Band Geek Mafia

For a bunch of Southern California punk rockers who still commit plenty of time to running both an indie record store and a recording studio, this 14-song collection doesn't sound like the afterthought of businessmen who need a hobby. Instead Voodoo Glow Skulls build on their roots in the hardcore and Hispanic communities while tossing off plenty of whiplash nods to ska pioneers like the Specials. Pumping out more pogos than Walt Kelly on a bender, the Skulls' third Epitaph release, The Band Geek Mafia, picks up a caffeine buzz and throws it in the back of the van to work out a deal with the horn section. The result is a skateboarder's sonic dream and his mother's ultimate headache. --Jason Josephes