Ranking Mad Caddies’ 8 Albums
The Mad Caddies are a kaleidoscope of sound, a band that defies the very notion of genre boundaries. Formed in the sunny, laid-back town of Solvang, California, in 1995, imagine a group of high school friends, fueled by a love for ska, punk, reggae, and jazz, deciding to mash those genres together. The result? A sonic explosion that’s as unpredictable as it is exhilarating. From the get-go, the Mad Caddies toured relentlessly and spread their vibrant energy across the globe.
Their discography reads like a treasure map, leading listeners through a labyrinth of audial pleasure. Albums such as Duck and Cover, Just One More, and Dirty Rice showcase their evolution. Each album is a patchwork of influences, from the brass-laden highs of ska to the deep, soulful grooves of reggae, peppered with punk’s raw energy and jazz’s intricate harmonies. It’s this eclectic mix that has earned them a loyal following, a community of fans who revel in the band’s ability to surprise and delight with every note.
Live shows by the Mad Caddies are events unto themselves, a carnival of sound and spirit. The band members, with their charismatic presence and undeniable talent, create an atmosphere where the only rule is to expect the unexpected. Whether they’re belting out fan favorites or experimenting with new sounds, their performances are a testament to the joy of music.
8. Arrows Room 117 (2024)
I’ll be honest, knowing that 5/6s of the Mad Caddies is now made up of brand new members, I was pretty skeptical regarding how good the new record was going to be. But, as one of my favorite ska-punk groups, I still tried to remain hopeful that Chuck would be enough to bring that Mad Caddies magic I love.
First of all, this isn’t a bad album. It’s a perfectly enjoyable slow-tempo ska record with some bluesy and R&B elements. It has suitable production for the songs and the new members are clearly capable musicians.
Even without all the fresh faces, I’m fairly certain that the band would’ve gone in this direction anyway (just listen to 2020’s House On Fire EP). However, this album is undeniably missing the unique charm and creativity that Sascha, Eduardo, and Keith brought to the band. Despite the addition of notable musicians like Brandon Landelius and Sean Sellers, they just couldn’t fill the creative void that made the Mad Caddies’ previous work so special.
While tracks like “Palm Trees and Pines” or “Ride or Die” are completely fine tunes on their own, the album as a whole is fairly bland and quite one-note in its delivery. You’ll likely find yourself incapable of recalling any notable hook or melody, even after several listens.
Where the horn section used to bring a lively and unique jazz approach to the songs, on Arrows Room 117 they’re simply there to build on the existing structure of the songs without adding much that stands out.
Even when the album changes things up a little with the upbeat cowpolky “Baby”, the change can’t even be really appreciated because Chuck delivers some fairly phoned-in lyrics. Honestly, the lyrics are overall quite forgettable throughout the record.
Again, this isn’t a bad album so much as it’s a fairly bland, uninspired, and forgettable one (especially compared to previous releases). You probably won’t feel the need to turn it off, but you also won’t likely want to re-listen to it much. It ultimately should’ve been a Chuck Robertson and Friends “solo” record, but I imagine using the Mad Caddies name is significantly more useful.
Recommended Tracks: Palm Trees and Pines / Ride or Die / Green Eyes
7. Punk Rocksteady (2018)
I always appreciate it when a band makes a cover album that’s more than just a bunch of well-known hits. In the case of Punk Rocksteady, the band picked a collection of songs from some of the more popular melodic punk bands (over half of which from labelmates on Fat). The result gives some of the songs a fresh perspective through the band’s (mostly reggae) reworking of them.
Unsurprisingly, some songs work better than others by getting the reggae makeover. The biggest standout being the cover of Green Day’s “She”. This is the only song on the album that I actually like more than the original. Not because I don’t also adore Green Day’s version, but rather because the Mad Caddies really reimagine the song and make it their own.
While the majority of the album follows a similar mid-tempo reggae style, a departure from the band’s usual expansive multi-genre experimentation, there are a few exceptions. “Sleep Long” showcases some rap/reggae singing by The Skints’ Joshua Waters Rudge with Aimee Allen providing backing vocals on the chorus (she’s also featured on “She’s Gone”). Another standout is the band’s interpretation of “Some Kinda Hate”, which relies heavily on an organ to create a darker, gloomier sound.
This is a good covers album, but it’s not better than most of their original material. Plus, you can sometimes tell the band wasn’t that into it, as Fat Mike had somewhat pressured them into making the record.
Recommended Tracks: She / Sleep Long / Take Me Home (Piss Off)
6. Quality Soft Core (1997)
Mad Caddies’ debut was an auspicious one, displaying their hectic take on third wave ska as they carved their own niche path. For a debut, this is a surprisingly polished record with some excellent moments and a few noticeable areas in need of improvement.
The record’s musicality is where it shines, as there are countless examples of raw talent. From raucous, guitar-driven tracks like “No Se’” and “Preppie Girl” to the inventive horn parts on “Big Brother” and “Mum’s the Word”. They even slow things down a bit with some the reggae jams “The Bell Tower” and the aptly titled “Sad Reggie”.
As skilled a singer as Chuck would later become, the biggest downside of Quality Soft Core is his clear inexperience in singing. You can tell throughout the record that he has the ability to sing, but for some reason, he constantly applies a goofy over-accentuation to his vocals — as if he’s trying to mimic other singers instead of using his natural style. This joke-singing approach really brings down what could’ve been a better album.
Not surprisingly, as the first record from a bunch of more-or-less kids, the lyrics are often quite immature (and even sexist) and approach issues through the ignorance of lacking a worldview. Some tracks are just lyrical nonsense, like “Polyester Khakis” while other songs like “L.G.’s” show a crude representation of women.
Despite some stale production (I find the weak snare quite annoying) and some throwaway songs such as the cowpunk “Crew Cut Chuck”, Quality Soft Care reveals a band with undeniable talent and a promising future, leaving us hopeful for what they could achieve with more experience and refinement.
Recommended Tracks: Preppie Girl / The Bell Tower / Big Brother
5. Dirty Rice (2014)
After seven long years and a side project in between (remember Ellwood?), Mad Caddies finally returned with the jaunty and upbeat Dirty Rice. A record that makes it clear from the opening few seconds that they’re not planning to simply rely on a formula that has worked before.
You’ll likely notice immediately that Dustin Lanker’s piano playing often takes the forefront of the songs, allowing him to show off his ivory-tickling skills. The result often leaves you feeling like you’re listening to the soundtrack for a movie about gamblers on a New Orleans riverboat or a cabaret act. Fittingly, the songs follow more of a storytelling format rather than the personal lyricism of their earlier work.
Among the album’s more upbeat and poppy tracks are a few nods to past material, like the rock-centric “Love Myself” or the hectic ska-punk frenzy in “Bring It Down”, but for the most part this is a carefree excursion into a more tempered dancehall reggae direction.
Through its 12 tracks, it’s hard to find any songs that are outright bad or skippable (although there are a couple of weaker songs like “Airplane”). However, while enjoyable, the tunes don’t quite stand out like they did on previous records. At the end of the day, this is a solid and mostly fun album, but it may not leave as much of a lasting impression.
Recommended Tracks: Brand New Scar / Back to the Bed / Bring It Down
4. Rock The Plank (2001)
Rock the Plank, true to its name, delves deep into the band’s rock side. It’s a unique offering, with 5 tracks completely devoid of horns and another 2 only subtly featuring them. If you’ve always gravitated towards the punk side of the Mad Caddies ska punk style, this record is a must-listen.
Although he’s a capable drummer, after Todd Rosenberg left the band, he was shortly replaced by 2 extremely talented drummers in Boz Rivera and Derrick Plourde. Boz provides percussion for the majority of the tracks on the album, with Derrick only playing on 4. Both of these drummers allow the band to crank out their hardest-hitting songs ever as their speed and technicality create an expansive sound.
On top of the drummer upgrade, the guitar’s distorted tone is excellent and very reminiscent of the tone on Zero Down’s only album (no surprise, as both albums were recorded around the same type at the same studio). Although I think the band is at its best when tackling various styles, It’s also great to hear them in a heavier, more straightforward punk direction.
As great as tracks like “Mary Melody” (with its carefree whistling) and “Hound Bound” are, Rock The Plank also features some of the band’s weakest material. The lyrics of “Easy Cheese” are some of the worst Chuck has written and the music is nothing special either. “Depleted Salvo” has potential, but really loses its energy on the off-time verses.
“Weird Beard” and “All American Badass” noticeably stand out from the rest of the songs, both featuring an accordion. While these songs are fun and hold a bit of novelty, outside of hearing them at a live show, I find myself not really enjoying them on repeat listens.
Rock The Plank is a mixed bag, with some undeniably terrific songs and a few noticeable misses. It’s this blend of highs and lows that prevents the album from reaching its full potential, despite its standout moments.
Recommended Tracks: Mary Melody / Booze Cruise / Days Away
3. Duck and Cover (1998)
Despite arriving only a year after their debut, Duck and Cover displays a pretty massive improvement over Quality Soft Core. This is the record that essentially put the band on the map through its energetic, catchy melodies and incorporation of a diverse set of styles.
The record kicks things off immediately with the all-time classic “Road Rash,” which sees the band firing on all cylinders and applying a cacophony of melodies. This song is immediately followed by 2 more heavy hitters in “The Gentlemen” and “No Hope” before slowing things down with the reggae “One Shot” (which eventually ends in a lively nod to 50s big band jazz).
Duck and Cover is a testament to the Mad Caddies’ versatility and unique sound. While they are undeniably a ska-punk band at their core, their ability to effortlessly incorporate Dixieland jazz (notably in the heavy use of horn muting), Latin music, and even hardcore sets them apart from their contemporaries.
While Chuck struggled to find his vocal style on their debut, he comes into this album with a clear understanding of his abilities — easily transitioning from heavier vocals like on “Apathetic” to a soft crooning for closer “Popcorn” to even a little bit of controlled goofiness with “Monkeys”. There’s a great, rougher edge to his vocals here that he was never really able to reproduce on proceeding records.
Honestly, there’s a strong argument for this being the band’s best release. It’s musically phenomenal (just listen to the horn section mixed with guitar on “Medium Unwell”), Chuck sounds great, and there are classic tracks like “Macho Nachos”.
Then again, there are also a couple of mid-level tracks in “Econoline” and “Betty,” plus the 2 albums above this one are also near perfect (and offer noticeably longer runtimes).
Recommended Tracks: Road Rash / Medium Unwell / Macho Nachos
2. Just One More (2003)
Similar to Duck and Cover, Just One More features a wide variety of styles — really displaying the band’s eclectic nature and how they’re able to keep from falling into the category of just another ska-punk band.
Even while there’s still plenty of heavy and fast songs, there’s a noticeable increase in the more laidback and relaxed tracks. I’m guessing this had to do (at least partially) with the departure of guitarist Carter Benson, as he seemed to bring a certain intensity to much of the earlier Mad Caddies music.
The album has stellar production, really allowing the horns to feature heavily in the mix and giving them a more prominent and pronounced placement on the tracks. Unfortunately, on the tracks that are more punk-centric, this style of production doesn’t work quite as well and leaves the songs sounding a little hollow. It doesn’t ruin them, but it’s also just not that fitting.
Even though I’ve got this album in 2nd place, I think it contains the arguably the best songs the band has ever written — “Last Breath” (with a rare inclusion of darker lyricism and beautifully muted horns), “Silence” (which perfectly combines their ska sensibilities with skatepunk), and “Leavin” (an undeniably fun song on par with “Road Rash”).
“Drinking for 11” finds Chuck opening the album on a softer reggae side, while the title track shows how well the band can incorporate a Latin style. “Villains” blends a little banjo-infused folk with straight-up punk, and “10 West” is a great example of stellar 3rd wave ska. The whole record is a musical smorgasbord.
Despite being one of my all-time favorite ska-punk albums, the record isn’t without areas it could improve. As stated earlier, the punk songs “Contraband” and “Riot” don’t really land that well, the latter featuring some very low effort, cliche lyricism “riot, my hands in the air, riot, we don’t fvcking care”. There’s also “Rockupation,” which is a somewhat forgettable mid-level track by the band.
If Duck and Cover put the band on the map, Just One More secured the group’s legacy as an all-time great.
Recommended Tracks: Last Breath / Silence / Leavin
1. Keep It Going (2007)
As excellent as their albums had been up to this point, Keep It Going displays a clear and concise effort to capture the band at the peak of their creativity. Recorded across 4 different studios and incorporating a collection of varying recording tricks and styles, this album doesn’t sound quite like anything else the band has put out.
Admittedly, I wasn’t so in love with this album when it was initially released, as I missed the heavier, faster approach to songwriting ( I still wouldn’t mind a couple more quick-tempoed Dixieland tracks in the vein of “Tired Bones” or “The Dirge” added to the mix). But, given time, I fully appreciate the superb yet slower songwriting that allows the songs to flow together effortlessly.
Keep It Going is the only Mad Caddies record that’s really constructed as a full album experience. While each track can individually stand on its own, the experience is much better when listening from the build-up energy of opener “The Dirge” all the way to the quiet acoustic closer “Whatcha Gonna Do”.
With so many aspects to appreciate, it might be the lyricism that I enjoy the most. On their other albums, there’s always at least 1 song that has some phoned-in lyrics that seem like very little thought was put into them, but here there’s a clear amount of heart and feelings in every song. There’s even a heartbreaking tribute to the late Derrick Plourde in “Don’t Go”.
The use of drum programming and some dub elements helps many of the songs, like “Reflections” and “Coyote”, stand out from their previous work. Don’t worry though, they still incorporate some of their classic sound in tracks like the 420-friendly “Backyard” or the classic 3rd-wave ska “Pyramid Scheme” to keep things familiar.
Despite it not containing any of, what I would say, the group’s top 5 songs, I still think this is the best release they’ve put out. I love it when a band puts their heart and soul into an album and that’s what this is. Even if it wouldn’t have worked out, it’s still good to know that they’re pushing themselves. On Keep It Going, the band gave it their all and made their most cohesively excellent album yet.
Recommended Tracks: Tired Bones / Backyard / Lay Your Head Down
