{"id":13833,"date":"2026-05-22T17:28:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T16:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipamusic.co.uk\/?p=13833"},"modified":"2026-07-06T17:35:44","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T16:35:44","slug":"steppin-razor-blades-present-a-new-take-on-the-classic-two-tone-sound","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ipamusic.co.uk\/?p=13833","title":{"rendered":"Steppin’ Razor Blades present a new take on the classic two-tone sound"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ALBUM REVIEW: Steppin’ Razor Blades – Stay Sharp (Screaming Crow Records)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Steppin’ Razor Blades<\/strong> are a new ska band formed in New England by Dan ‘Bopper’ O’Day, mainstay of long-running Vermont punks River City Rebels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He’s joined by members of River City Rebels and New Hampshire punk rock ‘n’ rollers Hell Beach to form a seven-piece collective who celebrate classic two-tone revival sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay Sharp<\/em> is their debut album, and it’s got a singular mission: to get people on their feet and up dancing. They succeed from the get-go over the course of 10 highly infectious original songs.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Steppin’ Razor Blades. Pic by Cat Meade.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It kicks off with lead single Friend To A Memory<\/em>, which, like all the tracks here, is drenched with sax and keys, adding a ska-punk veneer to the basic guitar-bass-drums sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jim Jones Lovers<\/em> is even more upbeat, and first single In Stereo<\/em> keeps the vibe going, before the Joe Strummer-quoting Ska Boy\/Ska Girl<\/em> urges unity among people from different backgrounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mundane <\/em>is far from it; in fact it’s another high-energy song about leading a humdrum existence while daring to dream of something better, driven by a great wandering bassline and awash with keys.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Steppin’ Razor Blades live. Pic by Alexus Ford.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Attention-seeking influencers are the target of standout track Keep That Shit<\/em>, with vocalist Jordan Vorachak urging “shut the fuck up, keep that shit to yourself – censor yourself!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The joys of losing yourself on the dancefloor at the end of a working week are espoused in Breakneck Speed<\/em>, while Shootin’ Daggers<\/em> calls out people who are quick to judge others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Things take a darker and more political twist on True Drug Lords<\/em>, which takes aim at big pharma, while things come to a spirited end with latest single Coming Of Age<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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