Welsh ragga metal legends SKINDRED have unleashed their latest sonic abomination, “Can I Get A,” proving once again that combining reggae, metal, and whatever the hell else they find in their musical junk drawer is somehow still a thing in 2024.
This “jaunty electro-honky-tonk” catastrophe (their words, not mine—I’m just the messenger here) somehow manages to cram Phil Collins drum breaks, gospel choirs, and enough “woop-woops” to make you question humanity’s collective taste. The song is apparently about overcoming childhood poverty, but honestly, after three minutes of this musical Frankenstein, poverty might start looking pretty appealing.
Lead singer Benji Webbe—who apparently missed his true calling as a motivational speaker at 1980s rehab centers—spins a yarn about being orphaned and raised by his teenage brother. The struggle is real, folks. So real that Webbe felt compelled to turn it into what can only be described as the mutant offspring of a steel drum and a chainsaw.
The accompanying video features the band performing in front of what appears to be a Windows 95 screensaver having an existential crisis. Dancers whirl around like they’re auditioning for a particularly confused episode of “Soul Train.” It’s… something.
Their upcoming album “You Got This” (subtle, guys) promises more of this genre-defying madness. Production credits go to Grammy winner Jay Ruston, who apparently looked at his impressive resume and thought, “You know what this needs? More SKINDRED.”
The album’s title track was inspired by watching someone struggle through rehab exercises—because nothing says “rock inspiration” like observing physical therapy. Webbe apparently witnessed this struggle-induced epiphany at his gym, where he was presumably between sets of existential weightlifting.
SKINDRED continues their reign as one of the world’s best live bands, which is impressive considering they sound like what would happen if a Caribbean cruise ship crashed into a Norwegian death metal festival. Their previous album “Smile” hit number two on the UK charts, proving that British people will literally buy anything.
In a shocking development that rocked the music world to its core, founding bassist Dan Pugsley announced his departure from the band. His heartfelt message about “figuring out what’s next” has everyone on the edge of their seats, wondering if he’ll finally pursue his dream of becoming a mime or open a boutique potato chip shop.
The album features such hard-hitting tracks as “Broke,” “Glass,” and “Big ‘Em Up”—titles that sound like rejected names for WWE finishing moves. With song names like these, who needs lyrics anyway?
As SKINDRED prepares to unleash “You Got This” upon an unsuspecting world, one can only wonder: is this what musical evolution sounds like, or have we simply run out of new ideas and decided to mash everything together until something sticks? Either way, grab your earplugs and prepare for the ragga-metal revolution—it’s coming whether you like it or not.
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
