Aquabats - Hi-Five Soup - Printable Version +- Music Discussion (https://www.music-discussion.com) +-- Forum: Music Discussion (https://www.music-discussion.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=4) +--- Forum: Alternative (https://www.music-discussion.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=11) +--- Thread: Aquabats - Hi-Five Soup (/showthread.php?tid=4417)

Aquabats - Hi-Five Soup - Music Head - 22-01-2011 novelty act, for me anyway they wear thin fast ska meets Weezer meets Blink liked a lot of the music, but too juvenile lyrically lead off sounded good but nothing after Grade - 1.3 released Jan 18th, 2011 from the album - The Shark Fighter - grade 2.0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3wchrctxFo Bio from all music A zany eight-piece (or more) ska unit from the bleached-out California coast, Aquabats earned respect for an energized new wave of ska-punk from figures ranging from Courtney Love to the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Squirrel Nut Zippers. Apparently led by vocalist Christian Jacobs ("The Bat Commander"), the group -- which impersonated a different horde of thugs from the '60s Batman series on each LP cover -- also included a host of multi-instrumentalists: James Briggs (Jaime the Robot), Courtney Pollack (the Prince of Karate), Adam Diebert (Prince Adam), Chad Larson (Crash McLarson), Travis Barker (the Baron Von Tito), Charles Grey (Ultra Kyu), and Boyd Terry (Catboy). The debut Aquabats album, Return of the Aquabats, was released on Horchata Records in mid-1996. Their sophomore album, Fury of the Aquabats, followed in 1997 on Time Bomb, and two years later the group returned with Aquabats vs. the Floating Eye of Death! When Barker left the group to join blink-182, he was replaced by drummer Dr. Rock. Myths, Legends and Other Amazing Adventures, Vol. 2 was released in fall 2000; Dr. Rock and Ultra Kyu left the group soon after. Ricky Fitness was Rock's replacement. The Serious Awesomeness! DVD, a compendium of live Aquabats, appeared in 2003; the Check Out This Ride EP followed. When Charge!! (Nitro) appeared in June 2005, it was the Aquabats' first LP in almost six years. By that point the band's official lineup included vocalist Bat Commander, bassist Crash McLarson, guitarist Chainsaw, drummer Fitness, and sax-playing keyboardist Jimmy the Robot. Album Review from dying scene Once upon a time (in high school), I went to a cafe where a local alternative radio station was doing some sort of promo event. The DJ had a stack of CD singles on a table and we could take whatever we wanted. So I grabbed The Aquabats “Super Rad!” and something else. I played that single nonstop. The track is just straight-up goofy, bouncy ska. In the 14 years since “Super Rad!” (along with the rest of The Fury of The Aquabats!) came out, the band has evolved, grown, changed and – dare I say it? – matured, but hasn’t lost its fun-loving, goofy edge. They aren’t afraid to play around with different musical styles, to experiment and manipulate their sound. There is no better example of this than the second track on the album, “B.F.F.” (for the sake of not sounding like I’m excessively emotional about this record, I’m going to leave the exclamation points off from here on out). It opens with some synth notes, and some extremely poppy-sounding vocals. And some “woo hoo” in the background. The lyrics are the same old wacky Aquabats, but the sound is very un-ska-like. They even throw in some deliberate auto-tune, Kanye-style, toward the end. And it works. The group is clearly unafraid to experiment and push themselves outside of the boundaries of what a ska band “should” sound like. “Radio Down” is another example of their departure from straight-up ska. The song does have a ska beat to it, but also offers up a hip-hop verse from Biz Markie and some sampled Billy Idol lyrics (“with the record selection and the mirror’s reflection I’m dancing with myself”). Fret not, Aquabat purists. Songs like “Poppin a Wheelie,” “The Shark Fighter” and “Food Fight on the Moon” definitely hold up to the sound of their past albums, and “Pink Pants” features some vocals from none other than Strong Bad (yes, that Strong Bad). The band hasn’t lost their sound, but they’ve taken it to another level, played with it, and used it to mess with everyone’s heads. Which, if you ask me, fits perfectly with what The Aquabats have always done. Track Listing 1 The Shark Fighter! 2:56 2 B.F.F.! 3:20 3 The Legend Is True! 3:21 4 Radio Down! 3:31 5 Poppin' a Wheelie! 2:15 6 Hey Homies! 3:04 7 In My Dreams! 3:04 8 Just Can't Lose! 3:39 9 All My Money! 2:48 10 Pink Pants! 2:31 11 Food Fight on the Moon! 2:39 12 Luck Dragon Lady! 3:46