Mustard Plug

Item: Yellow #5
Author: Chaz Murphy

Yellow #5

(2002)

Reviewed by Chaz Murphy

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Label Hopeless RecordsDecapolisNovember 2002

pop punk ska punk

Isn't ska supposed to be dead and something for the "new school" emo/hardcore kids to laugh at and say "I used to listen to that crap." Ska was all the rage 5 years ago. Everywhere you looked another ska or ska-punk band was popping up. Now all those kids who were skankin' in the pit, put their suits away and put on their new balance sneakers and rolled up jeans and now mosh it up or trying to be the most fashionable. Well, Mustard Plug didn't do that. I have respect for a band who sticks to their guns and continues to do what they love. Unlike a lot of bands out there who jump from fad to fad. It was ska, then pop punk, then metal core or fake "emo". Mustard Plug is still a ska band. The 6 piece Michigan ska band on Hopeless Records has a new record out as well. Yellow #5 is their fifth album in 10 years.

I have never been a huge ska fan, I liked some ska bands but I never got sucked into it as many people did. After the fad was done, I was actually very happy. I was hoping that those ska bands that were truly good and loved the music would still be around and still playing what they love. Yellow #5 is a good breath of fresh air for those ska fans still out there. Mustard Plug sticks to their old sound but I enjoyed Yellow #5 a lot more than their previous albums.

They do a great job of mixing old school ska, pop punk and straight up rock n' roll. It's not the greatest ska album ever but it wasn't annoying at all and I found myself singing along on some songs.

I really enjoyed the first 6 tracks, especially the second track "Get it Goin' On". I think by the 7th track, I kindof lost interest. Then I played the first couple tracks over and I got back into it. I think the end of the album lacks the power that the beginning has.

Overall the album has some great songs and some not so good songs. The production is good. I have to give my respect to Mustard Plug for not breaking up and doing a metal band. Good job guys.

B-