bands you listed.

top 3 (in no order)
MMB
Streetlight
Pietasters

Mephiskapheles- you gotta love satanic ska.

Do you know where I can dl Kill Punk Rock Star?

Check PMs.

Also thanks everyone for the recommendations.

I'm fond of the Aquabats because of their quirky, humorous songs, like "CD Repo Man" and the more recent "Pool Party." "Pool Party" has diverged from Third Wave ska...but I prefer it. I like the group's unabashed silliness.

I'm not a big fan at all of The Aquabats. find them very cartoony :(

This is still one of the best 3rd wave Ska tracks IMO:



I'm only posting this as in the last hour I have been listening to Ska.

Yes, The Aquabats *are* very cartoony. I think one of the members calls himself "cat boy" following their fake superhero theme.

Capdown does have a nice ska sound. The tune has a part that reminds me a little of the Batman theme! I like the "haa haa" or "aah aah" shouts.
I also like Capdown's political lyrics, like with "Cousin Cleotis," but I had a hard time hearing distinct words in the video. I wish I could hear the words better so that the meaning of the song would leap out at me...I had to look at the lyrics to understand what the song was about. I was surprised that the song's sound is much happier and celebratory than the lyrics, which are about a fairly serious issue...a call to action.

"Cousin Cleotis" lyrics:

Together we can fly
There ain't no reason why not
Strike whilst the knives are hot
Eyes like a vision of rage
Seize the day, seize the moment
Yes this very moment
Cos the mountain of my anger, it ain't no longer dormant
And this feelin' ain't just a feelin' no more
Cos the frustration of my ignorant days, is just a haze
Like a red eyed glazed gaze
So don't just sit on your ass, dreamin' of the better day, better way
Liberate yourself, your mind, mankind
Take the feelin' that lies deep inside
And make it reality"

The band sadly split last year :(

Well, that's too bad. Did any of the members go on to make or join bands you like?

I've got a friend who's really into the aquabats and they're decent in small doses.
And I like Capdown as well, I think you may have actually sent me that album, jackhammer.

Also do you really think Capdown could be considered third wave ska? Or is there not much of a difference between ska-punk and third wave ska?

They're pretty much the same thing, but some bands are more ska than punk and vice versa. Technically everything after 1st wave, besides all the 1st wave revival bands, can be considered ska-punk. 3rd wave is pretty much epitomized in the sound of Reel Big Fish and Less than Jake, which some would actually call ska-punk. When I think of true ska-punk I tend to think of Operation Ivy and Murphy's Law, and well not much else. A lot of people will dump the Bosstones into either category, but they really do deserve to be the sole proprietors of the ska-core genre.

I always thought of ska-punk mostly just being the staccato-like guitar playing with fast punk tempos with use of horns here and there which makes Operation Ivy a great example again.
I always saw Less Than Jake as a ska-punk band but never really saw Reel Big Fish as much of a punk band.

So if the Bosstones are the sole owners of the ska-core genre where would bands like Choking Victim, Leftover Crack, and Evil Empire fit in? Or do you see them as more hardcore punk than anything?

I was more or less saying that Reel Big Fish exemplifies what I think of when I think of straight forward 3rd wave. I would be inclined to call Choking Victim, Leftover Crack, and Evil Empire ska-punk, but really they're 3rd wave. It's more of a timeline than a style distinction. I give The Bosstones the sole ownership of the ska-core genre label because they coined the term, and because every band with a remotely similar sound has copied or been heavily influenced by them. There's no way around it.