Charge!!

Aquabats, Aquabats | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 7, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nitro Records
• ASIN: B0009J4SEQ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #154,493 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The Band's Most Cohesive Album to Date, Blends Quirky New Wave Melodie with the Band's Hometown Signature Punk Rock Sound, Concreted with their Uniquely Sarcastic Humor.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Totally Freakin' Awesome!!! - 4.5 stars, June 29, 2005

By 

Alan Pounds "Minnesota Hip-Hop Fiend" (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Charge!! (Audio CD)

I was starting to think The Aquabats called it quits after all these years. The MC Bat Commander, Crash McLarson, Chainsaw, Jimmy The Robot, and Ricky Fitness finally return to the scene after a 6-year dry spell with "Charge!!". The geeky jokes, hilarious pop references, and superhero villain obsessions are still intact. What they have done over the years, is tightened up their musical approach. "Charge!!" does not bounce around from punk, ska, pop and new wave as much as it's predecessors (although those elements are still unscathed). Instead, they refocused they're attack, which includes a hard driving guitar and keyboard section, which actually works quite well. Old-school fans will notably miss the abundance of horn sections their previous releases showcased. But The Aquabats, being a smart band, knows that things need to be changed up with maturation. Not to say that they're "mature" per se. The countless Revenge Of The Nerds stories, and tales of losers losing the babes are still a large part of their repertoire. But their approach to these subjects have always been unique. When most pop-punk acts tell these stories, they come off as whiny, which certainly isn't the case with The Aquabats. I'm not usually a fan of gimmicky bands like The Aquabats. But after I heard "The Fury of the Aquabats" (1997) I have always made an exception for this great bunch of musical visionaries.

"Charge!!" drives through for a full solid listen. Chainsaw (guitarist) and Jimmy The Robot (keyboards) really bring the music to life with their outstanding talents. Crash McLarson (bass) and Ricky Fitness (drums) provide a very energetic rhythm section to match. The MC Bat Commander (vocals) is in full form, writing some of the best lyrics he's ever brought to the table. "Fashion Zombies!" kicks of the album with some commanding energy. But it was "Stuck In a Movie!" that hooked me first. It includes a nice quick guitar rhythm and great lyrics. Songs like "Tiger Rider vs. the Time Sprinkler!" and "Plastic Lips!" gives you an infection helping of tweaked out keyboards. One of my favorites would have to be "Nerd Alert!". I like this lyric quite a bit - "We're fat, young and hungry / But we don't care / We got big old brains / Like Mexican candy / We got some complex flavor / Running up in here / So get stupid on your time / Get the bud bowl off the air / Diffuse the land mines". "Look at Me (I'm a Winner)!" is also one of my favorite, which includes more great lyrics. Other highlights include "Mechanical Ape!" and "Demolition Rickshaw!". The album is concrete from front to back.

All in all, this is The Aquabats at their best. It's hard to compare it to "The Fury of the Aquabats", since it was filled with a lot more horn sections and theatrics. But this is just another side of their quirky personalities. I'm pleased to say, after 6 years, The Aquabats can still capture that flavor that we all loved and still love.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Music Still Has A Pulse, July 16, 2005

By 

Dr. Montgomery Montgomery (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Charge!! (Audio CD)

In an age where it's the fad to be serious and not have any room for having fun (i.e. The Killers/The Bravery/any other band featured on Mtv 2), comes The Aquabats - back from their six year slumber. It is a musical blessing to have these guys back when music is in such a sad state of affairs to bring back fun and fast-paced, goofy music. The tunes in "Charge" are are so catchy that you should start seeing a psychiatrist because you'll constantly be hearing keyboards and choruses. While there is not a single horn in this album like The Aquabats' previous albums, the keyboards make up for it. The upbeat music and catchy choruses more than make up for the absence of horns. I seriously think that this album cover should be in the Random House College Dictionary under the word "catchy" (have I said that enough?). You would need to get checked if you have a pulse if you don't get into it right away from the first 'woah' in "Fashion Zombies" to the last 'boo-ya' in "Awesome Forces." Thank goodness these guys are back. Hopefully they'll come out with more albums and save us from this bland music that inhabits the mainstream. Life is too depressing already. Music should be our escape from reality, and The Aquabats are the train conductors of the train out of it and into a musical haven.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Return of the Aquabats!, July 15, 2006

By 

M. Felix "QueenEnchilada" (Ogden, Utah, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Charge!! (Audio CD)

The Aquabats have done it again, only with 5 members this time instead of 11. The Aquabats are hilarious, have awesome riffs, lyrics, and overall tone. It doesn't have all the horns of the earlier albums, but they compensate with vocal backgrounds and more guitar riffs. One of my favorite cd's!!!

1 - For your own safety - only a few seconds long, a nice opener

2 - Fashion zombies - makes fun of emo kids, but all in good fun. Awesome lyrics and opening guitar

3 - Stuck in a movie - You enjoy it more every time because you catch something new every time!

4 - Tiger rider vs. the Time sprinkler - Mystic, extreme, how do they do it? Awesome bridge.

5 - Nerd Alert - Saying that nerds are really cool. Raise your fist and take a stand, with your super-cool wrist bands!!! Catchy tune, hysterical theme.

6 - Plastic Lips - Beautiful girls really are too good to be true, aren't they?

7 - Look at me, I'm a winner! - Awesome guitar, lyrics, and overall point.

8 - Hot summer nights - Definitely one of my favorite aquabat songs of all time. Why can't guys take a hint?

9 - Once again, amazing guitar and vocals. A little repetitive.

10 - Mechanical Ape - The title says it all, this song is yet another glorious display of Aquarandom goodness.

11 - Demolition Rickshaw - Highly energetic (as are all aquabats works) good on a stressful day. :)

12 - Waterslides - Gets away from the traditional Aquabats saound and feel, yet one of my favorites.

13 - Awesome Forces - Way to go out with a bang, this is one of the best songs on here. Stating how they're the rock band to battle all the villians.