Over the last few years The Honest Crooks have made their now formidable reputation almost exclusive off the back of their live shows (with the exception of a couple of fairly lo-fi demo tracks which have since been removed from circulation).

Throughout all that time there has often been call for the band to capture their brand of third wave ska, mixed with bits of punk, on record, and now, at last, they have in the form of the Crook, Line And Sinker EP.

Comprised of five of the band’s most popular tracks there’s no denying that whether live or on record these songs are infectiously catchy and it doesn’t take much to get the choruses stuck in your head and you singing along.

Opening track, No News Is Good News (previously more simply dubbed Media), sets the scene well showing that, combined with catchy songwriting the Crooks have a point it make as they rail against the apparent hypocrisy of mainstream news reporting and media but without getting in the way of having a good time.

Stressball then takes aim at mundane routines of working life before Stay Near celebrates life in Guernsey, particularly in the summer with references to a couple of the island’s festivals, where the band have gained their name.

Added to Stay Near is an extra verse from MC Jull-Z, well-known for his role in Buffalo Huddleston, which just hammers home the summery vibes, which are refreshing as we head well and truly into winter.

Rain Or Shine continues the laid back grooves before the more angry and impassioned Doris (I’m sure the name must mean something) returns to the sense of rabble rousing positive punk rock that began the EP.

While the songs and songwriting are great end to end, I can’t help but feel the production on the EP doesn’t quite capture what it is about the band that makes them so engaging live.

Things here sound too clean and precise without the looseness and energy that mark the band as so engaging on stage.

A plethora of extra added effects and apparent overdubs lose the immediacy of the songs, at points giving the feeling that while they are being played with more precision they are also in slow motion, making for a very smooth listen but one that lack the celebratory feel of things.

Its Stressball and Rain Or Shine that get closest to capturing the Crooks live energy but it still runs a little to close to falling flat for me.

That said there’s still a lot to like on Crook, Line And Sinker with great songs, positive messages and undeniable swing and groove (something often missing from a lot of bands) but I can’t help feeling something’s missing from the band I’ve grown to really love seeing and hearing live in recent years.