The album ...And The Battle Begun created by one of my favorite bands Rx Bandits was as astonishing to listen to the first time as it sill remains today. Although Rx Bandits have officially disbanded as of 2011, their albums and loving attitude towards music will continue to resonate with me for some time to come. They were previously based in Seal Beach, California and were comprised of Matt Embree on vocals/lyrics/guitar, Steve Choi on guitar/keyboard, Joseph Troy of bass, Christopher Sheets on trombone/vocals, and last but not least, Chris Tsagakis on drums. Their music truly reflects the confluence of creative capabilities that each member of the band had in abundance. Their style is definitely unique as it blends together rock, punk, ska, and reggae into what can only be called Rx Bandits. With this album, the band returned to more of the ska instrumentation while not exactly returning to ska itself. The trombone in this album is mainly used to highlight the underlying reggae progressions that most of their songs seem to include without overdoing it. Too much reggae is never a good thing. One of the bands and this album's defining characteristics is the flawless transitions from light and melodic sounds, to progressive jamming and instrumental music, to just purely cathartic, rock energy. With this being said, I think I like Rx Bandit's use of song structure the most out of all the bands I listen to (but don't quote me on that).
In terms of song consistency, this album overdoes it in the best way possible. I was amazed by how each song flowed from one another to the next so seamlessly. This musical excellence can be attributed to the band's high quality production value and their immense reserves of musical tact. Although I know that the band has ceased creating music, I will always keep a special place for them in my heart (iTunes).
First, I admit I stared at the album art for several minutes before I remembered I had to read this post! That might be the strangest cover art I've seen (keep in mind that my taste in music is pretty tame). Second, I'm intrigued by your description of the band. I can't imagine how a group could possibly combine rock, punk, ska and reggae into one cohesive genre. (I'd listen to the songs you posted, but since our class is in the lab together it might be awkward...) I suppose I trust your opinion...but still, I'm questioning whether Rx Bandits (or any group) can pull that off. Do you think their music ever borders on, well, chaos? Or do they toe the line between art and pandemonium deftly?
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