Ed Lowery closed the door on beloved Tampa ska outfit Magadog back in 2012. That hasn't stopped the 45-year-old frontman from skanking though, and this Friday his latest band — The Apes — celebrate a brand new album at Skipper's Smokehouse.
Though they’ve been playing together for the better part of two years, Release The Apes is the debut full-length of soulful ska and rocksteady from the group, which includes eight other members on horns, guitars, and sax. Lowery was feeling “freaking relieved” to be done with it when we caught up with him last week. “We have been recording this thing for over a year,” he wrote in a message to CL. “We did it ourselves one track at a time so it was an unusual process.” He went on to describe the piecemeal recording – adding layers to basic guitar, bass, and vocal tracks – while giving massive credit to Apes lead guiarist K. Paul Boyev for handling the engineering, mixings and mastering. “K Paul did such a great job … It has a live sound and feel to it.”
A Kickstarter to press the 13-track effort on vinyl is just a few days away from its deadline, but CDs have already been pressed and should arrive in time for the release show, where The Freecoasters, Rude Squad, and Broseph Skalin play support.
You can liven up your cubicle by listening to a pair of tracks from Release The Apes below; we've included the full tracklist, too. Doors to the Fri., Sept. 19 show open at 7:30 p.m. Cover is $10 in advance, $13 day of show, at Skipper's Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road, Tampa. More info is available here.
Release The Apes Tracklist:
01. Ape Theme
02. Ape Bomb
03. Mountains
04. Checkered Past
05. Boogie With The Taliban
06. Don't Do Me Like That
07. Apes Take Miami
08. Great Communicator Reggae
09. Duppies Following Me
10. End Of The Story
11. With Love From Django
12. Apes Take No Prisoners
13. Apes Take DC
