Skindred - You Got This - review
Skindred - You Got This - review
Tracklist
01. You Got This02. Can I Get A
03. Born Fe Dis
04. This Is The Sound
05. Broke
06. Glass
07. Big Em Up
08. Do It Like This
09. My People
10. Give Thanks
A review by
omne metallum April 29, 2026
In the extremely crowded reggae metal scene, few names stand out as prominently as the Welsh mob Skindred; a band that has earned its (red) stripes over the years. Their latest effort, You Got This, is a misnomer, something they decidedly do not have here with what has to be their weakest effort to date, feeling like a pastiche of what the band once was only a decade ago.
Having long made themselves a go-to band if you want to get a party started, Skindred have been masters of songcraft that gets you up on your feet (and several beers deep) and singing along. You Got This is surprisingly sparse on this front; while it certainly has songs that (try to) fit this mold, they are fewer than you would expect from a Skindred album. You Got This instead sees the band branch out and include more sedate and less metal tracks; while in and of itself this isn't a bad choice, the songcraft to support this decision is notably lacking.
"Can I Get A" is perhaps the best sonic summation of this, to the point where you're asking yourself "can I get a bit of effort?" "Broke" has all the qualities of that person at a party who insists on playing an acoustic guitar despite having all the talent of a ham sandwich. While these tracks are within Skindred's range, there is a noticeably missing spark to make these tracks work this time around. With Pugsley having taken his leave between 2023's solid effort Smile and You Got This, you could assume the chemistry in the band is lacking, or it hasn't had sufficient time to adjust.
This isn't to say You Got This is a total write-off, as it does have some redeeming moments that, while I wouldn't argue are worthy of a spot on any hypothetical greatest hits album, are enjoyable in the moment. The opening title track isn't a banger by any means, but it is one of the stronger cuts off the album and does recall the sound Skindred have honed and made their own over the years. "This Is The Sound" feels a bit like a faded copy of the band's earlier party anthem style, but it will get the blood pumping.
The sound on You Got This gives proceedings a noticeably darker tone, reflecting the slower tempos in comparison to the band's earlier efforts; having the effect of dulling any explosive moments that could have been had on "Big Em Up".
You Got This? No, please, Skindred; you can keep it.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 6 |
| Songwriting: | 5 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 6 |
Written on 29.04.2026 by
Written on 29.04.2026 by
Just because I don't care doesn't mean I'm not listening. Comments
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Haven't listened to them in a while but didn't think it was that bad. Got to give them one thing, though. Had they framed the lyrics of "Broke" slightly differently, they might have inadvertently had an absolute white-collar anthem for the contemporary and looming times. I.
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