Survay Says!

Observations of the Human Condition (2014)

Armando Olivas

It's 2014 and the once rampant ska scene has since experienced a great lull in regards to new talent. The former giants still trudge along, ever so slowly, but they can only go on for so long until even they too must call it day. However, out from the pile of corpses in this post apocskalyptic future crawl New Jersey based Survay Says! The sextet delivers us their 3rd album and I have to say it's pretty damn awesome (sorry, only one ska pun per review).

Perhaps one of the more enjoyable aspects of the album is definitely the song titles. With references to Rocko's Modern Life, The Mighty Ducks, and more I can't help but relive parts of my childhood as I read the track listing. Although guest vocals from members of Patent Pending and Big & the Kids Table are cool too.

Over the course of 11 songs Survay Says deliver anthems of positivity with a healthy bit of self-doubt here and there. Kind of an interesting juxtaposition but I find it quite fitting; even the most idealistic person has to have a dose of realism every now and again to keep them grounded. It helps them from becoming a saccharine mess of over positivity which is always nice.

Survay Says has created a record that help keeps ska from dying just yet. At this point in your life you either enjoy ska punk or you don't. If you are the former, pick this record up. If you are the latter, keep on listening to whatever it is you cool kids listen to.