The Mighty Mighty BossToneS – ‘When God Was Great’ (Hellcat Records)

By Jim Rowland

For their 11^th studio album, ska-punk pioneers The Mighty Mighty BossToneS have turned the despair and negativity of the past year or so on its head, using the time on their hands to plunge themselves headfirst into an intense song writing frenzy. The result, according to the band, was the most fun they have ever had making a record, and with the help of numerous friends and acquaintances they have produced one of the strongest albums of their career in ‘When God Was Great’.

Co-produced by longtime collaborator Ted Hutt and Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong at Armstrong’s Ship-Rec Studios in Silver Lake, California, ‘When God Was Great’ is a positive celebration of ska music, with the BossToneS unique twist on it, featuring 15 tracks that explore several different flavours within that genre. Opener ‘Decide’, ‘Move’, ‘Bruised’ and ‘You Had To Be There’ are all out up-tempo moonstompers, with the likes of ‘I Don’t Believe In Anything’ and ‘The Killing Of Georgie (Part III)’ adding some heavier guitar riffing into the mix – and don’t worry, the latter has nothing to do with Rod Stewart! Elsewhere, ‘Lonely Boy’ and ‘When God Was Great’ slow the pace a few notches to deliver an easy skankin’ reggae vibe, as does the BossToneS’ excellent re-working of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Long As I Can See The Light’, which works a treat.

There’s even room for a bit of a calypso favour with ‘It Went Well’ too. The song writing is of a really high level throughout, but it all seems to be geared up for the big crescendo of the epic eight minute album closer ‘The Last Parade’, a euphoric celebration of everything the Mighty Mighty BossToneS stand for musically, and a track that includes a whole host of guest appearances, including Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers), Angelo Moore (Fishbone) Jay Navarro (Suicide Machines), Jimmy G (Murphy’s Law) to name but a few. The rest of the album also features contributions from several key former members of the band as well, making this a real celebratory coming together.

Nearly 40 years since they first formed, and having survived the ups, downs and hiatuses most bands of that vintage will experience, ‘When God Was Great’ is proof that this band still love what they do and can still knock out an album that will put a smile on your face, and we certainly need that right now, don’t we?

‘When God Was Great’ is released on Friday (7 May). You can get your copy HERE.

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