Posted on March 2, 2010 - by Editor

The Slackers “The Great Rocksteady Swindle” due April 19th on Hellcat Records

The Slackers © Joelle Andres

Press Release:

New York’s eclectic sextet The Slackers will make their triumphant return to usher in the next chapter of ska with the release of The Great Rocksteady Swindle on April 19 via Hellcat Records.  The band’s first single, ‘Anastasia’, can be heard now.

Featuring cuts like “Cheated,” “How It Feels” and “Thank You,” The Great Rocksteady Swindle retains the band’s unforgettable musical style while also adding fresh and vibrant elements to the music on tracks like the roots-rocker “Sabina” and the gritty “Bo Evil.”

What began in New York City some 19 years ago has grown into an international musical phenomenon that blends ska, rocksteady, dub, R&B, reggae, soul, garage rock and 60’s pop into what leader Vic Ruggiero calls, “Jamaican Rock n Roll.”

The Great Rocksteady Swindle is the Slackers 12th studio album and is a credit to the band’s continued vitality and longevity in the music scene.  The new album is a collaborative effort from Dave Hillyard (sax), Vic Ruggiero (keyboards, vocals), Jay “Agent Jay” Nugent (guitar), Glen Pine (tombone, vocals), Marcus Geard (bass) and Ara Babajian (drums) with all members contributing to the songwriting.  “Long Way Off,” “Mr. Tragedy” and the electric “Cheated” are immediate standout cuts on an overall strong album.  With its spirited mix of realism and optimism, The Great Rocksteady Swindle is exactly the type of musical antidote needed in today’s angst-ridden times.

“We’re trying to make music last, something that you want to listen to years from now.  We’ve never really been part of a trend.  We’ve always been on the edge of different trends,” explains sax player Hillyard.  “It’s one reason why we haven’t gotten hugely famous but also one of the reasons why we’ve stuck around so long.”

The Slackers are on tour in Europe and UK this May.

The Great Rocksteady Swindle Tracklisting:
1.    How It Feels – 3:38
2.    Because – 2:53
3.    Mr. Tragedy – 3:40
4.    Sabina – 4:18
5.    Cheated – 4:19
6.    Daddy – 3:10
7.    A Long Way Off – 3:34
8.    Bo Evil – 3:01
9.    Tool Shed – 3:14
10.    Ain’t No Sunshine – 3:54
11.    Don’t Look Back – 4:23
12.    Anastasia – 3:51
13.    Thank You – 2:46
14.    The TV Dinner Song – 3:20
15.    The Same Everyday – 3:44

The Slackers Tour Dates:
5 May    Rotterdam – Liberation Festival – NL
6 May    Hazebrouck – Shaka Laka – FR
7 May    Bristol – Metropolis – UK
8 May    London – islington academy – UK
9 May    Brighton – Engine Room – UK
10 May    Newcastle – Trillians – UK
11 May    Manchester – Moho Live – UK
12 May    Nottingham – Maza – UK
13 May    Brussels – Ancienne Belgique – BE
14 May    Antwerp – Trix – BE
15 May    Koln – Werkstatt – DE
16 May    Montreuil – La Peche – FR
17 May    Winterthur – Salzhaus – SZ
18 May    Munich – Feierwerk – DE
19 May    Berlin – Y.A.A.M. – DE
20 May    Copenhagen – Loppen – DK
21 May    Hamburg – Hafenklang – DE
22 May    Amsterdam – Melkweg – NL
23 May    Sneek – Bolwerk – NL
24 May    Sittard – Ernesto’s – NL