The Heat Machine

No Coast Dance Party

[2.5/5]



Sometimes the simplest questions can have the most bearing: Why third-wave ska? The sub-genre notoriously married pop-punk with upbeat upstrokes creating a boom that most of the founding bands moved on from after an album or two. On No Coast Dance Party, behind the upstrokes and lone trombone, there’s a viable ’90s throwback pop-punk album. Fronted by impeccable dual female vocals in a constant state of harmony, tinged with throwback mod organ, and consistently bouncing off solid melody lines, the Heat Machine have pop music in their DNA–call it ska for the Tegan And Sara set. But it’s the ska that gets in the way. This is most apparent on the country remix of “Bottlerockets,” which is catchy, believable and full of heart; it’s a great example of cross-pollination and the power of the steel guitar. If only the whole album followed suit. Telling a band they’re playing the wrong genre, however, is a bit of a cheap shot. Everyone who lived through the mid-’90s has a ska-leton in their closet, and they might not want to be reminded of it. If only the Heat Machine could figure it out on their own. (ASBESTOS) Jesse Raub



GO DOWNLOAD: “Bottlerockets (country version)”