The Wicked Bees

In short , members of Ska Skank Redemption, with a name like that, we probably want to save tribulations of hell by their music, and when you think about it , especially when we listen , we say that the thing is not not impossible. Ska Skank is six musicians, including a horn section well-tempered (trumpet , saxophone, trombone) , serving authentic ska that makes you want to dance and skanker sure!

And because they are good guys , they just released their first EP in late July 5 songs " Wicked Bees ' self-produced , full recording of maturity that confirms the adage that quality does not expect the number of years.
(Google Translation) - Rude Boy Train (France)

The Ska Skank Redemption are a six piece band from Fargo, North Dakota, and thankfully have chosen to focus on writing and performing up beat, good natured, true to form ska. They could have opted for the rather obvious route of being one more WickedBeesAlbumArtworkindistinguishable ska-punk band, coming to your town, next summer, for that day long festival where they charge $6 for half a cup of warm water, and there’s really only one band you want to see anyway.
But as it SSR, lyrically focus on ordinary angst, and there-in lies their charm. With crisp, angular guitar licks to build off, the rhythms lock in, tight and fresh. The horns punctuate, swell and command, animating and elevating the songs at once.
“Sheila” and “Age Like Wine” are unhurried danceable grooves that beg you move the party to the dance floor immediately. “Minnesota,” the song, not the state, is the only number to flirt with punk, and you know it’s enough. A great, solid, tune, that mashes the accelerator and lets them burn off the excess testosterone. They do this really well, and my real gripe about ska punk is about what a crowded and undistinguishable field it is.
“Christine” is a rock steady steamroller of a song. It could/should be the song radio should latch onto it. Not so lazy as to lose the knuckle-dragging set, but with the right amount of drive and purpose, the horns propel the song forward, giving it momentum which is almost jarring when the song ends. “Christine” is the sort of song that begs repeated play by anybody, regardless of their personal musical proclivities. The song is AOR ready and now.
The Ska Skank Redemption demands your attention, whether it’s on stage or on your stereo. This isn’t background music for another mundane moment. This is the soundtrack for the when you worked up the courage to dance with that pretty thing who caught your eye across the room. And you will always remember everything about that moment, so the music had better be stellar. And when you ask them to dance, there’s no way they can say no, because if this on, they are already dancing already. - Indie Music "Indie Music for the Unaffiliated"

Ska Skank Redemption has been causing quite a commotion in the Fargo-Moorhead music scene since they emerged two summers ago. Since then they have played shows not just in the area, but also in Grand Forks, Bismarck, Minneapolis, Duluth and Bemidji, to name a few. This past spring, the band decided it was time to get into the studio and record their first EP, “Wicked Bees.”

“These days, anyone can record things in their basement. We all kind of knew how important it is to get something really professional out there, so we went into the studio,” says Dan Christianson, the lead guitarist and vocalist.

For those who’ve never heard of the band before, all you need to know is that these guys are bringing back ska to the greater F-M area.

“We jammed together, and after playing we decided to do a ska thing,” says Clyde Schuman, the bassist.

Some of the group’s first gigs were mostly around the area including at The New Direction, Gio’s and Minnesota State University Moorhead. After playing more shows, they decided they wanted to make the journey down to St. Paul to record at Pound Sound with engineer Jeremy Tappero.

“He really knows his stuff, and it was a great place to record,” Christianson says.

The band spent nine days tracking and recording and had the EP mastered by Tappero himself, which substantially sped up the whole process. The EP features five of the band’s original songs, some of which including “Sheila,” “Hit ‘N’ Run” and “Minnesota.”

“We had five really solid songs ready, and had a few on the backburner that we had decided to cut for the EP,” Schuman says.

For the artwork on the EP, engineer Jeremy Tappero recommended St. Paul native Brad Gunnarson, and after seeing some of his previous work it was a unanimous decision to hire him for the job.

Ska Skank Redemption is having their EP Release Show at Gio’s on August 1. Fans can purchase the new EP for $5. The band will also be selling other merch including shirts, sunglasses and even shot glasses.

In the future, the band hopes to continue playing both in town and even further beyond to promote the new EP. With an already accelerated year for the band, there is no doubt they will continue to please crowds with their catchy take on ska music. - High Plains Reader

Starting the night off right wear a group of fine young gents from North Dakota called The Ska-Skank Redemption. The set was fun and the tunes where upbeat and catchy. The lads from SSR graced us with covers of The Beatle’s “Obladi Oblada” and Catch 22’s “Keasby Nights.” Hearing the opening of Keasby brought a huge smile to my face because I had not heard that song in ages and soon the majority of the crowd was singing along with the chorus.

Ska-Skank mentioned they were in town recording their first album, which this reviewer is looking forward to owning so he can play it loud in the car while driving around town, hoping that some passersby get caught up in the infectious grooves from Fargo.

I wish the guys in Ska-Skank Redemption good luck with their album and I hope to see them added to more MNSKA shows in the future. They really know how to get a show going.
- MNSKA

Today we have a real treat: a new band. Based out of the Fargo/Moorhead area in the frozen tundra of America’s midwest, Ska Skank Redemption is a ska sextet that was formed in 2011. I had the pleasure of catching them live at Sonshine last week, and was thoroughly impressed.

The band is comprised of Dan Christianson on lead vocals and guitar, Brian Glur on the trumpet, Atoine Pointras on the saxophone, Dorian Walker on the trombone, Clyde Schuman on the bass, and Andrew Ochoa on the drums. Ryan Christianson also helped out with trombone and organ on their EP, and most everyone chips in on group vocals.

Sonshine was the very first show at which SSR had their recent five-track EP, “Wicked Bees”, available, and I scored a copy. The EP leads with “Hit’N'Run”, a bouncy tune about getting stranded after a car accident. The only way to describe it is that it is pure ska. No punk, no rock, just pure, unadulterated ska. The bass line is dance-inducing, the guitar is a traditional upstroke, and the horns join in on the chorus. It’s all standard for a ska band, but it is written and played exceptionally, with a perfect balance between all the instruments.

“Sheila”, “Age Like Wine”, and “Christine” explore variations of the style and stories about three different girls. “Sheila” is slower, with heavier emphasis on the guitar and bass, and the horn section is reminiscent of old-school two tone. “Age Like Wine” is a little faster paced, without feeling aggressive, and really showcases the skill in the horn section. “Christine” digs into the third-wave with obvious gusto; it still has the upstroke on the verses, but mixes in a punk-rock-esque chorus. The last song also includes an outstanding solo by Atoine on the saxophone, a unique sound which often gets lost in between other brass instruments.

“Hit’N'Run” is my favorite track of the bunch, but “Minnesota” takes a close second. I guess I’m a sucker for songs that mention my home state… This song, in heavy contrast, tosses out the old-school and focuses on the rock, and has the most well developed brass pieces. The horns play multiple melodies at the same time, to great effect.

Dan Christianson’s vocals are smooth and measured, and the rhyme schemes keep blowing me away, strangely enough. The rhymes are sing song, usually AABB or ABAB, but are never stretched or contrived. Every line flows perfectly, as though it were a casual conversation that just happened to rhyme. Lines like, “And she was raised right but keep her parents uptight, afraid that they might lose her on a late night” shine, instead of feeling like the writer was just stringing out words that rhyme and filling in the rest.

All things considered, SSR’s EP is exceptional, upbeat without feeling rushed, well thought out, and the recording is high-quality. Their live show was energetic as well, with Brian, Antoine, and Dorian skanking almost every moment that they weren’t singing or playing. They played a number of songs off the EP, getting a small skank pit going, but one of the highlights was truly old-school. They played “Ob La Di” by the Beatles, and covered it very well. I got a shirt based on the “Minnesota” song, only because I didn’t have the guts to wear a shirt that says, “Keep Calm and Skank On”…

Ska Skank Redemption is definitely worth your time to check out, and their EP is a solid 9 out of 10 in my book. Check them out at facebook.com/ssredemption, skaskankredemption.bandcamp.com, or twitter.com/skankredemption. Oh, and use those addresses, not Google. There has been at least one other band entitled Ska Skank Redemption in the past (now dead), and they are decidedly not family friendly.

- Review by Jamie Thul - Ska Lives