The Pietasters

A lot of people thought the Pietasters misfired with 1997's "Willis." The production was bigger and louder than 1995's "Oolooloo." Instead of featuring smooth vocals and playful ska, the Pietasters churned out a growling ska-rock record. In all fairness, the album was actually quite awesome, just a slight departure.

Well, along comes 1999's "Awesome Mix Tape #6." This is what happens when you mix "Oolooloo" and "Willis." The sound on this album can go from reggae, to ska, to soul, to punk, to rocksteady and back in just a few tracks. Check out the trademark Pietasters soul/ska sound on "Yesterday's Over" (one of the best songs the band has ever done). And the bouncy "Spiderview" provides one of the best moments on the album. Other highlights include "Can't Stand It," "Chain Reaction," "Crawl Back Home," and "Wasted." Oh, and stick around for the hilarious bonus track, "Menowannalikki-u."

I loved this cd from the start. Hands down, the best ska release of 1999.