The Jump Up! label opened the national account for Midwestern ska bands with their seminal 1993 American Skathic compilation, showcasing the best the region had to offer, to be swiftly followed by an equally crucial second volume in the new year. In 1995, however, the label stopped looking forward momentarily to take stock of those bands that had led the way, and were now no more, with the Death of an American Skathic epitaph. Those bands were now gone, but ska lived on, and as 1996 dawned a new Jump Up! compilation arrived ...
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The Jump Up! label opened the national account for Midwestern ska bands with their seminal 1993 American Skathic compilation, showcasing the best the region had to offer, to be swiftly followed by an equally crucial second volume in the new year. In 1995, however, the label stopped looking forward momentarily to take stock of those bands that had led the way, and were now no more, with the Death of an American Skathic epitaph. Those bands were now gone, but ska lived on, and as 1996 dawned a new Jump Up! compilation arrived, Return of American Skathic. So meet the new crew, 26 fresh-faced skankers ready to face the world. In the next few years, Jump Up! would release full-lengths by a clutch of these bands -- the punk rocking Hot Stove Jimmy, the hardcore goes ska Eclectics, the flashy big band-styled Greenhouse, the swinging Deals Gone Bad, the Spanish-challenged and reggae guitar-flecked Adjusters. Conversely, the comp's youngest (agewise) group, the Gadjits, would sign with Hellcat Records. Beyond this best-known bunch is a plethora of other excellent acts catering to every musical persuasion. By now, the Midwest scene was flourishing, bursting out in every direction, and in response Return is a jubilantly eclectic album, covering the entire ska spectrum from traditional to ska-core, 2-Tone to third wave, jazz to pop. For it is this very diversity and musical versatility that define the Midwest ska sound. The album's exceedingly careful sequencing ensures that shifts in styling are subtle and supple, with no jarring swings between extremes, thus showcasing each band at its best. It's a superb set yet again, the equal of its predecessors and just as crucial for fans. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, Rovi
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