I really wanted to like this. I rarely like ska, because it usually sucks. However, I was a big fan during the third wave and always hope for a pleasant surprise. With all of the intense loathing everyone has for ska, I really wanted Deal’s Gone Bad to be good. Hey, I root for the underdog. I also respect someone playing ska these days, because you know dam well that it’s what they want to be doing. Sadly, Deals Gone Bad isn’t a credit their reviled style. This sounds a lot like UB40 or some other middle-of-the-road, pseudo-reggae/ska from the late eighties. Prepare yourself for the cover of Otis Redding’s “These Arms of Mine” on side two. It’s really going to piss you off.
–Craven (no info)