The Interrupters (Deluxe Edition)

Between vocalist Aimee Allen and her bandmates (three brothers), The Interrupters have worked with the likes of Sugar Ray, Jimmy Cliff, Tim Armstrong, Black Eyed Peas, and others. Their bona fides in the pop-rock-ska arena are solid, and it shows on this debut collection of rock-edged, ska-hearted tunes. Allen’s voice has a commanding, Joan Jett–style quality, and it’s the perfect playground chum for the band’s bouncing basslines, hopscotching snares, and rapid-fire guitar. The Interrupters’ sound is nothing new (think Rancid, Sublime, etc.), and some tunes here, like “White Noise,” may feel a bit too familiar to really strike a chord. But their interpretations of songs like the ‘80s pop gem “The Metro” and the first Bob Marley single ever recorded, “Judge Not,” are welcome and memorable surprises. Amid the perfectly skank-able, fresh-sounding originals (the punky “Can’t Be Trusted,” the sweet “Friend Like Me,” the shout-along gem “Family,” with Tim Armstrong), a few tunes rock the roof off: the light-speed “Liberty” and the stadium-ready anthem “Take the Power” give a swift, Doc Marten–clad kick to the gut.