What You Can Do, What You Can't
Moon Ska Records
Long hailed as one of the best bands in the ska scene, Skinnerbox enjoys popularity which far transcends that of the masses of inept bands which play along side them. The trouble is, Skinnerbox doesn't deserve this popularity.
Moon Ska Records has managed to brainwash the majority of ska fans into believing it is the best ska label in the world and anything it puts out is fantastic.
On What You Can Do, What You Can't, Skinnerbox is just another band playing off the undeserved popularity of a label which hasn't released an outstanding album in four years. What You... suffers from shoddy recording and poor writing and musicianship.
On this album, Skinnerbox offers a collection of mediocre songs that sound as if they were recorded on a four track and not mixed or mastered at all. Nearly every tune on What You... has the distinct feel of exhaustion. The songs seem to have been recorded and mixed with a complete lack of enthusiasm and respect for the audience. The only decent songs on this album are "Nex Finga" and "Ditch Digger," which are really only of B-side quality.
Skinnerbox seems to be suffering from the same affliction most of its label-mates are--the idea that if a band is on Moon Ska, whatever crap it puts out will be greedily consumed by the scene.
What You... merely proves the ska scene needs a truly good band, not just a bunch of good propaganda artists.
--Brian Gettler