Okay, I’m going to come clean here. I am almost dying of excitement from the announcement that Capdown have reformed for a couple of shows in December, so I decided to take a look back at where it all started for this talented ska-punk outfit, all the way back in 2000 with their debut album Civil Disobedients. Don’t worry – I won’t be biased!
Civil Disobedients is one of those classic albums that never gets old no matter how many times you listen to it and if you’re big on your ska, then you’ll absolutely love this album. The saxophone lines from Jake are perfectly punctuated and add so much to the fast-paced and energetic music, and even just listening to the music on CD, you can just tell that this band is an absolute force to be reckoned with live.
Ska Wars is an early highlight of the album, but it’s Cousin Cleotis that sits head and shoulders above all the other songs on the release – and I’d go so far as to say it’s one of the best ska songs of all time. The opening line on the sax is insanely catchy and just the right pace to dance and just go crazy to – and that’s before the main body of the song gets underway, with lots of vocal lines simply begging to be sung along to and the drums are foot-tappingly brilliant – and let’s not get me started on how awesome the trills on the sax are!
Album closer Bitches In Nike Shoes is a somewhat different track that shows an experimental side to the outfit. It has more of a reggae/old-school ska style to it but yet it still works and has remained a staple of their set and a fan-favourite for many years – which just goes to show that it pays off to take a risk sometimes.
There isn’t really much to fault about Civil Disobedients – it’s ska done exceptionally well, and although their following release, Pound For The Sound, is an all-round stronger release, as a whole Civil Disobedience is an excellent listen and I for one can’t wait to see what next year will bring for the 15th anniversary of this landmark album!
8/10
You can also read our feature about Capdown here.
