Intensified
Doghouse Bass

You might well think that yet another British ska band is really not what the world needs right now, but if your heart sinks when I tell you that Intensified are, in their own words, a 'traditional ska/reggae/rocksteady band', nine-strong and based in Kent, do not stop reading. On no account stop reading. This is a band several cuts above the rest.

'Stingy Brim' kicks off the album in fine style, a crisp, punchy instrumental with plenty of bite on the saxes, trumpet and trombone and a succession of coruscating horns solos to suggest that these boys really know their stuff. Its frenetic, blistering pace will get the handkerchief out from under your stingy brim to mop your face down while your arms pump like oil wells on a million barrel strike. Live, these guys must be awesome. In fact, don't just take a handkerchief under your stingy brim, take a couple of towels as well.

The range of Jamaican musical styles on this album take Intensified far beyond the basic ska template. Miss Ida is a folksy medium tempo vocal with the rural charm of Justin Hinds' Carry Go Bring Come while Dirty Harry features some searching solos over a moody ska rhythm section that reach the parts the Two-Tone bands never could. 'Sweeter Love' features some compulsive reggae style guitar licks and Penny Fall gives the organist free rein on a Tighten Up style extravaganza in best early Upsetter mode. 'Dynamite', their take on Tommy McCook's instrumental cut to Hopeton Lewis' beautiful 1969 hit 'Boom Shacka Lacka' once again blends rocksteady and early reggae styles into the ska mix. 'Free Rubin' features spaghetti western style jangling guitar chords and a moody sound not unlike Roland Alphonso's 'El Toro', above which soars a terrific alto sax solo. Their frenetic uptempo rendering of John Holt's 'Stealing' again suggests that they've gone further into the music than the average band.

This is no slavish revival band- the fun and exuberance in their playing and the range of musical references evokes the playing of such originators as Don Drummond and Roland Alphonso. Every drum roll and organ lick suggests they have studied at the cool school of the original Jamaican producers, that of Duke Reid above all, from whose university of ska they surely graduated with a first.

Intensified write their own lyrics too, all helpfully printed out on the sleeve, and the reality lyrics of 'The Butcher and the Bullet' (It's hot down on Bond Street today, too hot/it's not the Duke who lick a shot, it's from the butcher store') suggests more than a passing acquaintance with the story of Duke Reid shooting up his own recording studio above his Bond Street liquor store. While my only cavil with 'Doghouse Bass' is that the vocals can seem a little diffident against the disciplined fire of the instrumental players, this is more than made up for by the originality of the lyrics.

Intensified already have an impressive track record, having shared the stage with reggae greats Prince Buster, Alton Ellis, Dennis Brown, and Dennis Alcapone among others, and produced two previous albums and several 7" singles. Doghouse Bass suggests that the best is yet to come. This is a fine record and a very talented band. Buy the record, go out and see the band.