ORESKABAND - ORESKABAND

Sandwiched inbetween successful American shows, including their latest as part of California's Anime Expo Convention, and their participation in the upcoming Warped Tour, ORESKABAND brings their stateside fans their first overseas release. The self-titled ORESKABAND album is bursting with the upbeat attitude and talents of its six female members.

In the tradition of many ska bands before them, ORESKABAND kicks their album off with a plucky and slightly crazed introduction. The first few songs, including the hit PINOCCHIO which has been picked to be one of the end themes for the popular Naruto anime, all showcase the young band's energy. One of the finest examples of this is the fourth track, YEAH! Ska dance, a decidedly third wave ska tune that plays up the skills of LEADER, SAKI, and MORIKO on their respective horns. Listeners will find themselves hard pressed to sit still with the catchy beats and the ending choruses, easily sung along to.

Shall we Dance? initially sounds like it will be a slower song, but this preconception is quickly shattered as this instrumental track urges listeners back up onto their feet. The girls in the horn section again shine, each getting a brief solo; trombone, saxophone, and finally trumpet. While instrumental tracks may scare off some listeners, one should definitely give this one a try. Ska music is famous for relying on the strength of its musicians, as opposed to pop which tends to rely on the strength of a vocals alone, and ORESKABAND is plenty strong here.

The sixth track, MONKEY MAN (MONKEY monkey MAN), is a more subdued tune and sports lyrics entirely in English. This song also switches the focus slightly away from the horns and towards IKASU, TOMI, and TAE-SAN as it sports a slightly alternative rock feel in addition to ska. IKASU and TOMI's vocals mix wonderfully together and many will find themselves either singing or humming along to the end.

While U is close to the spirit of MONKEY MAN (MONKEY monkey MAN) with its blended rock and ska sound, 20 Tips brings that delightful third wave ska sound back strong. Extremely catchy and with a soaring spirit, it is little surprise that this song was picked to be an ending theme for the Bleach anime.

After a weaving saxophone solo in GOOD BYE Deja vu, it's the guitar and trombone that first catch one's ears in the slower, sweet ALMOND. This tune is definitely an easy one to swallow and IKASU's vocals, while not quite what would one would expect from the soaring chorus, especially those used to overly dramatic vocal work from pop stars, is honest and clear. Without becoming cloying or overly sappy, it's a wonderful of example of a truly moving ska song that will likely affect even those who don't speak a single word of Japanese.

ORESKABAND wraps things up the same way they started them with plenty of catchy riffs and zing. The final track on the album is Chuck, which is also the longest at nearly five and half minutes. Not a single second of the song drags however as it's driven forward by TAE-SAN's cymbal work and the talents of the other girls, including some very well-done vocal work. One of the strongest songs on the album, it's an excellent note to end things on.

Though ORESKABAND's stateside release is coming out near the tail end of the summer months, this upbeat album, packed with energy and charm, should help anyone get through the approaching, colder seasons. Those getting ready to head back to their classes should definitely slip this CD into their book bag, or at least check out the ITunes site or other digital music distributors to get it on their mp3 player. If there is any fault to be found in this album amongst ska fans, it is only the complaint that it is impossible to replicate the ORESKABAND experience on CD or mp3; this is a band that demands to be heard live. Thankfully with their participation in the Warped Tour, one may find these six young women on a stage close by soon.