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| The ToastersIn Retrospect2003 Stomp 
 Review by: Adam See others by this writer ![[staff]](/images/icons/staffsticker.gif){kind=icon}
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Published on November 25th 2003 More than anything else, this compilation can be described as simply “necessary.” The longest running ska band in the US has been increasingly absent from record stores since Moon Ska went under. In Retrospect remedies that, collecting 21 of the band’s choice material from 1985’s Recriminations EP to 2002’s Enemy Of The System. Of course that leaves little room for anything other than the most obvious choices, but having all this material in one place is a huge plus. Of course some of the band’s best known singles show up here, including “East Side Beat,” “Don’t Let The Bastards Grind You Down” and “New York Fever.” The Toasters have revisited many songs throughout their career, so the versions of some tracks included here will be cause for debate amongst their fans. This is especially true with a pair of re-makes form 1987’s Skaboom. “Talk Is Cheap” is the Hard Band for Dead version while "Weekend In L.A." is the recording from 1997’s Don’t Let The Bastards Grind You Down. It’s interesting to note that regardless of trends the Toaster’s history is quite consistent. There is little differences in style between 85’s “Razor Cut” which came on the heels of the UK 2-Tone scene and “2-Tone Army” from the height of the mainstream’s obsession with 3rd wave revival. This solid direction adds the flow of In Retrospect. This is a very listenable “best of” as the tracks have been appropriately sequenced and aren’t simply left in chronological order. Despite the 18-year span in which the original records were recorded there’s no obvious jumps in production or mixing from song to song. I'm convinced that to a Toasters-novice not familiar with the band's past, this album could play though without them ever realizing it's collection. There isn’t really a lot to say about the Toaster’s In Retrospect.
It’s a faithful representation of the history of one of the most important
American ska bands ever. There’s no better introduction to the Toasters
than this.
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This is a really good album-if you like ska, you should get this. never heard the album but the toaster are a seriously banghshankin band an deserve motre credit then sum people give them The Toasters basicly did the theme song for Kablaam. They credited the moon ska stompers.(thats there side project) I'd prefer we just bury the word, it's one of the dumber genre conventions we've had to deal with... Just because all those kids call it "emo" doesn't make it right... Ok I can agree with the guy below. My point was that classifying Jawbreaker as emo based on the current "Dashboard, Saves the Day, Taking Back Sunday" classification of emo is wrong. Of course if your talking about the original meaning that's a different story, but nowawdays ~everything~ is "emo" to some kids. Jawbreaker is an emo band. At the Drive-In is an emo band. Cap'n Jazz is an emo band. DAG FUCKING NASTY is an emo band. All these other bands proclaiming themselves as "emo" (or are letting their labels promote the tag) --like Dashboard, Saves the Day, Taking Back Sunday and their ilk are the ones who aren't emo. Those of us who knew what it was before Spin Magazine christened Weezer an emo band know the difference. Jawbreaker was not an emo band? Well, I guess I don't like any emo! Unless Jawbox was emo! shit i looove this band...i wonder if the lead singer will ever like boys so we can hook up, but until then ill keep masturbating to his photos..and and i love the cd..and the band name is sooo deep, its almost emo!..props guys stay off da hizzle I think Weezer was a emo band. The only reason Jawbreaker get stuck with the emo tag is because after the fact, "emo" bands are claiming them as an influence. That dosen't re-classify them though. jawbreaker are proto-emo. "Ska isnt cheesy, its great music." I like ska the way it is. Ska isnt cheesy, its great music. God damn do I hate that classification. Jawbreaker was a punk band. Anyone who argues that "Jawbreaker was emo" in the modern sense of the word you should punch. I'd take ska over emo any fuckin' day of the week, unless we're talking reel big fish versus jawbreaker or jawbox then i'm going with the emo! I miss ska...sure it was cheasy but ska bands could drink and weren't total pussies like emo bands. "4. What was their favorite thing to drink when recording? Rancid drank nothing but Diet Pepsi when recording their latest, and I thik it really shows. I love the toasters. And yeah coolie is great. We met him at a mephiskapheles show, that the Pilfers were opening, he gave me a free CD and my girlfriend at the time a free hat! God, what a stupid story! Oh please god let Streetlight Manifesto come to Toronto.. The Kablaam! themesong was a version of Two Tone Army done by The Moon Ska All Stars or something. It's on one of the moon ska comps from 99 or so. Sigh. The day. what's kablaam? The Toasters didn't play the theme from kablaam. it was a slightly different version credited first to "moon ska," then in later episodes it was credited as performed by the Moon Stompers (I would assume buck was involved) Coolie ranx is the shit, especially on spring heeled jack's Man of Tomorrow It looks like Streetlight Manifesto is going to start playing shows now, not too shabby Rancid, diet pepsi.... oh jeez, this scores for that comment and this band sickboi: yes. It's on here. Did the Toasters do "2 Tone Army"? I can't remember... If I'm correct, Toasting was when reggae DJ's would do a bit of talking/rapping/whatever over the tracks they played. the toasters rock. no question son. but the name has nothing to do with ovens. its about radio DJs in England or somthing like that... No, they'd just be called Toast. This review was pretty good, but here's how I would make it better: i have all the albums so i won't get this, but yeah...what a great band! Must have... This score is for my toaster! It takes like 10 fucking minutes to bake two Eggos! FUCK! "Mona"'s on there. Oh well... interesting that they left off ALL the material that Coolie Ranx sung on. Granted, he was only in the band for 2 albums, but it was some of the best stuff they recorded. I know he didn't leave on good terms, and here's further evidence... (unless the interpunk track listing is wrong, and track 7 is not "Dub" but "Dub 56") "There’s no better introduction to the Toasters than this." Take your dick out of the toaster and quit crying bitches! the toasters are such a fantastic live band. definitely one of my favorite ska bands to see live. |
