The Benefits were a Syracuse, NY ska band that existed from 2003 to 2006. Although we played tons of shows around Upstate NY with rad bands like Big D and the Kids Table, The Toasters, Catch 22, and lots of others, we never got around to actually making a decent recording. Luckily, we got around to making tons of shitty recordings.

This Benefits "retrospective" includes everything we ever recorded together during our years as a band. In includes our first and only EP - the appropriately titled "Skareem Abdul Jabar" - which we recorded in my freshman year dorm room with one awful microphone and a stupid 4-track mixer. You should have seem the shotty rig I hooked up to record and edit that thing - it was pretty pathetic. Anyway, that gem is on here and can be found on tracks 4-10.

We also have some live takes from SU's Belfer studio and a few early demos which kind of showcase our terrible songwriting process.

So if you feel like checking out a goofy, short-lived, female-fronted ska band with horns, banjos, and accordions, download this record (for free!) and give it a listen. But again, even though the songs are kinda fun, the recordings are god-awful!

And yes, we had a song called "Harrison Ford Love Tunnel."

-Ryan

THE BENEFITS WERE:

Heather Knowles - vocals
Christopher Nolan - trumpet, banjo, accordian
Ryan Raichilson - guitar
Dave "Bass Dave" Ries - uuhhhh bass??
Emi Horikawa - sax
Adam Davison - drums (2005-2006)
Dave "Drum Dave" Mendini - drums (2003-2005)

All songs written by The Benefits except "Canon in D" by our boy Johann Pachelbel.