Featuring members of Skinnerbox, The Slackers, The Toasters, The Pietasters and The Insteps with guest appearances by members of Rancid and The Bosstones, Stubborn All-Stars have the kind of appeal that translates beyond the easy alternative/ska/punk/reggae pigeonholes. When asked to define his musical influence in reference to the All-Stars, King Django, the leader and founder of the group, mentions Bob Marley and the Wailers, The Skatalites, Lee Perry, Stevie Wonder, New Orleans R&B (Louis Jordan) and "a little soul: Otis Redding and Solomon Burke." “Back With A New Batch”, their second album, expands on the sound featured on their debut, “Open Season.” Django says, "I like it better than the first album. It's less jokey, more mature, the songs are better. On the first album we were still giddy about being able to make a record." He also points out that the actual recording of this album was "more spontaneous-- we did all the rhythm tracks in one day and recorded the whole thing in three days ..." These twelve tracks range from the positive messages of "Pick Yourself Up" and “Tired of Struggling" to the sweet R&B ballad "I Can't Touch You" and the highly infectious New Orleans inflected “Because of You" to the catchy but traditional early reggae sound of "Glimmer of Hope". He also discusses the lack of originality in horn arrangements that many ska-influenced bands employ. "I really wanted to do something different with the horn arrangements on the album. So many bands have this philosophy of the more horns the better… I wanted to show something different with six horns instead of them all playing the same thing in unison". "Pick Yourself Up" (which features backing vocals by Rancid and Dicky Barrett of the Bosstones) has "these gigantic horn arrangements - sort of big band or even Herb Alpert influenced” Rick Anderson of All Music Guide says, "This was, hands down, the best ska album of 1997, the greatest from what may be the finest ska band in New York -- and, therefore, probably these entire United States. The title track grooves on a medium-slow ska figure and what sounds like a really obscure reference to Lee Perry ("a hatchet that I borrowed from Scratch" is Perry's production of "Small Axe"? Besides, we all know where Django took his nom de ska, don't we?). "Tired of Struggling" is old-fashioned sufferer's reggae, complete with a breathtaking dub-and-DJ version featuring the toasting of Jack Ruby Jr. You also get a fine instrumental tribute to the band's publicist, a weird piece of postmodern doo wop and the bouncy "Glimmer of Hope." The horn lines are brilliant, the sung melodies are hooky, the grooves are bone-deep. If your butt doesn't hurt by the end of this album, check your pulse." Kelso Jacks of CMJ says, "Here we find the band laying down its usual solid roots ska, filled with a soulful clarity that has been lacking in ska's newer breeds. The vocals blend in a way that is extraordinarily smooth and refined, creating luxuriant textures, and the instruments are brought together with an enviable artistry, smartly arranged to compliment, rather than compete with, one another. Rather than dominating the songs, the horns are neatly reigned in, capably filling out the melody without overpowering the syncopated guitar rhythms that ultimately define ska. Skank away to the title track, "Crop No Drop" and "I Can't Touch You."