Resolution 242 are a politically driven 4 piece from Stratford Upon Avon, sounding reminiscent of The King Blues before they lost the anger and started appearing on the front covers of national publications. Combining beautiful laid back harmonies with a rousing folky protest vibe, they take us through 8 tracks of dub and folk influenced ska punk.

So, personally, i'm not massive on political punk. Call it ignorance, call it apathy, or just put it down to the fact that i quite enjoy a McDonalds now and then. It all seems to be mindless cliches and needless anger, directed at outlets that the artists really aren't that well informed about. So this is the point where the review either goes the way of me lumping Resolution 242 in with these rabble rousers, or deciding that actually, they do a pretty good job of it.

Surprise surprise, Resolution 242 DO know what they're on about, and do a brilliant job of articulating their thoughts and feelings, offering the perfect compliment to their finely crafted tunes. And there's a refreshing sense of humour amidst the bile and venom, my favourite lyric being from the harmonica driven acoustic number I.M.F (which Google tells me is the International Monetary Fund - see, I wasn't joking when i said i wasn't clued up) where they declare: 'We'd rid this poverty, and all get Monday mornings free.'

Separating the music from the lyrics, they can shift from acoustic folk to summery dub quite easily, and without it sounding stale or repetetive. Even though a fair number of the tracks clock in over 4 minutes, there's really no sense that they ever overstay their welcome, hooking you in with huge vocal hooks. Opener Bullets In The Ground is a perfect example with it's catchy 'Rise Up, Rise Up' outro. The layered vocal harmonies and sublime grooves just suck you in, hypnotising you with catchy simplicity.

My only issue would be really that Resolution 242 aren't really offering anything new to a genre which has suddenly been thrust into the limelight with the success of their contemporaries The King Blues and The Skints. Whereas The Skints manage to expertly combine laid back reggae with aggressive punk, Resolution 242 really only stick to one speed. The wisdom in the lyrics and voice samples scattered without combined with perfect singalong summer tunes will ensure Resolution 242 are the soundtrack to many a music lovers Summer, and it's a guarantee this CD will be playing in my car for the long sunny drives the Summer promises.

SkaMutiny Rating 4/5

Summers

Oh looks some one whos not even in team review posting a review :p

nice rev summers

Summers wrote:

My only issue would be really that Resolution 242 aren't really offering anything new to a genre which has suddenly been thrust into the limelight with the success of their contemporaries The King Blues and The Skints. Whereas The Skints manage to expertly combine laid back reggae with aggressive punk, Resolution 242 really only stick to one speed.[/b]

But they are very young, so who knows where they will develop from here...

Is this the mastered version of the E.P. that was made available for free download recently?

i.e. Tracklisting:

1. Bullets In the Ground
2. I.M.F.
3. B.N.P.
4. War Crimes
5. Gaza Dub
6. PIGS
7. Poets Town
8. War

Yeah it is the one which was made downloadable recently

x

Is it still up for download and/or where can I get me a download? Britain's Nasty Politics is an epic song.

Cheers geeza

Na basically we put it up for download for one day then we got picked up by Do the Dog! so its now coming out by physical release in about a week by them


x

I really do like this cd rather a lot, even more on repeat listens. I upgraded them to 4 stars, since 3.5 is a bit of a cop out.

I think i'm more impressed to learn that they recorded it in a bedroom, it sounds really good!

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=183416295&blogId=496412013


Hahahaha.

haha, they linked me to it before, awesome stuff.