The Chiz

The Rudimentals – Set it Proper
Independent

Cape Town Ska Doctors The Rudimentals are finally back with a follow up album to their brilliant debut offering, Mo Fire. Set It Proper is instant pure Rudi’s… chock full of ska grooves, jumpy guitar and good times.

The Rudi’s stormed onto the scene somewhere around 2001/2002. Flying in the face of convention at the time, they were a rock band that you could really really dance to. And over the years and several personnel changes, that one thing has remained constant. This is without the most danceable stuff you can slap into a CD player at any given time.

Set It Proper sits at a nice 12 tracks... although there is one repeat from the debut album. Their sound has definitely matured into something that can honestly be called Afro Ska. Ska as a genre is such a bastard sound in the first place, so there’s no room for purists yelling “Sell Out!” and the Rudi’s have really made the sound their own. Modern ska has traveled a long road from Jamaican sound systems to London town and all the way down south to Africa. Curiously though, the sound the Rudi’s now peddle bears more relation to the early Jamaican entity than the British explosion of the eighties.

The opening track, Radio Skaweto tells you all you need to know, you’re in for a smoking run of good tunes here. It’s actually a bit unfair to any of the tunes to single any one out for special praise. The Rudi’s are tight and well versed in their craft. And yes, they play a very specific genre. So if you happen to not really like ska, you might find this a bit of a tedious listen. But for me, there are enough forays into straight reggae, a bit of modern raga and nice, ballsy rock moments to add some spice to the already heady mix.

I have been waiting for this record for over a year, so my next hope is that I don’t have to wait that long to see them take the dam thing on the road with an album launch tour! I won’t be in Ct anytime soon, so I really hope they come and visit me here in JHB!

So, strap on your boots, get your sharp hat out the closet and sharpen up your credit card! Click here to buy it direct off Kalahari.net!

Buy this disc. You’ll be skanking happy if you do!