The Bruce Lee Band

Beautiful World (2005)

FatTony

The Bruce Lee Band is back! Sort of.

The band first released a self-titled full-length back in 1996 featuring Mike Park on vocals and the musical stylings of Roger, Chris, and Vinnie of Less Than Jake fame. Almost 10 years later, Mike Park decided to record another album under the moniker, this time with the talent of the boys from Rx Bandits behind him (minus tromboner Chris Sheets). Nothing against Less Than Jake, but Rx Bandits are tremendous musicians, so I found myself really looking forward to this release. Yet for some reason, I never got around to picking this up until just recently.

Simply put, there isn't a bad song on this EP. The only song I'm not too crazy about is the hidden track, which is just Park and an acoustic guitar. The song sort of reminds me of the old Bruce Lee Band, but it's not bad. It just doesn't really fit with the rest of the album. I guess that's probably why it's a hidden track.

But the other five songs will sit perfectly with any ska fan. I'd liken the sound more to up-tempo Hepcat than Rx Bandits, who take a more subdued and perhaps conventional approach to the ska sound than on their own albums. But they do a fantastic job with it. In fact, the best song on the EP is the mostly-instrumental "Go Feet Go," which conjures up an almost surfing music flavor with the fantastic saxophone and organ work while remaining identifiably ska.

Bottom line, this EP is well worth the price. I can't stop listening to it. It's a perfect EP for summertime. My only gripe (and the only reason it's not 5 stars): I wish it'd been a full-length.