Popes of Chillitown – To The Moon

Popes of Chillitown a Ska/Dub/Punk band from London founded in 2006 have gone through several line-up changes before the six piece line-up we see today. To date they have self released two EPs and pledge funded début album ‘A Word To The Wise‘ in 2013. Their second album ‘To The Moon’ was self released in May 2015, it was recorded at Hackney Road Studios, London and produced by Jack Ashley, their drummer. They have played many gigs throughout the UK and supported bands like The Selecter and Reel Big Fish.

Ska punk merges elements of ska with punk rock. Bands like Rancid and The Offspring are more punk influenced with punkier vocals, whereas The Specials and Madness are more ska-influenced. I picked up both in ‘To The Moon’ together with a bit of Dub, think UB40 or The Police.

A few observations, Mummy’s Busy I felt was more ska influenced, think The Selecter meets Bad Manners. Impatient reminded me of the Specials say Too Much Too Young whereas in Too Much where I might have expected the Too Much Too Young comparison to come in I actually thought of Walking On The Moon by The Police. In Otherside I picked up bit of a Lily Allen vibe, a faster Smile maybe. 14 Time with it’s reggae beat was reminiscent of UB40. Wisdom Teeth, The Specials meet Bad Manners, although it may have been the ‘Na Na Na Na Na Na’ which brought Ne Ne Na Na Na Na Nu Nu to mind more than anything else!

‘To The Moon’ is the first Popes of Chillitown album/EP I have heard so I can’t comment on how the band may, or may not, have evolved but what I can say it’s well produced and well crafted. Fast and energetic from the off. Popes of Chillitown should appeal to fans of bands like The Specials, Bad Manners, The Selecter, Madness,  Russkaja and Rancid.

Highlight Track: Mummy’s Busy

Track List:

1. Vamos a la Luna
2. Mummy’s Busy
3. OPOOM
4. Impatient
5. Voluntary Execution
6. Too Much
7. Otherside
8. 14 Time
9. Wisdom Teeth
10. Hey You
11. Every Day

Band Members:

Matt Conner – Vocals/Guitar
Arvin Bancil – Bass
Jack Ashley – Drums/Vocals
Tom Penn – Guitar/Vocals
Micah Rose-Trespeuch  – Saxophone
Ross Moore  – Trombone

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PopesOfChillitown