Planet Smashers are back, bringing their infectious brand of two-tone ska punk to the masses with On the Dancefloor, their 10th studio album, out now on Stomp Records. The Montreal-based sextet, made up of singer/guitarist Matt Collyer, trombonist Patrick Taylor, tenor sax player Alexandre Fecteau, drummer Scott Russell, organist Patrizio McLelland, and bassist Andy McAdam, have been playing since 1994. Thirty years of life and adult responsibilities make it difficult for them to make the band their main focus. Though a harsh reality of growing up, it led to them bringing an invigorated and appreciative mindset to the studio.
“The attitude of my bandmates and our recording engineers definitely made this one special,” says Collyer. “We’re all busy these days with non-Smasher biz, so when we get together, it feels incredibly special. Hanging out in a studio, talking ska, cracking jokes, and working on the tracks—they’re all things I thought I wouldn’t be doing at this point in my life.”
You can hear the camaraderie and enjoyment in each of the 13 tracks on the album. The songs are lighthearted bangers that all but guarantee to get listeners moving, smiling and singing along. The tight horn lines punch through the mix, driving each of the many hooks with infectious energy.
“Most of the writing on our last two albums was done over a short period,” Collyer says of the different approach they took with writing On the Dancefloor. “The majority of tracks were first demoed by a band member on a program like GarageBand, and then we’d try polishing them up. We started these writing sessions in early 2024. We’d have mini rehearsals every two weeks, and then full band rehearsals every now and then.”
The extra time and attention to detail led to an album that the band are really proud of and enthusiastic about. This allowed them more time to hash out ideas until everything clicked. There is nothing on this album that doesn’t excite them.
“The process was slower, but it gave us time to focus on certain tracks and parts,” Collyer says. “Everyone contributed. Some ideas that I originally thought sucked came together and turned into album favorites. We had stacks of other ideas that never got fully flushed out. There were so many ideas that it was tough picking the tracks.”
Planet Smashers have seen a lot in the three decades that they’ve been a band. They’ve seen a lot of musical trends in that time while securing their own legacy in the ska-punk movement. They are currently seeing and being a part of a new resurgence in the genre that hasn’t been this strong in a couple of decades.
“The scene has never been tighter,” Collyer says. “There are lots of collabs going on. It seems like all the old bands are teaming up with young bands for tours and recording sessions. It’s awesome to see.”
Planet Smashers are prepping their set for the few shows scheduled once On the Dancefloor is released. They have “smash hits” that the crowd is expecting and round it out with perceived fan favorites and curveballs to keep things interesting.
“There’s still a stack of songs that we have never played live,” Collyer says. “That’s something we’re trying to change.”
Planet Smashers don’t have any intentions of slowing down. The songs are strong, the scene is again (re)emerging and they are still having fun.
“We don’t take ourselves too seriously,” Collyer says about the band staying fresh and exciting after so many years. “We respect each other and everyone we work with. And we always enjoy the moment! We truly enjoy playing music and we understand that we’re lucky as F to be doing so. And we can’t afford gym memberships.”
On the Dancefloor is out today on Stomp Records, and you can order it here. Follow Planet Smashers on Facebook and Instagram for future updates.
Photo Credit: Michael X. Crusty
