Put It on Your Playlist: Ska Covers of Country Classics, and More New Releases From Colorado Bands

You never know what you might find when you listen to a cross-section of Colorado music, because the state has so many flavors to sample — and this week's lineup is no exception. There's a two-tone ska band playing country classics, along with snotty hardcore, a twangy Christmas remix, post-rock guitar instrumentals, post-metal experimentation and intriguing indie rock. Keep reading to find new music from Colorado musicians that will keep you going back for more.



Skank Williams
“Colorado Christmas”
The proposition of mixing country and ska is pretty terrifying, because that just seems like a crossover genre designed to be played at the gates of hell. But fear not: Skank Williams plays ska versions of country classics and forgoes mashing the two together, as Limp Bizkit does with metal and rap. It’s just good old-fashioned two-tone ska covers of country songs, and this band is quite good at it. Check out its latest release, a take on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Colorado Christmas," then soak in a skanky version of Glen Campbell’s “Rhinestone Cowboy.” 



Probes
The Removal
Probes is a Denver three-piece that eschews using a guitar in its lineup, favoring drums, bass and vocals instead. The result is very heavy music that takes some of its sonic cues from the sludge metal of the Melvins. The first two songs off the band's latest EP, The Removal, evoke being trapped in the hold of an old wooden ship that is swaying back and forth as the angry sea does its best to pull everyone to the ocean floor. The Removal ends with “Fake Money," which is definitely a mood — possibly multiple moods, including surly and grumpy. Put it on and embrace your inner grouch.



Fragile City
Fragile City
Denver’s Fragile City has dropped a four-song EP of metal-tinged hardcore anthems that are just a bit pop punk underneath all that snarl. The tracks possess untethered energy and pop-punk sensibilities that encourage many repeat listens. The tempos shift, the metal guitar solos soar, and, as heavy and fast as the music presents itself, you’ll be in the mood to dance.



Sputnik Slovenia
“I Miss Christmas (Georgia Peach Remix)"
Sputnik Slovenia stars Jim Yelenick, who's been part of such Denver bands as Pitch Invasion, Jet Black Joy, Negative Man and Nuns of Brixton. But on “I Miss Christmas (Georgia Peach Remix)," "Everlasting Love (Georgia Peach Remix)" and "My Good Friend (The King of South Broadway Remix)," Yelenick discards his punk sound for all-out twang. While you're streaming the new songs, check out Yelenick’s more punk-rock fare, such as the track "Sour Wine” or the takedown of a certain former president on the punk slab “Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.”



Tone 30
“Thanks for Nothing”
Tone 30 is the work of Boulder-born, Arizona-based Josh Walker, who offers five minutes of atmospheric post-rock on “Thanks for Nothing” and another two minutes on the b-side, “De Nada.” After you listen, check out Walker’s 2022 album, Eccentricities of the Desert, where he layers guitar melodies into an enchanting series of compositions. It’s perfect for meditating, or just thinking about life. Walker says he’s deeply influenced by people like David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, and it comes across in the catchy tone of his guitar work.



Zero Ascension
“Soaring”
Aurora-based musician Paul Francis, who hails from a small town in Missouri, incorporates his metal roots into instrumental tracks that push the boundaries of the genre. His most recent release, “Soaring,” takes inspiration from the joy of flight and its evil twin, the fear of falling. Francis employs the harmonized double guitar leads of typical metal, but the arrangements are unique and engaging. If you like metal but don’t want the vocals, this is the music for you.

The Red Tack
Judy
Denver-based The Red Tack (an anagram for musician Ted Thacker) employed Westword contributor Karl Christian Krumpholz to do the immediately recognizable cover art for Judy. A followup to Thacker's first solo effort, (K)Night of the Sorrowful Face, Judy comprises ten tracks of indie-rock crunchy guitar solos, supplemented by Thacker’s intriguing vocals. Highlights include the radio-ready title track and “Los Angeles,” as well as the dusty rocker “Roving Satellites,” on which Thacker shows off his formidable guitar chops. The chorus on "Crayons and Crumbs" prompts the question: “Are we losing our minds?” It's a particularly apt query, considering a lot of us are still stuck in 2020.

Unless otherwise noted, music is available on all major streaming platforms. Send releases for consideration to [email protected].