Ska’s the launching pad for the Scorseses, and it’s never clearer than on “Drink the Blood of Spacely Sprocket,” a Jetsons reference that seems done once it connects us to the future and space. Ska shows up in the minimal horn section that adds punctuation marks to a melodic guitar part, while the ghost of ska’s pogo-stick rhythm bounces underneath. When the verse kicks in, it moves into a more modern rock mode that, like Mutemath, builds something contemporary from refashioned versions of classic parts. Singer Vincent Ebeier carries the melody while the band percolates along, building tension to the chorus, which he detonates, singing, “In my spaceship,” after which the horns reappear and the ska vibe and bounce return.
Throughout this five-song EP, the Scorseses show similar invention, and it’s easy to hear how this could find a big audience. Ebeier’s voice is urgent without being strident, and someone in the band’s always pushing the momentum, though the person doing the pushing shifts mid-song. The EP’s not as anarchic as the comic art cover might suggest, but it’s a good start.
