Just two years short of entering their third decade as a band, Burn It Up (formerly known as Mrs. Skannotto) have released their first record under the new moniker, titled Toys.
The introductory track, “101”, sets a dark and spooky tone for the record. Though it is milder throughout the rest of the record, this tone does make reappearances. Vocalist Joe Harmon’s vocals start off strong, and that doesn’t change at all later in the record. The driving beat of “Fire Man” comes next and introduces the listener to the other side of Burn It Up.
Throughout the tight and punchy rhythm section held down by drummer Alex Bochetto and bassist Dan Carter drives the music forward during songs such as “Fire Man”, “Affluenza”, and “Don’t Drink the Wine”. Meanwhile, they are accomoanied by technical guitar playing brought to you by Mike Frederick, highlighted in “Affluenza”, “Name”, “Time Capsule Overdose”, and the closing track (featuring a jazzy intro), “Resistance is Fatal”.
Justin Lloyd on trumpet and Evan Dobbins on trombone round out the lineup of Burn It Up, and you can hear their talents especially well in “Grow” and “Fire Man”.
Burn It Up - Toys album info
If you’ve never heard of Burn It Up (or Mrs. Skannotto), but you like ska punk, pop rock, or reggae, you will like Toys. The band’s arrangement shows that they have been creating music as a unit for years and work well both individually and with each other. Toys is available for purchase now and streaming on Spotify and Apple Music.