Cargo Records

Volume 2: Lend An Ear + Pigbag Live

London's iconic Fire Records has been making quite a habit of re-introducing some of the most vital music from the past of late and this is no exception. Volume's One and Two kick it up a notch with fresh mastered versions of stone cold groove classics that sound more at place with the current indie/world music resurgence than they ever have. Don't mistake them for a one hit wonder when you hear "Sunny Day" or "Getting Up" kick in, or "Hit The 'O" Deck" and their smoky live cover of "Smiling Faces." We can personally attest that these tunes are killer - one and all.

Mixing punk, funk, jazz, ska, reggae and afrobeat into a bewitching brew - Pigbag delivers baby! The list of current tastemakers that owe them a debt of gratitude would take days to run through. This is hardly a simple re-issue, but rather a long needed re-introduction.For their second album, "Lend An Ear," the group would add vocalist Angela Jaeger and stretch their sound accordingly. The public remained transfixed on their earlier singles and never warmed to the change as quickly as the band would have liked, and soon they would decide to part ways. While the early work still makes one's pulse quicken, this second act deserves a fresh listen as it showcases an incredibly confident collection of players pushing the boundaries of where they had been before - with spectacular results.

This isn't the only bit of excitement as the rumors are true, the band is currently rehearsing with the possibility of select reunion dates in the near future. Much more on this later!