“I can’t say I have the time!” sang Vic Ruggiero, a man best known as the vocalist and organist of NYC ska stalwarts The Slackers, on one of his band’s most popular tracks (‘Have The Time’). The man does not lie; and given that he’s released no fewer than 17 albums with The Slackers since the early 90s (as well as four previous solo albums), it’s a wonder that he can spare any time to sleep. You’d think that such a quantity of releases would result in a lack of quality.but, well, you’d be wrong.
‘Something In My Blindspot‘ sees Vic temporarily abandoning the ska-based sounds of his ‘day job’ band in favour of a more stripped down, rootsy vibe. ‘Innocent Girl‘ is a beautifully simple acoustic jaunt, owing a debt to classic 60s pop, whilst ‘If This Night‘ is a banjo-led folk/country number. There are also a couple of soulful duets, featuring Lisa Mueller (of German swing band Black Cat Zoot) and a wild, squalling brass section at work on ‘Lonely Nights‘. You can almost imagine Vic and his band checking into a remote countryside studio and recording this album amidst late-night jam sessions, conversations and a few beers. And frankly, it sounds all the better for it.
Overall, ‘Something In My Blindspot‘ is a great record that constantly refuses to be pigeonholed into any particular genre. Check out ‘Taking Care Of Business‘ on the link above.
Alex Gosman