Customer Reviews

Flyin' the Flannel

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sometimes everything on an album just works. This is the first and only fIREHOSE record to capture the muscular intesity of their live shows and display the nuanced, subtle even, beauty of both Watt and Crawford's compositions. I Can't Believe is a love song for all time. Flyin' The Flannel is THE song to drive by, Down With The Bass is of course a bass players dream. Lost Colors displays Watts unique and unparalled ability to cram poetry and grit into the same verse better than any other artist. Plus, you get the tough guy stomp of Anti-Mysogeny Manuever and The First Cuss. Plus that really great/weird cover Walking The Cow. I love this record as you can tell, and it has been played once a week in every house I've lived in for close to a decade. "Treat yourself."

Back when this album appeared, I was so enthusiastic about this band that I read O'er the Town of Pedro in a high school English class as a comparison to T.S Eliot, much to the consternation to my pinched-faced English teacher Mr. Mitchell. It's impossible to look at this, or any fIREHOSE album, alone--although it's a great album. It's important to look at it in the context of the Minutemen and the other fIREHOSE albums to see how Mike Watt dealt with the loss of his closest friend and partner in crime (see History Lesson pt. 2 on Double Nickels on the Dime and Contemplating the Engine Room for some poignancy). I still love this album not only for representing a moment in my life, but for being, in my mind, truly timeless music. This one is right up there with Ragin' Full On, If'n, and Live Totem Pole for the best fIREHOSE albums. I only give it 4 out of 5 stars, because I gotta reserve 5 stars for truly classic albums (like Double Nickels). This is scientist rock: experimental and raw. Mike Watt is a mad scientist on the bass, and his lyrics contain life-altering poetry for certain ears. For me fIREHOSE is a band dedicated to the recovery of a tragic loss, honest and personal, it's about doing what you do, doing it well, driving around in a van to get where you need to be to do it, and selling your own t-shirts to the fans. These guys are what rock (punk or otherwise) is all about.

firehose hits the spot with flyin the flannel~ my favorite of all the awesome firehose albums.

This album has quickly become a personal favorite among my collection. once i put it in my stereo, this albun remains for weeks on end. I would recomend it to anyone.

Mike Watt formed fIREHOSE in 1986 from the ashes of proto-post-punkers
The Minutemen. I'm just sorry it took me ten years to notice. Many vignettes on this album remind me of the Talking Heads more than The Minutemen. Maybe it's the instrumental tracks or the light and fruity juxtaposed with grating rhytmic spasms. A sublime cover of Daniel Johnston's "Walking the Cow", the lone track sung by Watt is one of many standouts. There are a couple of grungey songs I could live without but it's otherwise a banner indie rock album... albeit on a major label.

excellent. DivirsifiEd. Rich human spirit combines with artistic and songwriting prowress, and musicianship that's par to only the top jerks that can pull it off. Mike Watt's a legend, and how he's grown into one of the most technically proficient rock and reggae rock artists with punk songs still existant is amazing,and divirsified are there songs. Who on Earth gives them poor reviews when they are all top musicians. :Toolin" and "Up Finnegan's Ladder" are classics that are unequaled in their vitality and clarity of purpose and life rewarding. I mean: The vibrance and willingness to live that comes from these songs. I don't know why my last review of this wasn't posted. The artwork of Raymond Pettibon further makes this a collectible, and an experience. Please grab this before the next generation F's it with their earwax full ears and gives it the ridiculous reviews it has here: Although STILL, no one can even give it an ofF realitY amount of stars. Bad reviews I've seen still give it a four! Punk must be reMembered. We came of age knowing something was wrong with the world, and HeNry ROllins, Black FlaG, KiRa,SiouxSie and the BansheEs, and yes the Minutemen and Mike Watts Firehose changed tHis world and gave us hope for a bettEr..

fIREHOSE.....The band that while they were around people complained they ruined the minutemen's legacy, and right after they split people forgot even existed.... well theyre still one of my favorites to this day. This cd is good. "up finnegans ladder" has a great chorus. And even though the chorus of "Cant believe" sounds a bit like "My maria" by brooks and dunn, the song rocks. "Flyin the flannel" is an anthem. "anti misogyny maneuver" is a very good fast song. "towin' the line" is certainly one of the funkiest songs in the world. "Oer the town of pedro" rocks too. Overall a good cd. Ed crawford is great here.

fIREHOSE is without question one of the best bands of the 80's / 90's. You won't find a better rythm section anywhere, and ed fROMOHIO's vocals and guitars fit in perfectly. Two of the best albums are If'n and Flyin the Flannel. If you happen to read the review by this guy Burke from Florida (below), please know that his head is so far up his butt that it is coming back out his neck again.

Screw that guy with his long speil, comparing fIREHOSE to Minutemen. I think all their albums are great, especially numero uno.

I have had this album for the past year and even now I just can't stop listening it. It really has a different sound that I have no authority to explain. This CD just rocks. Nuff said.