You better watch out, 'cause here's Banana Man!!! This is the second Ghoti Hook album. Was their debut album "Sumo Surprise" a punk rock album with cool songs and serious lyrics, this album brings you punk rock with hilarious lyrics! The first funny song on the album is about everybody's favorite superhero, "Banana Man" (did you know that he has a job so he can pay his mortgage?). Yell along with this song! Very good opening song! Other songs- that-will/can-make-you-smile are "Cowboy", "My bike" and "At The Zoo".
Song number 4 on the album is a song called "The Box", a song with a nice guitar lick and with the Ghoti guys all screaming "The Box, this one's called, Food Lion" a couple of times. Song number 7 is also called "The Box" and it is the same tune as the fourth song, but now played faster. Just like songs 10, 13 and 16: all are exactly the same, but each time, the song is played a tad faster and faster. And, when you've heard the album a couple of times, the nice guitar lick has become a very annoying lick!!! (WAAAAHHHHH!!! Get it out of my head!!!) Phew, you're lucky that the rest of the album is G O O D! "Middle Ground" for example, is a song which great singing, nice guitars, fast bass and rad drums (Mind the instrumental intermezzo! It rawks!).
Of course, there are also more serious songs, about friendship ("Estevan"), divorce seen through the eyes of a child ("Middle Ground"), running away for your problems ("Running Away") and having the one you love living thousands of miles away from you ("Love By The Numbers").
Lets' talk about the music now, instead of the lyrics.
All songs on this album are okay. The guys in the band are all (as far as can be told from what you hear on the album) skilled musicians and Joel (singer) and Conrad (guitar) are both good song writers. One of the things I like most on this album is the use of distortion. Jamie and Conrad know how to rock with their guitars! But, fan of tight & fast drums as I am, I also would like to mention the drums (Adam is the drummer). Adam plays just as I like it (fast & tight), e.g. on "Middle Ground", "Running Away", "Cowboy" and "Love By The Numbers (!).
In the song "Just Fools" you can just feel that the song is a more serious one. The singing is done in a serious kinda way, and even the other instruments seem to be stressing the depth of the song - very well made!
In short: great punk rock album! I hear they must kick ass live as well, so go see 'em you crazy punk rocker!
Martijn