Reviews – In Black And White

Photo 2007 by Mitch Ranger

THEPUNKSITE.COM
by Bobby Gorman
Rating: 4/5

With sixteen years under their belt, Mustard Plug knows what they’re doing. While they were never one of those few bands who really struck it big with the ska explosion a few years ago, the band has been releasing consistently strong releases nevertheless; and unlike many of the bands who did strike it big, Mustard Plug has neither broken up or released a shockingly horrid CD. Instead, Mustard Plug have stayed consistent, steadily maturing and growing stronger while always remaining in that loveable genre known as ska.

On their sixth album, Mustard Plug shows that ska is still alive and kicking even if it’s not the flavor of the month. Blasting off with the energetic and slightly rough Who Benefits?, the listener is pulled into the album instantly and while the slightly more serious subject matter and heavier guitar riff may not be the Mustard Plug you know and love; it’s still a great, catchy song that kicks off the album perfectly. Hit Me! Hit Me! is more of a return to form as it’s more straight forward ska with a phenomenal upstroke and a brass section that is one of the strongest on the record. Copasetic is energetic and upbeat while You Can’t Go Back slows it down a bit more and Real Rat Bastard is the perfect sing along song that really captures the essence that is Mustard Plug. Really, that song is worth repeating over and over again and you can’t help but sing along after the first time.

In Black and White sees the band once again maintaining true to their sound and style. The songs are more complex and written in a much more memorable fashion than they were sixteen years ago, but it’s still third wave ska straight to the bone. Plus, Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore did an amazing job producing and mixing the release. Everything is perfectly level in the mix and the volume is crisp and clear. Unlike some albums (Less Than Jake’s In With The Out Crowd comes to mine) the brass on In Black and White comes shining through while still letting the rest of the instruments – and Kirchgessner’s vocals – play a leading role in many of the songs when needed too. However, the effect of the famed Blasting Room producers are still evident as the album is easily the darkest album the band has ever released. The vocals are harsher, near the end of Time To Wake Up, vocalist Dave Kirchgessner sounds similar to The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ Dicky Barret as they become slightly heavier and darker, and it is much edgier and much more agitated than some fans will be used to; but the album still works and even with the edge to them, the songs are still a rocking good time.

So not only is it one of the strongest ska releases of the year, but it’s one of the strongest releases of the year – period.

WONKA VISION
by Josh Spilker
Rating: 5/5

Yeah, Mustard Plug has been around since 1992. They caught the wave, rode it to shore, and now are trying to catch another one. Most of their peers have given it up and gone home already. I was into ska, say, ten years ago, but not into Mustard Plug. Back then, there were too many new releases and too many tours to stay up with everybody. I was in Florida where Less Than Jake and a myriad of others and locals dominated the scene, so it was rare when a Midwest band came down that way. But listening to Mustard Plug’s In Black And White was a refreshing taste of not only nostalgia, but also of some good, current, crunchy pop punk. It’s good to hear punk so thick and not so whiny. The layer of horns over some chunky riffs is good for the soul. The opener “Who Benefits?” is as good an example as any. The riffs have a direction and the horns are engaging and enlightening. Some are considering this a more “serious” release, but it’s just more straightforward punk with not so many joke songs, though “Rat Bastard” falls into that.

“Who Benefits?” is more serious with its subject matter, tackling class distinctions and the bulldozing of old for the new. “Time To Wake Up” follows along the same path of social concern about understanding crimes committed. It also features some heavier riffs on the choruses, with complementary brass. One of the best punk songs is “You Can’t Go Back,” which could lose the horn parts and still have all the elements of a good punk song.

Mustard Plug firmly understands what third-wave ska was and is, and, thankfully, looks to continue it, educating more kids about what a good punk song is and what a good ska song is, compared to a lot of the watered down stuff coming down the pipe. A solid release, with many great punk songs and some ska added in to boot.

EXCLAIM MAGAZINE
by Ty Trumbull

For anybody that’s been following Mustard Plug’s career from even a tertiary perspective, one listen to In Black and White will make it clear that this is a band that have matured. Songs like “Who Benefits?” have a darker, more serious and angry sound that hasn’t been as prevalent in the band’s back catalogue. The songs in general are well crafted, utilising the horn section in a way that doesn’t come across as forced or overbearing, instead adding a new dimension to the tracks. It’s nice to see one of the bands at the forefront of the late ’90s ska explosion evolving and still being able to hold their own.

ALL MUSIC GUIDE
by Rick Anderson

You have to give these guys credit: no one can tell them that ska-punk is over. On their sixth album and 16 years into their musical career, Mustard Plug are still sticking with the verities: sharp horn charts, big and crunchy guitars, vocals that are more enthusiastic than tuneful (though still fairly tuneful) and lots of gleefully skanking backbeats. "Gleeful" may not be the first word that comes to mind on listening to these songs, though. In Black and White opens in an up-tempo but dark mood, with the dour "Who Benefits?" followed by the even darker "Over the Edge." "Hit Me! Hit Me!" brightens things up a bit and offers the album’s first real hooks; by "You Can’t Go Back" the band seems to have started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and "On and On," which is one of the album’s strongest tracks, is also its most unapologetically poppy. This is where you can really hear Mustard Plug’s 16 years of accumulated songcraft pay off. Then they go out with a two-fisted bang: the snotty and hilarious "Real Rat Bastard" and the horn-heavy, singsongy "What You Say." Most ska-punk bands celebrate their maturity by breaking up; this one shows signs of being in it for the long haul. Recommended.

ABOUT.COM
by Ryan Cooper
Rating: 4/5

Mustard Plug is a band that holds a nostalgic place in my heart. In the early ‘90s, they played at least once a month at Club Soda in Kalamazoo. Each Mustard Plug show was a massive social event; there were a lot of people there that you hadn’t seen since the last Plug show, and everyone had a few drinks, danced and had a great, sweaty ska-filled time (ska-filled’s not a word, but you catch my drift).

Now, 16 years later, the band is releasing their 6th full-length album. It’s amazing how much is still the same, as well as how much has changed.

What’s the same as the early days? The band is still making infectiously addictive ska tunes – the kind that forces you to dance. Tracks like “Hit Me! Hit Me!”, “Life Is Too Short” and “Copasetic” bring traditional beats and horns to the party, reminding me of old school third-wave and managing to be nostalgic without being stale.

What’s different from back then? The band has matured. Gone are the days of silly tunes like “Skank By Numbers”, “Ball Park Skank” and “Brain On Ska.” The songs are just as good, but they are much less innocent. Instead of silly ska songs about ska itself, Mustard Plug is talking about corporations’ effect on everyday life (“Who Benefits), violence (“Puddle Of Blood”), relationships and simply what it means to get older (a bunch of the songs).

Also, the music continues to progress, as it has over the years, away from the simple two-tone ska sound. Many songs boast serious punk riffs and a dose of metal; much of the record is more ska-core than straight-up ska. “Something New”, “You Can’t Go Back”, “On and On” and “Tell Me” have no problem hauling out three-chord punk or blistering rock and roll riffs.

Some of that is the influence of producer Bill Stevenson (Descendents/ALL, NOFX) from the Blasting Room recording studio (the same studio and producer of the Plug’s 1997 album Evildoers Beware, and some of it simply because they continue to grow and evolve.

Special attention needs to be paid to the album’s best party tune, “Real Rat Bastard”, a crunchy punk tune with perky horns and a singalong quality. In the vein of something Reel Big Fish might do, it’s a lost love tune that’s fun and happy, hammering that idea home with one of the album’s best lines, “I’d slap the pope just for the chance to see your face.”

To be sure, Mustard Plug will continue to be known for and play all the old school ska at their shows that created their following, but it’s really nice to hear them progress and develop their sound as well. Not only would I recommend you pick up In Black and White, but I think I’d also suggest you pull out your old copy of Big Daddy Multitude (my first exposure to the band), or pick up one if you never had it, and play them in an alternating rotation. These guys were kings of third-wave ska back then, and it’s great to hear that they neither stagnated nor gave up their sound entirely after all these years.

SOUNDTHESIRENS.COM
by Billy

While the recent outing from The Toasters was a throwback to ska’s earliest generations, Michigan’s Mustard Plug make no bones about which wave they’re from; it’s third wave bliss through and through. Perhaps one of the finest ska bands of the 90s, Mustard Plug are releasing a brand new album this September (11th), and are still very much performing on par to the excellent, upbeat sound they made their own during their most productive period. Taking their best two-tone influences and infusing them with the up-tempo nature of punk’s pop veneer, In Black And White is high-energy, smart, and every bit the fun Mustard Plug album you’d come to expect from them.

My introduction to the band came with their 1997 release Evildoers Beware! (Beer Song!), and In Black And White is their most consistent, and enjoyable disc the band have released thus far. Unlike the Toasters most recent effort, Mustard Plug aren’t afraid to switch gears and let some crunchy power chords do the talking.

MIDWESTERNHOUSEWIVES.COM
by Rene

When I learned about Mustard Plug’s new release scheduled for 9/11/07, I was stoked. Mustard Plug has been one of my favorite ska bands for quite some time, and it’s about time for a new album. In Black and White does not disappoint.

The album takes a different direction than the happy, upbeat silly songs of Mustard Plug that we’ve come to know and love. In Black and White is heavier, both musically and lyrically. The lyrics are much more serious, and with the exception of a few songs, the music isn’t all that upbeat, taking a darker (up)stroke of ska. Dave’s vocals seem much more gruffer, where he is almost growling the lyrics. Songs like "Puddle Of Blood" and "Over The Edge" emphasize the heavier side of Mustard Plug. However, they are still Mustard Plug, and still give us what we are expecting in songs such as "Hit Me Hit Me" and "What You Say". If you like ska at all, I highly recommend you go and pre-order this album now.

PUNKTASTIC.COM
by Paul
Rating: 4/5

This is a really fun record. I think I’ve said many times that I’m not really a ska fan, but this record reminds me of Goldfinger when they were good. It’s full of catchy riffs and hook-filled choruses and there are plenty of singalong moments too. The brass is used to just the right amount and it flies through in no time at all, always the sign of a good record.

The 13 tracks here are all brassy and full of fun. ‘Over The Edge’ and ‘Real Rat Bastard’ are massive singalongs, ‘Hit Me! Hit Me!’ is another track with a huge chorus – even a little Bosstones-esque in places – while ‘Life Is Too Short’ is fun, fun, fun. Mustard Plug know their limitations so they just do what they do with the minimum of fuss and the maximum amount of good songs. ‘In Black and White’ is even good enough to convert those non-ska fans among us!

UPSTARTER.COM
by Jerry Actually
Rating: 5/5

I was pretty excited when I heard that there was going to be a brand new Mustard Plug CD. As soon as I got a chance to give it a listen, I was all over it. There is an amazing resurgance of the early 90’s ska going on right now and to be perfectly honest, I’m a bit surprised that the Plug are one of the ones who made it through. I’m happy as hell that they did and I admire their tenaciousness in taking the band from silly to serious. These seasoned veterans of the third wave have made a glorious return. It brings me back to a time about 15 years ago when ska was fun and not so many creepy kids wanted to be all emo. The years and miles have helped to shape Mustard Plug’s sound, however. Recorded at the legendary Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Co, In Black and White bursts with an immense amount of energy and talent, but harbors a more cynical overtone than past efforts. Bill Stevenson helps lend a more aggressive edge to the tracks. Songs like Time To Wake Up even seem downright dark, but don’t let the seriousness of the CD bring you down. It still will put every last one of your brains on ska.

TRUEPUNK.COM
by urbn
Rating: 4.5/5

I am very excited by this new album "In Black and White" by Mustard Plug. This is the 6th full length album release by Mustard Plug in their 16 years as a band.

The new album has a great sound with the traditional sound of horns, popping lyrics and super fast dance sound. In my opinion their style has changed a bit from their previous release but their sound is more like their previous releases from years passed.

So many of the songs on this album are toe tapping and head bopping that are full of energy and will help brighten your day.

There are some amazing songs on this album like Hit Me! Hit Me! which is my personal favorite. There are a couple of songs that were pretty damn good but I couldn’t get into like Real Rat Bastard which is more of an anthem rocking song.

All in all if you’re a SKA fan you’re going to buy this album regardless of what I say because its fucking Mustard Plug. But for those who aren’t into SKA too much but still appreciate the sound then you too should check this album.

READJUNK.COM
by Matt Kremkau
Rating: 4.5/5

Michigan’s favorite Ska band are back with what could be one of their best records to date! ‘In Black And White’ is a return to form in my opinion, as ‘Yellow #5’ had me losing interest. Not sure why the last album left me losing interest, might have been the songs themselves or maybe even the song production? It just wasn’t the same as other albums and glad to see they are back to their old selves!

Fast, punchy, infectious and rockin’, Mustard Plug has turned out a great record with ‘In Black and White’. My favorite track on the album, is what could be their best track ever is "Life’s Too Short." Chock full of ska, and just awesome in my opinion. The rest of the album is about the same. Ska-punk with horns and just a good old time. I thought the band had lost their edge with ‘Yellow #5,’ after turning out one great record after another with ‘Evildoer’s Beware,’ and ‘Pray for Mojo,’ so it was a relief that the band is back with that old sound of their’s and a well-produced record I might add. As fun as their records are to listen to, the band are also great live and that just goes with any good ska show. I know a fun song like “Real Rat Bastard” would be a great song to play live and get the crowd involved. Let’s hope they play that one on their next tour. If you ever picked up a Mustard Plug album or call yourself a ska fan, you really have to listen to this album to truly appreciate it. It’s probably one of the best ska releases of the year!

PUNKBANDS.COM
by Michelle Stoffel
Rating: 4/5

Mustard Plug are kind of like third wave ska superheroes. Equipped with guitars and horns, wearing their skinny tie uniforms, they stand up against the forces of trendiness and influence ska fans and bands world wide. If they had action figures, they could say "We have always played ska, even when it stopped being cool!" That way Mustard Plug and their fans don’t need to keep talking about the integrity of the band’s unchanging sound. I appreciate that and all, but I’m over hearing about it. Now onto the actual album.

For In Black & White, Mustard Plug returned to producer Bill Stevensen and Colorado recording studio the Blasting Room with the intention of making a sound more similar to Evildoers Beware than their last effort, Yellow #5. This was probably a good move. Although I don’t think any Mustard Plug album has been trashed, Yellow #5 probably received the most mixed reviews. I don’t know if In Black & White is a true return to form – cause I’m not sure they ever left the form – but I suppose In Black & White is a little more rock than Yellow #5. Irregardless, their sixth album is catchy, fun, and smart.

The choruses are really where it’s at here. You’ll probably find your head uncontrollably bopping along to each song. Every chorus is sing-a-long friendly: from the bouncy, rhyming chorus of "Hit Me! Hit Me!" to the quick two-tone chorus on "Something New" to the slower, coaxing chorus of "Life Is Too Short." I actually couldn’t even single out a favorite here because every song has at least one memorable section. Normally, after the first time I hear an album, I only remember a select few songs that I really enjoyed. With In Black & White, I remembered every song as soon as the chorus started up. The songs were catchy enough to be remembered but distinctive enough to be differentiated.

Lyrically, In Black & White does a great job of keeping its feet on the ground while tackling some political and social issues. The bulk of the album sticks to describing the lives of punk rockers who’ve been around and seen a lot. Some songs are more personal, and some stretch into more social or political criticism. Mustard Plug never overreaches though and gets overt about any big issues, which is always refreshing.

The only problem for me was with the recording quality. The album sounds really clean: Hopeless obviously put some more money into this release than previous ones. I prefer hearing albums that sound as close to live as possible. Sometimes I think bands spend more time worrying about song construction and production and it comes off sounding a little too neat and tidy. I’m sure the tracks off In Black & White kill live, but on the album they sound a little subdued…only a little though. After all, it’s Mustard Plug; nothing’s going to subtract too much energy from them, nor is anything going to stop them from making another great record.

LANSING STATE JOURNAL
by Chris Rietz

The formula’s right there in "Who Benefits?", the opening track from Mustard Plug’s brand-new CD: You take a standard rock beat and double-time it, putting the accent on the back beat so that it sounds like a stimulant-crazed polka, then add horns.

And so it’s been for an astonishing 16 years with Grand Rapids’ durable ska-punk sextet. This must be, oh, about the fourth wave or so of the ska revival, and Mustard Plug has been around long enough to be at the vanguard of at least two of them.

"In Black and White," the band’s seventh CD, reunites them with producer Bill Stevenson (Black Flag), whose Blasting Room studio had also launched their "Evildoers Beware" CD back in ’97. It’s a good match; the production is crisp and shiny throughout the album’s brief but power-packed 32-plus minutes.

Two things distinguish Mustard Plug from the rest of low-tech punkdom: they have a truly airtight band sound, probably because they’ve been together so long and played more rave-club dates than anybody still standing.

Lead singer Dave Kirchgessner and singer-guitarist Colin Clive are founding members; trombonist Jim Hofer and trumpeter Brandon Jenison came aboard last century. The "new" guys are Rick Johnson, bass and keys, who joined in ’04, and drummer Nate Cohn, who came in the following year.

The other winning element in Mustard Plug is the horn section. The crazed tempos, cutting power chords, head-pounding rhythm section, songs of anger, alienation and betrayal – all standard-issue punk stuff. But the horns add a brightness and melodic punch that leavens the whole sound, relief from the usual punk sullenness, and a hint that they’re here to have fun after all.

Mustard Plug does this as well as anybody. "You Can’t Go Back" is almost a manifesto on the band’s place in the punk scene, and it lasts all of 46 seconds, a statement in itself. "Hit Me! Hit Me!" has been aired as a video, and with Clive’s Teddy-boy petulance and clever lyrics, it’s a bit of a mission statement, too.

But the high point is "Real Rat Bastard," a self-deprecating bit of irony, goofy and genuinely witty, with a Britpop-style "la-la" chorus thrown in for good measure.