L.A. Times Concert Review of Save Ferris by Sara Scribner

Save Ferris Highlights Pros and Cons of Ska

Ska is hot, no doubt about it. Riding high on the popularity of the genre's peppy, infectious skip beats, horns and clean vocals, the Orange County band Save Ferris brought it's ska-meets-big-band sound to the Palace on Friday night. Like other California outfits surfing the Jamaica-bred style's third wave, Save Ferris underscored ska's attractions and it's drawbacks. The young group also harks back to the old age of jazz a la the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and it's sound is tailor-made for playing live. Though it's members don't always seem adept at their instruments, the compensated with enthusiasm and sheer numbers-seven in all, including a full-blown horn section, which made for a big, bold yet knobby-kneed sound. Monique Powell's voice hinted of No Doubt's Gwen Stefani, but she's a sultrier, bluesier singer, tossing off the tough and flip "Goodbye" before being sunk by the band's most ridiculous number, "Spam." Save Ferris' real problem is capsulized in it's hit, a version of the 1983 Dexy's Midnight Runners song "Come On Eileen." Despite being recast with ska underpinings, it is so nostalgic and reverent to the original that it makes Puff Daddy seem like an originator. Though, the group's clean set epitomized good, clean fun, Save Ferris simply didn't offer enough substance or originality beyond it's retro shadings to indicate that ska's third wave comes even close to it's earlier, more inspired ones.
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