At the height of the '90s ska craze, the scene's fans embroiled themselves deep in an internal battle: the so-called "traditional ska" faction versus the ska-punk crossover aficionados. A decade later, that genre-rule bean counting seems laughable. There aren't too many groups other than the Slackers holding it down for Jamaican purists of the '90s, and the latter collection of unabashed Third Wavers is now the predominant one.
Among biggies like Less Than Jake and Reel Big Fish is Mustard Plug, which, in 2011, celebrates two decades since its inception. Save for a five-year breakup from 2002 to 2007, the Michigan act has released guitar-driven, chinga-chinga party anthems on Hopeless Records since the '90s. It's been four years since the last set, In Black and White, but this current tour should air out some fresh material. At least one new track, "Blame Yourself," was recently released on Community Records' Head Above Water, a benefit compilation album meant to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the BP drilling disaster.
