Lollypop Lorry - Stick By Me (Self-published)

Is it still appropriate to feature music from a Russian band given the current geopolitical context? After all, Russian participation in international sporting events has been barred, not to mention the economic and trade sanctions.

The band themselves offer some perspective on the matter: “‘Stick By Me’ is our confrontation with the challenges of difficult times that we have all been experiencing in recent years, and, at the same time, it’s a cry from the heart from a band whose members, due to various circumstances, have been living in different parts of the world since 2022.”.

If that sentiment doesn’t win you over, consider that prominent figures from the ska and reggae scene like Victor Rice, Ben McKone of General Roots (Hollie Cook’s London-based backing band), Roger Rivas (producer and musician with The Aggrolites) and Roberto Sanchez were involved in mixing the tracks for ‘Stick By Me’. If it’s good enough for them, we see no reason to object either.

The tracks on ‘Stick By Me’ were recorded across Pür Studio in Istanbul, Crosstown Studio in London, Studio26 in Lagos and Octopus Studio in Yekaterinburg, the band’s former home base. Lollypop Lorry collaborated with nearly 40 (!) guest musicians and vocalists for this album, and musically, ‘Stick By Me’ is impeccable.

The jazz influences that defined ‘Lollypop Lorry Goes Dub’ have taken a backseat, with the band returning to an upbeat mix of ska, rocksteady and reggae. This time, they’ve opted to forego cover songs entirely, focusing solely on original material.

While ‘Stick By Me’ is a strong showing from start to finish, a few tracks deserve special mention. ‘They Called It Ska’ succinctly traces the origins of the ska genre in just a few lines. ‘Save A Little Love’, featuring vocals from Tenor Love, channels the lovers rock vibe of British bands like Black Slate or Capital Letters from the mid-1980s. And ‘Why Aren’t You With Me’ stands out as rocksteady perfection.

An excellent release, ‘Stick By Me’ serves as a hopeful testament to the unifying power of music, transcending differences even in the most challenging times.