JesusfreakHideout.com: Top 100 Tooth & Nail Albums of All Time

7 of 100

#7. The O.C. Supertones
Supertones Strike Back

Release Date: June 3, 1997

Perhaps more than any other '90s album on this list, Supertones Strike Back was the most popular, listened to regularly by fans of all genres of Christian rock music. Right up there with Jesus Freak and a handful of other Christian rock albums, this album was one that everybody owned and loved. This was the album that truly pioneered the ska craze going viral in Christian music. But far from a gimmicky album merely trying to capitalize on the ska revival, the songwriting on this album is phenomenal, with original, catchy melodies, provocative, no-compromise lyrics, and an interesting blend of ska, punk, surf, and rap. Every song is a hit with memorable hooks in the verses and choruses, but the standout tracks are "Supertones Strike Back," "Unite," and "Little Man," as well as the instrumental surf song "Caught Inside" that is as good as any of the surf classics, in my opinion.
- Russ T. Shipp of the band Rusty Shipp

I've always loved Supertones Strike Back, but I never realized just how important it was to Tooth & Nail until watching the No New Kinda Story documentary a few years ago. The label's top band was leaving and there was some uncertainty. While Adventures was a such a fun album, I'm not sure if anyone thought that the Supertones had the mojo (see what I did there?) to carry the label. The answer was a resounding yes. Matt Morginski and his crew released the best album of their career and skanked their way into the hearts of so many. While Five Iron Frenzy will always be my top ska band, Strike Back remains my favorite ska album and it's been played on repeat for a long time. The title track, "Louder Than the Mob," "Unite," and "Little Man" are all shining examples from this release. Sometimes I feel this one gets overlooked in the grand scheme of Tooth & Nail, but this album could be the very reason the label still exists today. For that reason, and my own love for it, Supertones Strike Back was number two on my personal list.
- Michael Weaver

Visit our The O.C. Supertones page for more information about them...