By Jim Rowland
The Family Business Ltd is a new ska collective bringing together Jordan Cardy (Rat Boy), Preston
(The Ordinary Boys), and Antonee First Class (The English Beat), with Operation Ivy’s Tim Armstrong
and Jesse Michaels. Taking huge inspiration from the classic punk/ska fusion of 2-Tone, they release
their energy-packed debut album this month.
Blink and you might miss this album, with the whole thing clocking in at less than 24 minutes, and
only one of its ten tracks long enough to hit the three-minute mark. But it’s not the quantity but the
quality that counts, and the album is packed full of short, sharp bursts of high energy skankin’ ska
like the blistering ‘Floor Burner’ and ‘Shakedown’, and ultra-catchy tunes like ‘Detonator’ and ‘No
Vacancy’.
The influence of the original 2-Tone era is strong, particularly of The Specials and The
Selecter in their most up-tempo moments, in addition to the striking cover art. The message behind
2-Tone, so important back then and just as relevant and important today, remains the same here.
If you hanker after those halcyon days of black and white checks, pork pie hats, harringtons, sta-
press and tassel loafers of ‘79/’80, The Family Business Ltd will bring those memories flooding back.
The Family Business Ltd is released today and is available here