The Interrupters
Fight the Good Fight
Hellcat/Epitaph
Fight the Good Fight is the third LP from Californian ska-punk outfit The Interrupters. Formed in 2011 when the Bivona brothers (Kevin, Justin and Jesse) joined forces with vocalist Aimee Allen (aka Aimee Interrupter), the band has since put together three glorious LPs, with many hours of live shows under their suspenders.
For the unaware, think Rancid with The Distillers’ Brody Dalle’s vocals and a heavier dose of ska, and you’ve pretty much got The Interrupters. That Rancid sound has probably flourished with punk rock legend, plus that band’s frontman and longtime collaborator Tim Armstrong is at the production helm, though his influence is less prominent than on previous albums.
Fight the Good Fight is straight up ska-punk, the songs are melodic, crammed with sing along chants, and chocked full of two-tone inspired beats that will have you skanking in no time. The songs are simple and straightforward but have a sharper sound to earlier albums with more bite to the guitars. Allen’s crunchy vocals seamlessly bridge the gap between the punk and ska sounds.
Delightfully ska heavy opener Title Holder takes on the hard times face on and turns them into something positive. It’s a hoppy track with chocked with delicious two-tone ska ingredients that’s hard not to enjoy.
Epitome for the ska-punk sound and lead single She’s Kerosene is an exhilarating fight song for anyone that’s currently, or has been, in a toxic relationship. From the opening “I’m a match, she’s kerosene” you’ll be hooked on the catchy tune and sing-along demanding lyrics.
That togetherness and unity that’s so strongly encouraged in punk music is the foundation of We Got Each Other. Enforced with opening verse “If you are alone tonight, you can come with us” and chorus “We don’t have much but we got each other,” it’s likely to bring people together, if not just for the sing along. Trainspotters will also pick out the feature from the Rancid crew who all pitch in some verse vocals.
That united front is continued into the hoppy and inevitable skank enticing Broken World. Following on, songs such as Gave You Everything, Outrage and the earlier So Wrong lean more towards the punk spectrum while Leap of Faith, Not Personal and Be Gone just ooze ska, with Rumors and Gossip straddling the two nicely.
They open with ska strong Title Holder but closer Room With a View delves back into punk roots. A somewhat reflective eulogy of a loved one’s death that much like the opener, still manages to end with a positive bang.
Every so often an album comes around that you just know will go down a treat live and Fight the Good Fight is no exception. The Interrupters are already known for awesome shows, but Fight the Good Fight is likely to be next level. Hopefully we’ll get the opportunity to experience them again in the near future.
Overall, Fight the Good Fight is a powerfully melodic and energetic album that’s likely to become a benchmark in the realms of ska-punk. That unsuspecting clash of offbeat rhythms, wandering basslines and horns of ska fused with the hooky guitar riffs and gritty attitude of punk are the perfect match. It’s a feelgood album that’s simply fun to listen to.
The only problem with Fight the Good Fight is with every song comes a battle, one to fight the urge to sing along to the oh-so catchy lyrics and start skanking to the delicious beats. Hit play and just skank away.
RYAN ELLIS
