I Caught Reel Big Fish

I recently picked up Why Do They Rock So Hard? and thought about just doing a minor write up. Although the album has been out for the better part of 11 years (October 20th, 1998), I had neglected listening to it until recently. I wasn't surprised to find out that I'd like it, just surprised that I'd be endeared to it so quickly. The repartee in each of Reel Big Fish's songs is great and can be passed over by many critics, but what I find is RBF's most often overlooked asset is their instrumental arrangements. "Victory Over Peter Bones" is one such song that I had on repeat anytime I was in the car, "Sayonara Senorita" (Cheer Up!) and "241" (Turn the Radio Off) are other great examples.

There are always bands that you enjoy for a variety of factors that once you attempt to describe it to another, you are at a loss for words. You try hard, are patient, and expose said bands to friends, loved ones, and then you start to unleash it on to strangers when all else fails. I had done this multiple times with little luck.

I know that Ska is difficult for many people to get into. My first forays into it were met with a slight resistance. It was it's upbeat nature and style pulled me into it's relentless grasp. The mix of Blues and Jazz with the walking bass lines, the often flip between Major and Minor keys, it all just seemed to work for me. So cue ripple dissolve to flashback and chimes or harp.

Without jumping too deeply into my own past history, RBF was like that person that made the transition from friend to girlfriend/boyfriend and then back to friend, it was the way things best worked out. I picked up Turn the Radio Off in '98 just prior to my Freshman year of High School due to the recent release of the film BASEketball. It was one of the better choices I made during that time period. It was a very big pick-me up for that which was coming would be a harsh couple of years, but then that's High School.

To make a brief summary of their albums as correlated to my life would be:
1998
Turn the Radio Off-Just starting High School
2002
Cheer Up!-Recently finished H.S., helped to ease break-up with a girlfriend
2005
Everything Sucks-My RBF get-to-know-you-better-album
We're Not Happy 'til You're Not Happy-Stressful period during College, my break-up with RBF for a period of time
2007
Monkeys For Nothing and the Chimps for Free-Get back together album with RBF and have fun
2009
Fame, Fortune, and Fornication-Hangout album (I'm indifferent)
Why Do They Rock So Hard?-Final Studio Album that I hadn't heard


Reel Big Fish has been that relentlessly peppy bastard who's so openly optimistic that you'd just like to shoot him in the head. The guy has no reason to be optimistic due to the random negative events that have happened to him, but he just is. I enjoy their ethos of a self-deprecating sense of humor and non-entirely-sincere-pessimism. That outlook makes me laugh because no matter how upset I get, the juxtaposition of mocking lyrics and upbeat melody get me out of that negative funk.