(from the archives, June 1999)
Fishbone - Chim Chim's Badass Revenge
It surprises me how often people relate or don't relate to Fishbone in
the terms of ska, but there it is. Clearly this is the album which
would test such a narrow view of what the band has proven itself to be.
On the same album with tracks like Love..Hate which boasts of some of
the most sophisticated horn phrasing and rythms ever associated with
electric guitar in any genre are old, old school favorites Beergut and
Alcoholic going back to the days at Al's Bar in downtown LA in the
early 80s.
But they push again as only an LA band can, with Riot, Rock Star and Monkey Dick, Fishbone breaks out with some serious hardcore thrash which makes you rethink what thrashing is all about. This is not adolescent rebellion, this is real rebellion and you can feel the weight of lyrics lived with the kick ass committment of a band that lives it. Fishbone is the anti studio-gangster, running the stopsign to get a piece of your mind with working words that aren't the shallow ejaculations of numb-nuts hardheads, but the heartfelt shouts of hearty love warriors.
But what has changed about the band as reflected in the longer cuts, especially Love..Hate and Nutmeg is the kind of (dare i say it) orchestral presense of a group of musicians who seem on the edge transcending the form. Taking off on the groove of Love..Hate and riffin on the lyric is magical, evocative of the ways you remember exactly where, even in the long versions of their songs Marvin would scream in Give it Up, or George would in One Nation Under a Groove, then turn around into a funkafied fanfare. Extraordinary. It's funk and rock and ska and poetry and rap and jazz, composed into a smooth frenzy that makes you jump, and then listen again and again.
NutMeg finally is the Anthem and it is something that bears repeating in these days of sellouts and poseurs, that there remains true, subtle yet passionate spirit behind that thing we call Rock, which is not all about cynical despair and other suicidal visions. Fishbone continues to bring the proper energy, humor, vituosity and gutbucket granduer to the front. This homie salutes, nyah better yet gives a sly wink and remains at peace with my inner Chim - I celebrate the birth of the babyhead... ahahahhha!
I'm a wild headed brother pushing 40 and this is my music. I crank it up and live.
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