Customer Reviews

Charge!!

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

The horns are gone... who cares? Instead of putting out another album that was a clone of their previous attempts, The Aquabats were able to use their new sound to create a very catchy album that is a nice addition to their discography. Seeing as how their first album came out about a decade ago, I think it's only fair to expect a little change over time (and when the change is this good, embrace it). (!!)

Great music,
I think that people are bad talkin this album for the lack of horns. This is strange cause the music, in its self is for people with open minds. Odds are that if you ever enjoyed any of there other albums, you will think its just as good as any other album. Unless you hold a grudge for lack of horns. Never the less, allmost all the songs are very catchy and very original as usual. Now for a track review.

Fasion zombies - a brake beat to dance to. The brakedown is pretty cool, an endooming look on fasion. Its fun and reminds us that everythings a laughing matter. Even our self conscience gothic friends.
Demolition Rickshaw - Starts off with a ska beat. Then turns to a anthem type song. Tweeks of boucy synthisicer beats make this a song that could get stuck in your head. The lyrics are catchy and you'll probebly find yourself singing to it.
Stuck in a movie - For some reason i keep thinkin this is a political song. I still havent decided wether its just the qwarkey lyrics or has some deeper meaning, but then again thats what music is suposed to do.. make you think. Great song none the less. Again you'll probebly find yourself skanking to this number.
Tiger rider vs time sprin - hard hitting guitar beats with synth in back ground. This break down in this song is amazing. The drums drop the beat for a second and go directly into a fast 80's rythem that could have been a song in its self . A very good varity of beats in this. Definatly a great song.
Nerd alart - Ode to geeks. Again more ska guitar riffs. The whole sound of the track is very computer like 80's style. Good tune.
Plastic lips - An upbeat song about staying away from the fake. Punk drum beats. Wabbely distorted guitar breakdown. Pretty good track.
Look at me, im a winner - Not very complex here, but still very catchy. Its hits you with that 80's rock feel. I like the lyrics in this track, where he breaks out and says, it was me that you choose, and when that wistle blows, YOU KEEP ME ROCKIN ( YOU KEEP ME ROCKIN BABY!). The end doesnt rhyme at all but its catchy as hell with that anthem feel.
Hot summer nights - A love song that turns into a funny song of a girl avioding a guy. Awsome track. It really hit me in the face that the bats were back when i heard this track. Its cool to see that they still have there humor.
Meltdown - A track about someone getting angry. To me it seemed like they ran out of content for this one. Theres no story here excpet that crap happens. "He had a meltdown, he had a meltdown he was tryin really really trying not to have one, but then he had one." Maybe its what they were trying to do, but they lyrics say the same thing over and over again. It works for them i guess, being the aquabats. Maybe the only mediocor song on the album?
Mechanical Ape - Bumpy tracks, about a monkey. What else is there to say? It would be hella funny to see them fight this thing on stage. Good track
Waterslides - My personal favorite track on the album. A smooth ska track with pulseing synth. The distorted organ sound from the syth is very original, expecialy for a song with a surf theme. A great song about letting go.
Awsome Forces - Fast paced, anti climax to album. Sort of a western theme. It leaves the album on a good note. "We cannot die, for this is our destany!."

Overall, I think this is one of there best albums. For sure its one of there most original. Being one of my favorite bands, I hope they continue to makeing albums.

We shouldnt be worried about weather there "selling out" and "turning pop". That crap dosnt matter as it never did. Heck, I hope they do get popular so they can spread the great music. I guess my point is that you shouldnt hate the music for changeing directions. People get over exposer in the music industry mixed up with music style. So i conclude,
If you never heard of this band you might want to pick up this album, and give it a listen. Like most of there albums, its fun and something to dance to.

I've been a huge fan for 5 years, and this is the first Aquabats album to completely floor me in it's complete awesomeness from start to finish!!! This is the most stellar mix of tight songwriting and awesome musicianship that I have ever heard from any band. The songs are consistent and arent' as jokey as their previous albums. Not that I have a problem with that, but hopefully this disc will gain them some much-deserved mainstream popularity, and dare I say--radio play?!! My favorite track is "Look at Me (I'm a Winner)!", which kinda sums up this album--a winner that must be heard to be believed!!!

I can't believe nobody has mentioned the incredible similarities between the "Fashion Zombies" track and Devo's music (my wife actually thought it was a Devo track she had never heard.) "Fashion Zombies" is a revival the long lost art of punk/synth fusion, albeit much more poppy sounding. There are little lyrical gems here criticizing the effort goth kids (or "emo" as they get called now) go through to make themselves look scary:

"Dressed in expensive fashions
To look like they crawled out of coffins

And who can blame them?
They walk through asphalt cemeteries"

And this little parody of Vincent Price's bit in Micheal Jackson's "Thriller":

"Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To accessorize their black zipper hood"

If you have to shop at the mall to show how society has marginalized you...then you've missed the point. It is not an original theme, but it bears repeating...especially in the last 10 years.

Though I loved this particular track, I wasn't that impressed with the rest the tracks, but they weren't horrible. Admittedly, I have never been a big Aquabats fan. I gave it 4 stars based on the strength of this one track.

Btw: If you are new to punk/synth fusion sound and like it, look into stuff like The Stranglers - "No More Heros", The Nuns - "Suicide Child" or Devo - Penetration In The Centrefold.

Im not the greatest fan of the Aquabats, i knew 5 or 6 old songs and they were pretty good. This album is very different, theres less trumpets, its more rocky (not to the extent of actually being rock music though) and dare i say it, a hint of angst creeps in?

Most of the songs on this album are very good. Instrumentally less complex but keeping to the same formula of singing, the aquabats have conjoured up catchy tunes that are also well rounded songs. Fashion Zombies is a great start to the album, the singing style perfectly complimenting the bouncy background. In fact, apart from 'Meltdown' which i could take or leave, this is a very solid album.

The album isnt for everyone as the lyrics may prove to be too repetitive for some (look at me look at me look at me, im a winner, im a winner!) but its great if youre an aquabats fan or generally like a ska singing style

i personally think this album is great, i hope they make many more

If you are a fan of the "Fury" album you will definitely like this one! Yeah, the sound has been updated for 2005 and the horns are gone but the guitars are tight! Lots of fast paced guitar, drum and keyboard action with the corny lyrics Bats fans are familiar with.

Some of of my favorite songs are "Nerd Alert", "Fashion Zombies", "Look at me I'm a Winner". If you are worried that there won't be enough clever lines in there for you just check out "Hot Summer Nights" and that should bring back the memories of junior high - boy wants girl, girl wants nothing to do with boy - experiences. Also check out the Aquabats website to see the video for "Zombies"...that is pretty funny too.

If you buy this album, you should also kick down for the "Fury" album because they are both really great.

Seriously the best album in the world from the best crime-fighting superhero rock and roll band in the world! I'm not sure if I can even find words to describe this album, other than, you should own it. It's totally gnar-gnar, in the words of the MCBC. I've been a die-hard Aquabats fan and proud Aquacadet for 6 years. We have long-awaited this album and it was worth it! If you are just getting into the 'bats, this is a great place to start. Every song on here is pure Aquabatian genius. I would go into every nuance of every song, but it seems others have already done that. Also, The Aquabats are on tour right now and if you have a chance to see them, DO IT. You won't be dissapointed.