We Are The Union – Great Leaps Forward

It’s been a long road to We Are Union’s sophomore release, Great Leaps Forward.  The Detroit Michigan ska punk act originally released their debut as a free download on their Pure Volume profile back in 2007, presumably to garner some press in their search for label support.  They certainly received a ton of underground press, but for whatever reason, the band never landed anything significant outside of a limited Japanese reissue of their debut.  Thankfully, three years later Paper + Plastick intervened during the label’s ongoing signing frenzy, and finally snapping up the clearly dedicated four-piece.

With the release of Great Leaps Forward, Paper + Plastick has solidified its support for keeping a once common, now scarce sound alive and well.  We Are The Union plays a speedy, happy, brand of late 90’s, early 00’s ska punk similar to Paper + Plastick founder Vinnie’s legacy act, Less Than Jake.  To say that Great Leaps Forward treads familiar ground is an understatement.  Yet the boys never feel like imitators.  Instead they feel like a group that just happens to be several years late to the party – and anyone who knows a thing about the decade of ska knows just how crazy that party got.  They might be rock’n out by themselves now, but based on their enthusiasm, they couldn’t care less.

The entire album just teems with life.  “We’re All Dead” opens the track listing with a few quick trumpet blasts before launching into action with a roaring pace.  Vocalist Reed Wolcott takes a nod from 90’s skate punk revivalists like Chaser, melodically speeding through lines with haste.  Come to think of it, his mannerisms also provide plenty of room for comparison with current pop punk revivalists like I Call Fives or The Wonder Years.  But Wolcott doesn’t stand-alone.  Rather, his bandmates chime in regularly with deep weathered vocals as lines close and choruses come to life.  The vocal variation is new for the band, and should expand their appeal beyond the handful of remaining ska enthusiasts.

Furthermore, their liveliness is also rooted in content.  Tracks like “Glaring Teeth” celebrate life itself with lines like “I know that I never want to know what it feels like to take a life.”  Meanwhile brass heavy offerings like “Strange, Old, and Slow” promote living life in the fast lane and “going out in style” over giving up on one’s dreams.  Much like their lively instrumentals, following along with their words is an easy and uplifting pick-up.

The worst that can be said about Great Leaps Forward is that the content doesn’t really match the title’s aspirations.  While Great Leaps Forward is a notable step up from Who We Are, nothing here really challenges conventions as implied.  Most listeners shouldn’t find fault here though, because We Are The Union is a rock solid blend of already proven sounds.  Even if you think you’ve since moved on from the ska party, you’d have to be a real party pooper to pass this one by.