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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
i feel an obligation..., October 19, 2005
so i feel an obligation to give the long-time rbf fans out there a warning. after reading all the positive reviews about this cd i went out and bought it. i've been a die-hard fan for the past 9 years or however long, and they've gotten me thru a lot over the years.
i'm sad to say that this cd just feels a little hurried, bitter, and not as musically-sound as their others. it's not very well done and it just seems like a huge step down from cheer up and why do they rock so hard. if i would have randomly heard one of the songs on the radio, i'm not even sure i would be able to tell it's actually rbf. the vocal style has changed and they're not as good as they were. I hesitate to compare, but the cd quality reminds me of that horrible "everything sucks" cd that came out at the same time as "why do they rock so hard".
I'm not saying don't go out and buy it, because all true reel big fish cds should continue to support them. I'll keep buying everything they put out. I've been a musician my whole life and played in college on scholarship, and to all the musicians out there, do not get your hopes up on this cd.
The covers are good. Buy the cd and give it a chance, but let's all hope they give us another cd sometime soon that sounds like they're not heading in this direction. The worst part of my year this year was getting my hopes up at a new RBF cd and then buying this and realizing that I'll probably never listen to it again.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Great Album, But Some Filler, April 5, 2005
Reel Big Fish's fifth studio album is mostly good, and even features some further "Cheer Up"-type tweaks to their sound and forays into different genres - - here they even give disco a shot - - but has a couple of tracks that are utterly uneccessary and hard to enjoy.
Overall, from track one, "The Fire," through track 13, "Say Goodbye," (the last track is pretty much a joke song, but an enjoyable one) most songs on this album stick to a few central ideas -- that Reel Big Fish frontman Aaron Barrett is tired of being in his band, that he feels they are a failure, and that he sees no real benefit to making music -- and express them through hooky, upbeat ska/rock/pop. That's why it's so confusing that track 2 is a song called "Drinkin'" that has to be the worst song Reel Big Fish has ever recorded. It sounds like a bunch of seventh graders wrote it using a "how to start a ska band" manual. Aaron's singing in it is grating, the lyrics are infuriatingly stupid ("If I go out drinking/then I can stop thinking"), and the horn line is about three notes. The nifty lead guitar riff at the beginning can't save this one. Also not needed on the album, but much better as stand-alone listening experiences, are two covers: Social Distortion's "Story of My Life," which would make a great b-side but sounds out of place here, and Tracy Chapman's "Revolution," which is enjoyable on one hand but utterly disrespectful to the heartfelt original on the other.
Fortunately, the rest of this album picks up where Reel Big Fish left off. "The Fire" is a ska song that should keep fans who found the last album less dancable happy, yet it still features two guitar tracks and a crunchy main guitar riff under the horn line that keeps up the "WDTRSH" and "Cheer Up" rock vibe going. "Don't Start A Band," while it could use a little more instrumental variety, is a fun little rocking mini-epic featuring dueling vocals by Aaron and backup singer Scott and explaining why every kid in his garage trying to start a ska band should just "give up now."
Track four, "A-W-E-S-O-M-E", may be the highlight of the album. It's only Reel Big Fish's second happy song. Apparently about the singer's new wife, it puts the phrases "You're everything I want in a girl" and "You're filled with hate" in the same thought, and does so over music that sounds like Huey Lewis and the News on speed. Wonderful!
Other great moments: the cover of Morrisey's "We Hate it When Our Friends Become Successful," where unlike the other covers, RBF seems to "get it" even more than the original; "The Joke's On Me," a catchy new-wave song with a synthesizer that declares "life's a joke and the joke's on me"; "Last Show," a disco-punk -- yes, disco-punk -- song that joyfully imagines the end of Reel Big Fish while perhaps also bashing a former member; and "Say Goodbye," which sounds like it could be on second album TTRO, except for the slightly 80s-sounding guitars.
11/14 tracks on this CD are exceptional, and it is a nice touch that keyboards (organ or synth) are used on every track. This band has always put depressing lyrics over peppy music, but there is something about this effort that sounds even more bitter and truly ready to give up. If they decide not to release another album, this is not a bad way to go out.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I really liked it, April 6, 2005
I've been an RBF fan for going on 5 years now. I've purchased everyone of these cd's. I've seen them live twice. And of the four cd's, this is perhaps my favorite one. Why? It uses dark humor, and it's exceptionally well played. I don't understand why people say it doesn't sound like Aaron, because he sounds the same to me.
(5 stars best ... 1 the worst)
The Fire - **** I thought this song was an excellent choice to start it off. Tne middle part took a star away from it, just kind of felt thrown in. I loved the fast paced ending.
Drinkin' - *** Awesome guitar riff is in this song, the chorus seems more suited to a live show though. One where the entire crowd can sing and skank along. The horn line was a tad weak as well.
Don't Start A Band - ***** One of my favorite songs on this cd. It's funny, and it captures the overall theme of the cd well. Awesome song top to bottom.
A-W-E-S-O-M-E - **** a song with that happy humor that RBF is acustomed to using. I think that one was about Aaron's new wife...but I'm not 100% sure.
We Hate It When Our Friends Become Succesul - **** I would have given this song 5 stars if the laughing in the middle of the song wasn't there. Kind of felt like they just tried to fill some space.
Turn The Radio Off - **** I liked the song, and the middle of the song was just killer. I loved the drum solo right before the kicker back into the chorus. Chorus gets a bit repetive though, but seems like a good live song.
Talkin' Bout A Revolution - ***** I loved this song. I heard it before the cd officially came out, and really liked it. Cool reggae beat to it, and it gave them a genre they really hadn't hit yet.
The Bad Guy - *** Perhaps my least favorite song on the cd. Just wasn't digging it.
Story Of MY Life - ***** Really loved this cover. RBF just seems to have a way of covering songs very well.
The Joke's On Me - *** Neat intro, but just nothing I really liked. Didn't feel the song too much. This and the last are the two weak points on the cd. Reminded me too much of Cheer Up! and i wasn't the biggest fan of that cd.
One Hit Wonderful - ***** Maybe my favorite song. It's a fun song, and it just eptimises RBF. The ability to poke fun at themselves is just fantastic. If anyone didn't catch on with the intro of Sellout....well your missing out.
Last Show - ***** A great disco type of a feel to a ska song. Hadn't seen it done...but Suburban Legends did do something somewhat simular. I thought this was one of the strongest songs.
Say Goodbye - **** Another song i really really enjoyed. They closed out their CD wonderfully.
I'm not going to rate track 14 and their hidden track. They really aren't "songs", but what i don't understand is how everyone is knocking their "dark" humor. RBF has a central theme through every album they put out. TTRO was all about starting a band(ex. Sellout, Join the club, Everything Sucks), WDTRSH is all about being rockstars (She's famous, Big Star, I'm Cool, The Kids Don't Like It), and Cheer Up...well i never understood where that one went. But WNHTYNH is all about how being in a band sucks. It's a progression in their cds.
I really enjoyed the cd. It's funny, and it reminds me of their older cd's. I didn't really like Cheer Up that much. This cd, for me at least, lived up to most of the lofty expectaions I had. Many people will disagree, but i liked this one a lot. And wait in anticipation of the next one.
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