Bomb Town

!?Interrobang?! (2008)

Chris Mellides

Bomb Town hail from New Jersey and combine elements of dub reggae with a frenzied ska twist that, together with a heap of heavy hardcore breakdowns, makes for one killer record.

!?Interrobang?! is the latest from the group and packs 14 tracks that will no doubt leave many listeners dumbfounded. The range of influence on this disc alone is so incredibly perverse and doubly different that it makes the record cut like a clean spool of razor wire.

Founded by lead singer Tommi Infamous back in 2002, the Bomb Town guys have no doubt grown into their sound and have carved out a place among their musical brethren. The band has set the Jersey town scene ablaze with an infectious onslaught of keys and blaring horns, which encompass a sound that's as rich as it is complex.

As far as this reviewer is concerned, Bomb Town's music is unclassifiable. This is a sentiment that's been used before, but in actuality, !?Interrobang?! stands as one of those few yearly releases that not only breaks the mold, but leaves it in a million tattered pieces.

This album is accented by tracks like "Babylon Girl" and "Lyrics by the Ton," which feature a dub sound that is both fresh and original. This musical effort sees Bomb Town collaborating with quite a few underground musicians including Dr. Ring Ding and Rocker T. These song collaborations really help to complement the flow of the album and each brings with it its own unique flavor.

Having seen quite a few changes in group members over the years, Tommi seems to have assembled a good team of musicians on this release. What you've got here is a raucous bunch who'll continue to explore new levels of collective creativity and controlled chaos and in the end, that's all we listeners can hope for.