*GUEST REVIEW*
This split CD features Winnipeg's premiere ska/reggae act (JFK and the Conspirators) facing off with Winnipeg's premiere joke act (RWPO, which stands for Royal Winnipeg Porn Orchestra). Helmed by Matt "Rusty Far-I" Henderson, who runs the Bacteria Buffet label and is now actually a member of the Conspirators, the RWPO is a funk/rock/ska/novelty act that basks in its Canadianness. The Bob and Doug MacKenzie stereotypes that most outsiders think of when they think of Canada are propagated even more on the group's three records, but it's not necessarily negative -- there's some fierce regional pride that seeps into the RWPO's mostly comical songs. Their half of this disc is mostly rock/country-tinged and doesn't really reflect their ska side, except for "Prairie Town," a Randy Bachman (also from Winnipeg) cover. JFK offers a guest verse on this one, using the opportunity to chat about his prairie heritage. ("We're not from the islands. / We're from the prairie. / Listen to the RWPO stylee."). Clash of the Titans, however, has some serious ska on its second half. The Conspirators' songs recorded for this disc were taped live at the Montreal Jazz Festival and represent the period between the group's ska roots and its current dancehall fascination. Featuring now-departed keyboard player Roxy acting as Flava Flav to frontman JFK's Chuck D, the four songs here are mainly soulful ska numbers about love (or lost love), complete with soft male/female vocal harmonies. "Heavens Above" is a standout -- an easy-skanking groove that sounds astonishingly polished considering it's a live recording. "How Will I Ever" and "Takin' It Uptown" are equally as mellow, and album closer "The 10 Commandments of Ska" is a tune made famous by Montreal's legendary Kingpins, a ska group JFK once fronted.

- Sam Thompson