"We'll make your knees jerk when the beat starts to pound, we'll make you dance like there's no one around," is a promise that SubCity Dwellers make on their new album "When the Beat Starts to Pound" and keep every time the octet plays live. Winnipeg's own SubCity Dwellers first formed in 2002 and have climbed out of the back alleys, maturing to the cutting edge sound we now hear. Truly, this is a well-rounded, high energy dance band with a party in their back pocket.
The musical styles these artists offer are heavily influenced by their individual, wide ranging tastes and backgrounds - Infectious reggae, punk, soul, blues and rock 'n' roll influences mix with loads of edge and occasional soca and roots grooves for a truly danceable sound. Each member of the group brings their own personalized touch to both the studio and the stage, tipping a hat to their respective roots, which results in passionate, dynamic songs that "reveal uncommon depth and skill, not to mention a clear sense of history" (Adrian Mack, NERVE Magazine). Their fresh SubCity sound keeps the dance floor packed and sweaty all night long with punks, mods, moonstompers, hippies, rockers and everyone else - shoulder to shoulder for an unforgettable night of intense energy and the most fun you've had since… Well let's just say this isn't a party you want to miss.
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When the Beat Starts to Pound reviews
Our new record. Recorded in the middle of nowhere last winter. So far, so good. Here's what people had to say
The latest from ska-rockers SubCity Dwellers is dedicated to former Barrymores drummer Devin Fougere-Mitchell, who died in a snowmobiling mishap earlier this year. And it's a fitting tribute, given the disc finds the band at their most mature-sounding yet. No longer just a side project for the eight members (who've also done time in the Barrymores and the Crackdown), SubCity is also no longer strictly a ska act, having branched out to more firmly embrace their various punk, reggae and straightup rock influences. So while it's not much of stretch to hear the band dabbling in Tom Waits-ish hobo-skronk, or achieving an airy island vibe on 'Don't Believe It,' it's even more impressive when they couch an anti-war diatribe in calypso rhythms, or recast themselves as headliners of a '50s high school prom for 'Take Some Time.' A few of the longer numbers could have done with a bit of trimming, but on sharper blasts of party-rock like 'When the Record Comes Kicking' and 'Go On!', the Dwellers prove themselves to be without peer. 3 1/2 stars out of 5
David Schmeichel - Winnipeg Sun
Wow, SUBCITY DWELLERS really mix things up and blend all kinds of styles together. The backbone of the sound is traditional Ska but they build on that with all kinds of styles and genres from punk rock to Latin to dub to calypso to Mariachi to reggae to soul to rock 'n' roll and there's eight of these dwellers so there's a massive scope to truly develop and extend within a composition which they do to full advantage… the end result is like a wild street festival orchestra of KINGS OF NUTHIN', THE ETHIOPIANS, HEPCAT, THE CLASH, BEDOUIN SOUNDCLASH, SUBLIME and LOS HOOLIGANS. It's a truly wild sound and played so fuckin well too which it really has to be if a band is going to be this eclectic otherwise it can sound confused but the SUBCITY DWELLERS are the opposite - they sound focussed as hell and they clearly have a huge musical background and knowledge between them to be able to so seamlessly fuse these styles together. A very interesting and inspiring record.
www.nofrontteetn.co.uk
Just when you thought the ska-punk genre had heaved its final breath, along comes a 'Peg City band to set the rickety train back on track. The seven-headed monster that is Sub City Dwellers approaches this music with a vigour that is refreshing, righteous and rocking -- sometimes all at once.
Of course, they mostly style themselves after the reliable U.K., two-tone ska-revival sound, but leap off into a blistering sonic stew of their own design that truly kicks butt. Kudos must be given to the dazzling brass section as they find a way to sneak in a trombone or trumpet solo when you least expect it, shooting their credibility as a tasteful band through the roof.
There's definitely a beat for everyone in these 15 superb tracks. 4 1/2 out of 5
Jeff Monk - Winnipeg Free Press
Ska is not for everybody. The SubCity Dwellers, however, are. Not just a ska band, this 16 armed beast throws reggae, calypso, punk and straight up rockarolla into the mix, creating an ultra-pleasing palette that is impossible not to groove to. Seriously, if you don't like these songs, you're lying. Here's a few that will crank your skank: Chillin' is a relaxing bit of reggae, a tune that could instantly hippify the most hardcore of conservatives. Play this one in Parliament and before you know it we'd have a 32-hour work week and marijuana would be legalized - shit, maybe even mandatory. Is This Normal? hits hard with its Against Me!-like punk thump. Sweeya is about a virus that's been going around at SubCity shows. Its symptoms include "uncontrollable dancing and loss of one's voice." Get infected. (A)
Jared Story - Uptown Magazine
Winnipeg eight piece ska-punkers Sub City Dwellers release their third full album 'When The Beat Starts To Pound', a collection that perhaps is their most inventive and appealing to date. Aside from the obvious Specials, Clash and Rancid influences that feature something like the New Orleans horn flavoured and Tom Waitsesque vocal mannerisms of 'After My Heart' demonstrates this is a band with vision and ambition to go beyond expectation. That said they're certainly no slouches when it comes to producing feet pleasing upbeat infectious dance numbers or taking a trip back in time for more rootsy ska excursions. They're also capable of producing richly attractive tune soaked pop and even delicious soul flavours on 'Take Some Time'. If Sub City Dwellers are representative of Canada's ska punk scene then it's certainly producing the most ambitious, addictive and downright enjoyable today.
5 out of 5
Sean McGhee - www.rock-n-reel.co.uk
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