Captain Smooth Talk

Third I Sight (2014)

Matt Bartels

Captain Smooth talk is a Ska–Punk band from Lancaster, CA. Bringing a laid back style to the table, that can quickly get aggressive. They keep things fun with tales of smoking weed and the oneness of us all. With the release of their Third I Sight EP, they give the world a glimpse of what they have to offer. Four songs of fun filled Skacore songs.

The title track "Third I Sight" is a upbeat tone about the unity of man and the spiritual oneness within us all. Beginning with aggressive and fast punk riffs the band quickly transition into a clean scratching guitar that gives way to all types of horns. Vocally the notes are a bit below where they should be, but the passion is there and the lyrics are well written. he band sings of the third eye within us all and the judgement of that above us. The song ends out with a slow digression to a clean guitar backed break down. Horns blare over the top while a single distorted guitar rolls and tremolos its way through the section.
"One Too Many" is the story of a relationship gone wrong, and the strengthen gained from the outcome. Your basic Ska song, quick, upbeat and punchy. Its highlight are the spanish tinged horns that run through the breaks. "Self Governed" is the heaviest song on the album. Bringing out the punk side of the band it sounds like The Suicide Machines at their finest. As the punk comes to a half, a beautiful stringy guitar lays into the listener and the Ska returns. The song continues to go back and forth between the two. The final song "Sugar Street" clunky starts into a slow reggae riff. It soon picks up with once again impressive tremolo work from the group. Tastes of Sublime can be heard all over this song. Blues riffs dance behind the scratches. A simple song about smoking weed. Nothing to much to ponder. Much like this album
The horns are impressive, the guitar work is impressive, the production is pretty terrible, but the over all vibe of this band simply bland. Performing a style played out over two decades ago, they'd be well received in a smokey bar somewhere downtown. No shame in their choices, just for this writer not my cup of tea.