Go Hit Dave
Mono Anonimo

It seems like the world of CT Ska is getting bigger and better by the day, with several up and coming bands that are putting their stuff out for the ears of the scene and getting better every time they do it. One of these bands, Go Hit Dave, has just released a 5-track demo, entitled Mono Anonimo. In truth, I’ve known that Go Hit Dave has a lot of potential for a while now, as they made an awesome impact when they first came on the scene over the summer of 2005. Part of what I like so much about these guys is that they don’t fall into the ska-punk trap, and use tons of upstrokes at various tempos with catchy horn lines and strong drumbeats to create really solid foundations for their tunes. This is definitely a noteworthy release, and something solid for Go Hit Dave to stand on.

The demo kicks off with the repetitive and catchy horn melodies of “Past Acts.” The danceable groove that the rhythm section lays down is highlighted really well by the two sax and trombone horn section, with very nice recording quality for a demo. The full array of sound present leaves little to be desired in tone quality, and is very consistent throughout. However, the vocals tend to copy melodies already presented by the horn section and are low in the mix, causing them to get lost in both melodic and lyrical characteristics. In addition, while the drum tracks are performed excellently, they tend to be mixed higher than some more crucially melodic aspects, namely the guitar and bass, and when there are little mistakes they’re pretty apparent. While the main melody repeats quite frequently, there is enough variation in the track to make it one of my favorites on the disc. The second track, “We Are None,” starts with a tenor sax solo, which is performed well, but played with a timid characteristic which doesn’t make it as powerful as it could be. When the band gets into a full ska groove, it rivals anything else on the disc with a sound that’s both precise and infectious. On the contrary, the vocals are pretty monotonous in tone and also aren’t as powerful as they could be. I have a feeling that this demo would go from good to exceptional if the performers put a little more umph and drive into their individual tracks. I do have to commend the horns on their unity of sound as they play a lot of notes and generally stay very tight. “Meet Me Here” has more of a swing characteristic that the previous tracks, but stays rhythmically tight, which is something to expect from these guys. A breakdown with horns and snapping is a nice little touch that’s transitioned into and out of very well, and also gives a break to the consistent swing feel. This track also has a sax solo that hits all the right notes, and is followed by a trombone solo that isn’t quite at the level of performance of the rest of the track. Again, once these guys are a little more seasoned, the result’s gonna be incredible. “Bar Stool” is a really fast-paced tune with distorted upstrokes and vocals that do their best to meet this intensity. The rhythm section really excels in this new and accelerated tempo, staying tight and mixing in half-tempo rock to boot. The lyrics are again a little monotonous, but a sax solo over a distorted rock section has the drive that I’ve really been searching for on this disc. The potential is definitely there, and these guys are teasing it out. I have no doubts that with a little maturation, all of these tunes are gonna be perfect. “’64 Cadillac” has yet another smooth and well played horn line and a swing feel that makes you feel like you’re at listening to Brian Setzer. This is definitely the best performance of vocals on the disc, fully exploring a wide range and playing into the swing fell well. Overall, this is a really good track to cap off an excellent introduction release that serves as a starting point for a bunch of very talented musicians.

Mono Anonimo, the newest release by Go Hit Dave, is without a doubt a consistently solid release that serves as an excellent way to get their music to the ears of many. I can only critique them so kindly because they’re almost to a level of exceptional performance that I have no doubt they will attain in the near future. Their songs are well written, their musicians are skilled, and they will definitely be making a lot of noise with their newest release, Mono Anonimo. I definitely recommend checking these guys out and picking it up.

Reviewed By:  Todd Springer

Date:  Sat 2 Sep 06

Score:  7.0

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