why do they rock so hard?
this, the eternal question pending, is actually answered within this album. the fish couldn't have picked a better name for their third full-length effort, still hangin' with mojo records. this incredible collaboration of insanely talented musical masterminds showcases a plethora of different styles, and a dramatic display of pure, unadulterated rock 'n roll.boasting sixteen incredible tracks of rock-pop-punk-ska-core beats, this is definitely my favorite fish album. i bought this cd a long time ago, and just got around to reviewing it, so keep in mind that it's grown on me a bit by now when you read this review. and now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, iguanas and parrots, step right in to the review of your lifetime. and i will tell you just why they rock so hard.
track one - somebody hates me
woo hoo! rock and roll intro! but then into a cool little groove. love the congas, really adds to the sound, and the musicality of the song. this is one of my favorite songs on the album, and i hope you don't hate it like you all hate aaron (or so he says) in the controversial lyrics. despite this song's incredibly challenging horn line, the horns are still tight, as they should be with over seven years of experience with each other. the coolest part of this song is the middle, where it coold off and comes back in with the groove. outstanding track.
track two - brand new song
i could do without the intro, but it's decent, and a good way to show off matt wong's rock and roll bass. classic rbf lyric style, hating their ex-girlfriends and such. example: "i've got a brand new girlfriend, she is so lovely, lovely. i've got a new ex-girlfriend, she is so fat and ugly!". awesome trombone solo (i assume by dan regan) in the middle, and a powerful chorus of a lot of people yelling. i like the horn parts as well.
track three - she's famous now
ooh! catchy, catchy, catchy! this neat little horn part with stick in your brain like the lyrics to an eighties song. there's some awesome vocal harmonization in this song, as usual for the fish. scott has an incredible voice, and complements aaron very well. the lyrics have some good little metaphors in them, "i eat the muscle and she eats the leaves", personally sounds clever to me. this song definetely has single potential, and actually i think it is, since it is appearing in the new movie "never been kissed" and on the soundtrack. personal favorite part: "well she's like me, just not as ugly!". awesome!
track four - you don't know
"horns standing by. - holy shit, we're rolling!" exclaims aaron as this slow little groove comes in. a lot of three-part harmonies and almost country guitar stuff makes this song unique. some very, well, "explicit" lyrics with echoes ending up with the whole band screaming "fuck off!" have to be a perfect example of reel big fish's lyrical style. there's a neat little horn breakdown and fanfare in the middle too, which i found very cool. at some points in the song they've got a little halftime-regular time feel to the tune. then aaron finishes up the song reversing the chorus.
track five - the set up [you need this]
yeah yeah yeah! rock and roll forever! synthesizers! neat little intro. this whole damn song is rock and roll, and screams out "the first single" everywhere you look. well, listen is more like it. rhythm section dominates this song, but the horns break it down in the middle. love the trombone and drum parts a lot. just before the breakdown, there's a reel-ly cool vocal chord change, taking it up a half-step. really neat. it ends with scott singing lead on the last chorus, it reprises the opening rock section, and then cools off with a slow funky keyboard thing in the very end.
track six - thank you for not moshing
"guitar player standing by!" okay, okay, it's "in the pit" off of everything sucks and teen beef. but this version excells past the other two versions, and includes an awesome dan regan trombone solo too. lots of toasting going on too, and coolie ranx of pilfers does a little jamaican style toasting/rhyming in the middle. lyrics rule, i can totally relate to them. this song is about the classic jock who beats up everyone in the mosh pit. this is for everyone who's ever been in a meathead infested mosh pit before.
track seven - i'm cool
well, surprise surprise! it's the song with many many versions. this song has successfully made it onto every one of reel big fish's albums, in one way or another. but this version is a slow, tripped out reggae version with some incredible solos. aaron even lets scott sing lead one time through the second verse. this song is great, but it just kinda seems to drag on and on. it is a good song, but i prefer the fast or acoustic version better.
track eight - i want your girlfriend to be my girlfriend too
whoa. nice name. kinda long though, don't ya think? this song was also the secret track on keep your reciept. anyways, this song has a super cool beginning with some vibes and bass. some toasting, "want your girlfriend…", and here we go! lyrics are fairly simple, seeing as how this song spawned in the old days of reel big fish. and it shows too: "don't know what to do, don't know what to to. maybe i could kill you." and even the title as well. incredible vocals even with stupid lyrics. "ya can't stop me now".
track nine - everything is cool
hmm. i thought everything sucked. oh well. waaaaaaugh!!! lots of screaming and loud guitar! metal baby! death rock vocals and good lyrics, then all of a sudden. "everything is cool". literally! horn parts are slightly reminiscent of the voodoo glow skulls' style of fast and hard. the song breaks down into a total metal section in the middle, with judas priest-esque backwards devil talking in it. there's a neat organ thing going on in the slow part too. coolest part: the end there they alternate fast between the slow part and the loud part, like "everything is cool… waaaaaaaugh!!!" and then the total hair band style "i wish you were dead!". then it's over.
track ten - song number three
it's coolie ranx again! he sings this whole song. note: if you have the clean version, this song is an instrumental, and it isn't bad either. there's a lot of neat solos in it. and by the and of the song, all four horn players are going nuts playing their solos at the same time. it's crazy. you'd have to hear it to understand what i mean.
track eleven - scott's a dork
an interesting title, although it has nothing to do with the song besides the chorus. and even the chorus has nothing to do with the other lyrics too! it's just kinda there. the beginning has that vibraphone again for the little intro. "dork dork dork dork dork dork dork dork!" chants aaron, matt and scott at the breakdown section. very musically rich in chords, including an awesome key change in the last leg of the song. it ends kind of abruptly, and goes straight into the next song with a "rock" synthesizer sound.
track twelve - big star
this song is great. it's just great. the lyrics are so true, and the acoustic music at first turned me off, but once it got to the middle, it busts into a fierce metal transition, and into a classic rock sound to take it home. "i'm so cool, no one wants to look at me, and i'm so cool, no one wants to talk to me and i'm so fuckin' cool, nobody cares at all." awesome.
track thirteen - the kids don't like it
woo-hah! a horn-packed beginning makes this song automatically good. the meaning of this song: oh, the poor fish. they try and they try, but the kids just don't like what they're trying to do! oh well. they just want to be someone! well anyway, this song has a catchy chorus and good rock music to carry it along, so it's gotta be good. this song could be a single. maybe. it has an interesting trumpet solo (one of the few on the album) in the middle. altogether a good song, and i hope you kids like it.
track fourteen - down in flames
little guitar solo to bring it in, semi-generic rbf horn line. then it slows to halftime for a short while. a lot of halftime/fulltime, ska/rock changes in this song. i really like the lyrics. it's kinda like sell out in the sense that it's about the industry shoving mindless drivel down your throats, as in "they tell you that it's the new thing, but we know that it hasn't changed, watch us go down in flames." another great message. i like the little breakdown section and bridge near the end. it gives the song more musical quality. the chorus horn line is a lot better than the opening one which is a whopping six or so notes over and over again. mellow little ending, showing rbf's softer side. and speaking of which, on to the next track.
track fifteen - we care
ahhh, sarcasm at its best. reel big fish style. this slow rock tune is a sarcastic reply to all the people who don't really care about them at all. it also has a little shpeel about selling out once again: "and we're sorry that so many people got to enjoy out music by hearing us on the radio". the music is very rockstar-esque, and has a little horn fanfare-a-la snoop dogg, baby. there's a cool rock and roll vocal "stack" in it too. i assume that's the bridge, but if i'm wrong oh well. it's a good ending, and that's what it pretty much was.
track sixteen - victory over peter bones
a slow little jazzy instrumental with a cool chuck mangione style (maybe) flugelhorn solo. it's nice for easy listening, but i know a lot of people won't like this track much, and will probably skip it, because it kinda sounds lke elevator music meets 80's soft rock. it's not by any means bad, just a tad boring. this one should be called "the kids won't like it".
track seventeen - [untitled]
all i can say is this is insanely hilarious. only reel big fish would end the album with fifteen minutes of them screwing around in the studio. you have to hear this track, because it is so damn funny. if you've seen them in concert you'd understand, because they do a lot of talking. this track includes the hit rap by scott klopfenstein entitled: "i try to fuck the bitches, but the bitches won't fuck me" with some cool gangsta rap mood noise.
overall analysis - why do they rock so hard?
this is a great album. i can't say it enough. i recommend it to anyone who is already a fan of reel big fish, and even to those who don't like them too much. this cd is not too much like turn the radio off, due to the more hard rock feel to it. if you don't agree on my opinions of the cd, please feel free to e-mail me any feedback to mightymightyfish@yahoo.com. thanks for reading and good day or night to you.