Umbrella Bed first came together in 1995….15 years after the shortlived period of the 2Tone Ska sound but just in time for the harder edged sounds of Thirdwave.

For those unfamiliar with this genre, Thirdwave Ska moved away from its pop roots by infusing elements of the upcoming grunge and alternative scenes of the early 1990s.

This transition put Umbrella Bed in the unique position of diving deeper into the elements of 2Tone. With that said, this group of passionate and talented musicians have created a record nothing short of awesome.

Their new EP, Refill, is scheduled for a November 26th release but considering this band has been around since 1995, there is a bit of history and accolades worth exposing.

Hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Umbrella Bed built a large local following and earned the title of Best New Band in 1997 by The City Pages.

While working the local scene, the band was being featured on internationally distributed compilations targeted at the Ska scene as well as the general music world. During this time they also managed to independently release 2 albums which were distributed by OarFin Records, King Size (1996) and Monkey’s and Rivets (1998).

In 2003, they developed a relationship with German label Mad Butcher Records. Since then the group has released 3 more albums: Last Band Standing, One Small Skank, and GO.

Umbrella Bed’s alliance with Mad Butcher expanded their presence and led them to touring Europe and earning loyal followings in Germany, Serbia, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. They have shared stages with other bands such as The Skatalities, The Specials, English Beat, Mustard Plug, The Selector, and many others.

Be on the lookout for a performance in a city near you. Their live show is something you don’t want to miss.

My advice? Support Umbrella Bed by grabbing your copy of Refill when it drops.

Then go connect with the band on Facebook.