They missed the sophomore slump. In fact the Aggrolites self-titled album so far surpassed anything in the genre that it seemed as if a newer, tougher Hepcat had arrived. What sets the Aggrolites’ previous releases apart from the current crop of ska/reggae acts like Westbound Train (who seem a bit effete) is that the quintet sounds as if it’s capable of beating your teeth in for causing trouble. Hellcat’s second Aggro release was purportedly written on the road and finished in the studio. From the onset there’s a different approach to the entire affair. The keyboard sound on “Work It” recalls a later day, lesser Gregory Isaacs effort. Even the vocals reflect a bit of a softening. It’s not that Jesse Wagner isn’t believable, but a bit of the grit is gone. “Lucky Streak” still sounds tough and convincing even if the lyrics recall “Trapper’s Got a Bird” by the Test Tube Babies. Morricone and the western influence exuded by the Upsetters becomes vented through the SoCal band on “Rhythm and Light”, which easily surpasses everything else on the album. It’s not quite “Man from M.I.5.”, but the twang is a welcome sound. Unlike their last effort, most of the vocal numbers are clunkers. Nothing’s horrible, but again it sounds more sentimental in comparison to the delivery in the past. And fortunately the chant of the title track is eclipsed by Rivas’ keyboard solo, which throughout the recording is the constant that keeps the aggro in the Aggrolites’ sound.