Why is The O.C. Supertones’ Supertones Strikes Back on my best 1,000 albums ever list?
A powerhouse of a ska punk album that just happens to layer in… well, you’ll see.
What does The O.C. Supertones’ Supertones Strikes Back mean to me? What does it make me feel? Why is it exciting or compelling?
If someone came up to me in 1996 and was all, “Hey man, you should check out this Christian song, it’s totally rad,” my honest answer would have been something along the lines of, “Uh… I think I’m good, but thanks.” But if that same hypothetical and eager sharer of music (gospel or otherwise) came up to me and said, “You need to check out this rad ska punk song by a band called The O.C. Supertones called “Supertone Strike Back,” I would have been like, “Take me to the CD player so that we might behold such an offering.”
Or something.
The point being, The O.C. Supertones is a little bit of an unusual band to absorb by yours truly because I’m not necessarily a consumer of religion-based music, though of course as a lover of music, I dig beautiful choir music and such.
Well, okay, the real point being: Supertones Strikes Back is a powerhouse of a ska punk album that just happens to layer in Christian messaging here and there.
Supertones Strikes Back was released right at the peak of the third wave ska revival, and it fits in with some of the better output (if not the best) of the like of bands like Buck-O-Nine, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, and The Aquabats.
“Supertones Strike Back” is the best song on the album, opening up with a confident and bombastic horn section followed by an incredibly infectious ska punk groove and effective vocals. The chorus then goes full punk, followed by a flourish of horns.
The video is really fun and well executed – and kind of noteworthy that it’s not religious-y at all. This band is serious about producing fun, kinda kick ass ska punk where, in theory, a kid might think on the third or fifth listen, “Wait, what’s slipped into these lyrics now?”
“Perseverance of the Saints” has a very Mad Caddies vibe.
And like “Like No One Else” has a particularly Buck-O-Nine-ish influence, but stands up great on its own.
“He cares for you like no else.” Who are they talking about? I don’t know! But I dig the song.
This album also sounds like
Cataloging the bands mentioned above: Buck-O-Nine, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, The Aquabats, and Mad Caddies. Then throw in heavyweights like Voodoo Glow Skulls, Suicide Machines, and The Mighty Mighty Boss Tones for good measure.
Some stats & info about The O.C. Supertones – Supertones Strikes Back
- What kind of musical stylings does this album represent? Ska, Ska Punk, SoCal Bands, Third Wave Ska Revival
- Rolling Stone’s greatest 500 albums ranking – not ranked!
- All Music’s rating – 3 out of 5 stars
- When was Supertones Strikes Back released? 1996
- My ranking, the one you’re reading right now – #903 out of 1,000
The O.C. Supertones’ Supertones Strikes Back on Spotify
What does the “best 1,000 albums ever” mean and why are you doing this?
Yeah, I know it’s audacious, a little crazy (okay, maybe a lot cray cray), bordering on criminal nerdery.
But here’s what it’s NOT: a definitive list of the Greatest Albums of All-Time. This is 100% my own personal super biased, incredibly subjective take on what my top 1,000 albums are, ranked in painstaking order over the course of doing research for nearly a year, Rob from High Fidelity style. Find out more about why I embarked on a best 1,000 albums ever project.