It’s July, the time of year where bands and other musicians are releasing new music, doing release parties and small promo tours to promote their new music. This year is a little different with the Coronavirus shut downs in many states. That includes California, and it’s prohibiting the gathering of large groups…. in short, that means no concerts.
What we still have is new music! Bands have been recording in their homes, practicing on zoom, and mastering tracks that were recorded prior to the shut down.
Two bands that have new music this weekend are “Half Past Two” and “Los Nauticals.” Both bands are ska bands from the Southern California Ska Scene and are very well liked. Half Past Two has an EP release for July 3rd and Los Nauticals also has a single release set for the 4th.
Half Past two has finally released their lovingly pieced together EP “Something Blue.”
Something Blue is a 3-song work of art that HP2 has been teasing the Music Community with for the last few months.
The album title is a play on the four parts of a bride’s wedding attire and the the phrase “Something old, something new, Something borrowed, something blue.”
The Something Old is the complete redo of their 2014 song “Lying Eyes.” It’s not a remaster, but rather redone from scratch.
The Something New is the very catchy “See You Again” which was released as a single at the beginning of quarantine and became a sort of theme song for the times we are living in.
For the Something borrowed HP2 performed a cover of the Beatles “I will” and made it their own. The Something blue, well that’s in the title. This release conjures of feelings similar to those felt with Dance Hall Crashers’ “Blue Plate Special”
TO GET SOMETHING BLUE
Los Nauticals are a Five piece band from Orange County and Long Beach, who toe the line between two-tone and 3rd wave ska. At first glance you might think Los Nauticals are models looking for a ska contract, but when they play you realize they are the real thing.
Their Music has messages of fun and unity and can get a whole room dancing. They are aware of the origins of Ska stating “Ska Music is a revolutionary people’s music.”
Their new Single is called “Can’t You See.” It’s based on the Ska revolt and the era it comes from and they promise more music just like that. Sample releases of “Can’t you See” are upbeat and very dance worthy.
The song has the sound of later Desmond Dekker or two-tone Specials sonic vibe. Be sure to be on the look out for further music from Los Nauticals as they grow as a band they will only get better.
Covid has taken so much from us, but it’s also given us a chance to realize that when shows and live music return… they’re something we should never again take for granted. In the meantime, find new artist to follow and dust off your vinyls because together we can bring back the things we love.
You can pick up the new Los Nauticals tunes at all the normal places you pick up your music online.
