Downloadable samples to follow soon!

Kicking off is a ska instrumental entitled ‘Stingey Brim’, complete with thumping horns, a crashing drum sound and a catchy piano refrain …. is it an ode to a 50s FBI agent, a veteran Jamaican musician, or just a musical tribute to the classic ‘pork pie’ trilby hat? And is that shades of Jazz Jamaica, Fatty Bum Bum or El Pussy Cat?

Lead guitarist Steve Harrington takes us back to the early swinging sounds of ska for ‘Miss Ida’, celebrating a character and club from Thelwells’ ‘The Harder They Come’ novel, ten years before the film begins, when Ivan was a young boy ….

‘Sweeter Love’ moves into the late 60s early reggae sounds, frontman Paul Carter in compelling form with a subtle and sincere rendition; a simple tale of lost love …

Keyboard maestro Andy Pearson gets straight to the point on ‘With You Tonight’, an authentic rocksteady groove that makes you shake and move, his statement sandwiched between the chunky horn riff …

Jamaican music often works as a history book, the issues of the day captured in song titles … many scorching Skatalites’ instrumental hits were titled simply to reflect the hot topics: ‘Christine Keeler’, ‘President Kennedy’, ‘Malcolm X’, ‘Cuban Blockade’ etc … add to this a ream of classic tributes to boxers and one wonders why there is no ‘Rubin Hurricane Carter’ sound off … so here it is, simple, thumping and champion! What would the gathered Skatalites have called it? ‘Free Rubin’ seems to fit nicely.

A long-time live favourite, finally laid down … the Tommy McCook horn version to Boom Shack A Lack, positively ‘Dynamite’!

Reggae got soul … ‘Move On’ is inspired by a rare melancholic rhythm from Kentrick Patrick, overlaid with a new, positive, Mayfield-like message in the lyric. It is uplifted throughout with
the stunning vocal qualities of Abraham, particularly in the soulful fade ….

Recounting a funny, yet macabre, story told to the band late on one night after a show in Hamburg, ‘Butcher’ tells of Dennis Alcapone at Duke Reid’s studio, and gunshots being heard. Great 70s
rockers’ style drumming from Bruce Allen, add a new sound to the band’s deck of cards ….

‘Stealing’ snaps in, like a thief in the night, a working of the John Holt classic, and a horn line still popular in Dancehall today ….

Karl Wirrmann returns as a writer with a minor key ska vocal telling the story of San Francisco cop ‘Dirty Harry’ .. the message is unforgiving and utterly clear … ‘he is the judge and he is the jury’.

‘Piranha’ has become the end of set stormer, the horns blasting in a frenzy of attack .. who’s solo was it supposed to be?!?

Abraham once again assists on the vocals for ‘Every Road’, a song written many years ago, a rocksteady journey started in a hotel bar in the early hours and finished in the tour van the
next day.

Andy Pearson’s many fans will be pleased to hear him let rip on another monster Hammond workout, ‘Penny Fall’, Upsetter style!

The album draws to a close with one final ska dancer, the tale of ‘Rum Papa’, destined to be an Intensified crowd favourite. ‘Let’s drink a toast to his memory’, the band fade in wild abandon, raw and pounding ‘til the last instrument crashes and burns.

The artwork, resplendent in a nod of respect to the plain, uncrowded and proud sleeves of the yesteryear Studio One masterpieces, adds again to the popular INTENSIFIED library of works.
As with the writing and recording, time and thought is spent, and respect is paid, to the influences of the band .. this is no pale, rehash of retro and cover version .. INTENSIFIED continue to move forward and bring new audiences into this vibrant and important part of the modern music scene .. the story continues, unstoppable .. something to make you smile and dance …