Review: Mustard Plug – In Black And White

Cool hipster blogs certainly do not post about anything related to ska. Good thing this one is neither of those things. That aside, how can ten years have gone by since Mustard Plug released Evildoers Beware (easily their finest album) yet nothing about the band’s sound has changed one bit? Putting on their latest album In Black And White is like stepping into a time warp. I almost want to skank like it was 1997 or at least teach my 2 year old daughter to. I mean, she was singing along to the “la la la” part at the end of “Real Rat Bastard.” Needless to say, if you are a Mustard Plug fan you will like this. For those that are new to the band, keep reading. Mustard Plug calls Grand Rapids, Michigan home and plays an upbeat brand of horn-filled third-wave ska punk that has gotten a little more “core” over the years, but nothing like fellow Michiganites the Suicide Machines.

One of the few ska-punk bands that remains from the genre’s mid 90’s heyday, Mustard Plug hasn’t really progressed musically or lyrically since their early days. That’s not necessarily a bad thing either. Ska-punk was cool for a split second way back when and certainly isn’t considered hip today, so what gives? Maybe it is just the nostalgia of it all that makes In Black And White sound so good right now but it is also a bit refreshing to hear a band just do what they do and do it solidly. While other ska-punk bands like the RX Bandits have become more and more experimental and progressive with each release, Mustard Plug just keeps it simple and have (in the process) released their best material since Evildoers Beware. In Black And White is out now on Hopeless Records.

MP3 | Mustard Plug – Hit Me! Hit Me! In Black And White
MP3 | Mustard Plug – Copasetic In Black And White