Prior to searching Korean and Japanese music, I spent some years during college looking for Asian American bands that played interesting music. It didn’t take long before I found out about The Chinkees. A ska/punk band from California under Mike Park, who owned (and still owns) Asian Man Records.

The Chinkees were the first Asian American band that played in a style that I liked and had lyrics that I actually read and listened to. Playing songs about racial tensions, politics, and even including an old Korean folk song, Peace Thru Music was the first album that spoke directly to me.

The ska/punk sound of the band was great back when I first heard it and it still sounds great. The feeling of the music through the guitars, bass, drum kit, and keyboards is honest and straightforward without all the bells and whistles that other bands currently put in their music.

It’s not quite a garage recording, but does show the simplistic nature of recording the music to present the message. It’s an album that needs to be rediscovered.