STREAM: MaSKArades by The Holophonics
If ‘80s pop tunes make up a good portion of your personal sing-along repertoire, you need to partake of “MaSKArades Volume 11: Awesome ‘80s” from The Holophonics.
The ska group adds their own take on pitch, speed, and instrumentation to each tune, bringing new life to these tried-and-true ballads. Eric Daino and Harrell Petersen start strong with their harmonious rendition of “Livin’ on a Prayer,” crooning away while not skimping on the full ska treatment. “Don’t Stop Believin’” takes a more deliberate, punk approach than the Steve Perry-led version oft-imitated and rarely changed. “Rebel Yell” gets an upgrade from its general darkness with a brilliant, rich sound, a marriage of awesome wind contributions and an active percussive beat. Listeners can’t evade rickrolling, and you won’t want to miss out on track seven. “Never Gonna Give You Up” benefits greatly from trumpet and trombone flair throughout, with a steady, infectious tempo. “Don’t You Forget About Me” proves itself once more as an excellent final song on this album. Seriously, John Bender, fist in air, would be proud of The Holophonics.
Check out this album, as well as 13 others full of originals and fresh covers, on Bandcamp. Also be sure to catch The Holophonics at one of their upcoming shows: Friday, July 28 at Midway Craft House; Friday, August 4 at Fort Worth’s The Grotto; or Saturday, August 19 at NTX SlamFest at Action Park in Grand Prairie.
Bon Jovi released "Livin' on a Prayer" the same year I came into this world, and The Holophonics' ska-tastic take on an '80s classic is a fresh spin on an oldie.