Audiodub

So Scud

Self Released

(Audiodub MySpace)

You got to give some credit to Audiodub. The three-piece moonlights as a Sublime Tribute Band (Lou Dog Trio) so it would be easy to fall in the trap of sounding too influenced by your heroes. That’s not the case on So Scud.

The San Francisco group takes reggae and fuses it wonderfully with a more pop sound. No better demonstrated than on the track Boring, a fun and infectious reggae pop escape. Where So Scud is a winner overall though is in its consistency to deliver pop polished gems one right after another across the whole album. Seriously, the first five songs on this album are the best opening tracks I have heard on a disc thus far this year.

While more straight-forward reggae songs like The Mom Song, Passport and All Alone are bound to win over the more easy going listener, for me Audiodub is at its most interesting when it leaves its comfort zone, like on the track Lazy Lake, which starts off acoustic, moves into reggae, then ska and finally back to reggae again. The creativity of the slow build up of a song like LDT also pays off big time here with its rocketing anthemic riffs.

Special mention must also go to the production on this album, for an indie release it is first rate, with its sunny and bright sound. At the moment Audiodub may be more recognized by their alter egos, however if So Scud is a sign of things to come and given the chance it will not be this way for long.

Reviewed by Pilipo

So Scud can be purchased online here.