More Than Skin-Deep

“Skin Deep produced a sound that was akin to Christian ‘skinheads’ The Housemartins, with a dash of Madness ska and Redskins soul for good measure”.
Zoot  skazine.

With these words in his skazine Zoot did George Marshall define the sound of Skin-Deep, and who am I to speak other thing? With his comparison –The Housemartins, Madness, The Redskins…the Holy Trinity!–, there is no need to say more: ‘More Than Skin-Deep’ is a fantastic record, from start to end. We have amphetamine-fueled soul stompers as ‘Our Own Way’; the nostalgia of a passing youth of ‘All The Fun’ –and they were in their 20’s!–, with a chorus that reminds the boys from Hull; ‘Baddies Boggie’, a finger snappin’ instrumental, as an accelerated ‘Return of The Palmas 7’ … And the cover of the classic skinhead reggae tune by The Bleechers, ‘Come into my parlour’, converted into a 2-Tonish jumpy ska, with a killer bass and keyboard.

The B-side is on par, the anger hidden in the fast melody of ‘I Won’t Be Fooled’ or the statement of principles that is the song that gives name to the record. Then arrives ‘The Sycamores’, one of the top moments in this record. An electric tinged English folk tune a-la-Billy Bragg that suddenly changes into a ska in the chorus; social ranting from the brick wall of a council state looking in anger towards a suburban residential area, with the soulful voice of Wayne Keynon in top.

For besides the music there are the lyrics, full of youthful working class awareness, the one Maggie tried to sweep in the 80’s. And the image, smart as fuck, Harrington jackets and Levi’s, oxblood Dr Martens and pork pies. This record speaks truth and authenticity in each groove, far from false posing and pretending. This is what we are and this is what we sing about.

Keepin’ On Records is proud to reissue ‘More tan Skin-Deep’ a 500-copies limited edition that keeps the original cover art but that also includes a 20-pages booklet with the band’s history, a wealth of old fanzine articles and paper cuttings, and an exclusive interview with the band’s frontman Wayne Keynon. What are you waiting for?



Tracklist

A1. Our Own Way
A2. All The Fun
A3. Baddies Boogie
A4. Come Into My Parlour
A5. Theres Much More

B1. I Won't Be Fooled
B2. More Than Skin Deep
B3. The Sycamores
B4. Another Way
B5. What Else Could We Do