Fishbone Albums (8)
'Still Stuck in Your Throat'
Release Date 10/23/2006
Tracks 14
Label Discograph
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Although Fishbone has not troubled the charts in over a decade, the Los Angeles-based ska/punk band never broke up or stopped touring; on the contrary. With only singer/saxophonist Angelo Moore and bassist John Norwood Fisher remaining from the original lineup, the group has passed the 20-year mark as a performing unit, which is long enough for it to have become established in the '80s nostalgia circuit. Not surprisingly, its last two albums have been live collections, Live at the Temple Bar and More (2002) and Live in Amsterdam (2005). The guest-star-filled The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx (2000) was the band's last studio album until Still Stuck in Your Throat, the title of which is both a play on Fishbone's name and a reminder that the group hasn't ever gone away. Like many bands making a new album after many years, especially those that have undergone extensive personnel changes, the group seems to have been concerned with delivering tracks that sound like classic Fishbone. Those frantic ska rhythms and that belligerent punk attitude are therefore in place, along with Fishbone's characteristic quirkiness in titles like "Jack Ass Brigade," "Let Dem Ho's Fight," and the slightly dated "Party with Saddam." Moore, Fisher, and co. also evoke such funk predecessors as Parliament-Funkadelic, notably in the lengthy "We Just Lose Our Minds." But if Still Stuck in Your Throat sounds convincingly like a Fishbone record, that's not to say it sounds like a great one. David Kahne, who produced some of their great albums, returns to mix this one, but he would have been more useful in his old job, helping to sort out arrangements and performances that sometimes become raucous to the point of near-chaos. It isn't until the end with their cover of Sublime's "Date Rape" (repeated from the tribute album Look at All the Love We Found) that the current members of Fishbone actually sound like they're enjoying themselves on an album they probably would prefer not to call a comeback attempt. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
'Live in Amsterdam'
Release Date 5/31/2005
Tracks 15
Label High Times
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Not only was Fishbone's Live in Amsterdam recorded in the famously liberal European burg, but the set was part of the Cannabis Cup, an annual celebration that's undoubtedly rife with the pungent aroma of goofy stoner puns ("Fishbone is budacious!"). Regardless, this is a great package for the band's faithful, with 70 minutes of music and a DVD of the show. Angelo C. Moore begins with "X-Q'Z/Me/Dr. Mad/Vibe./Housecall/Pull-Ease," a pointed spoken word piece about race, rock stardom, and record industry shenanigans. (The last is something Fishbone understands all too well.) It builds into a rousing call to arms -- "Fishbone soldiers!" -- and the band joins in with its trademark twisted funk. "Alcohol" (1996's Chim Chim's Badass Revenge) has a distinct Two-Tone vibe, and "Just Allow" and the brass/guitar-heavy "In the Heet of Anger" are separate slices of the classic Fishbone sound, proving the band still has that something through 20-plus years and numerous lineup shifts. Live in Amsterdam is still principally a superfan document. Some selections extend to eight and nine minutes, and the energy between the band and its audience -- while palpable and vibrant -- rarely includes the casual listener. It's almost like Fishbone's gotten so great at being a cult act that the guys have stopped courting new ears. That said, Fishbone soldiers everywhere will love the energetic takes on "Skankin' to the Beat," "Sunless Saturday," and the classic "Bonin' in the Boneyard." ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
'The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx'
Release Date 3/21/2000
Tracks 10
Label Hollywood
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Regrouping with an approximately half-new lineup, Fishbone returned in 2000 on Hollywood Records with their first album of new material since 1996's Chim Chim's Badass Revenge. Sporting a full title of Fishbone and the Familyhood Nextperience Presents: The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx, the record presents a bevy of guest performers, from funk legends George Clinton and Rick James to Gwen Stefani, lead singer of fellow California ska aficionados No Doubt, to legendary underground comedian Blowfly, to -- of all people -- Donny Osmond; there's also an assortment of fellow pioneers in the fusion of hard alternative rock with funk, including Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction, H.R. of Bad Brains, and the instrumental portion of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Still and all, it's definitely Fishbone's show, and thanks to the band's most memorable and focused batch of songs in quite some time -- even not counting the covers of Sly & the Family Stone's "Everybody Is a Star" and the Temptations' "Shakey Ground" -- it's an often formidable show at that. The record concentrates most heavily on the funk and ska sides of the Fishbone sound, lending a sunny, good-humored vibe throughout; plus, with a total playing time of 45 minutes, the album's eclectic grooves are kept from meandering or growing stale. Refocused and re-energized, The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx is far and away Fishbone's best album in nearly a decade. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
'Chim Chim's Badass Revenge'
Release Date 1/1/1996
Tracks 15
Label Arista/Rowdy
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Give a Monkey a Brain and He'll Swear He's the Center of the Universe'
Release Date 5/25/1993
Tracks 12
Label Columbia
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Fishbone's standard careening eclecticism is refined on Give a Monkey a Brain. Instead of freely flowing between different styles, as they did on The Reality of My Surroundings, the band's sound is reigned in (presumably in an attempt to make Fishbone palatable for the mainstream), making the album impressively diverse but frustrating; they never cut loose like they do in almost all of their concerts. Nevertheless, there's enough good material here to make it worthwhile for dedicated fans. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'The Reality of My Surroundings'
Release Date 4/23/1991
Tracks 18
Label Sony
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
When Fishbone's The Reality of My Surroundings was released in 1991, several critics went as far as comparing its all-encompassing brilliance to that of Sgt. Pepper's. While it may have been too high of a praise, Fishbone's third full-length album is indeed exceptional. Their preceding album, Truth and Soul, had been straightforward in its approach. In contrast, Reality is more unpredictable and off-the-wall, but just as gripping. While not all of the selections exactly hit the spot (the pointless four-part "If I Were a...I'd," "Naz-Tee May'en," and "Babyhead"), its many bright spots outshine the misfires. Fishbone continue to explore their hard rock side on such standouts as "Fight the Youth," "Behavior Control Technician," "Those Days Are Gone," and the crushing album closer, "Sunless Saturday." But as on their older releases, other music styles are digested and spit out -- the wonderful tribute to Sly & the Family Stone, "Everyday Sunshine," the reggae-tinged "Pray to the Junkiemaker," the explosive punk rocker "Pressure," and the humorous funk of "Housework." The Reality of My Surroundings would prove to be Fishbone's last great album, unfortunately. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
By 1988, alternative/college rock was becoming a recognizable force in the mainstream. Several bands were big enough to play arenas, and many even earned gold and platinum albums. The tide was clearly changing for such previously misunderstood bands such as Fishbone. Their second full-length release Truth and Soul was issued that year, and remains one of the band's (and the '80s) very best. On past albums, Fishbone's sound was a melting pot of ska, punk, and funk. This time, hard rock has been added to the mix -- especially evident in guitarist Kendall Jones' six-string work, with often-spectacular results. Also, the songwriting has improved tremendously and has become much more focused here. The party anthem "Bonin' in the Boneyard" is one of the band's finest (with superhuman bass work by Norwood Fisher), as is the ska-based "Ma and Pa," and a cover of Curtis Mayfield's early-'70s hit "Freddie's Dead." Also featured are several musically varied tracks that deal with the same topic: racism, past and present ("Deep Inside," "One Day," "Subliminal Fascism," "Slow Bus Movin'," "Ghetto Soundwave"). Truth and Soul remains Fishbone's most consistent album. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Fishbone's first full-length release, 1986's In Your Face was a far more focused affair than their self-titled debut EP from 1985, but the band was still honing their original and genre-spanning sound. While it would not be perfected until their 1988 release Truth and Soul, In Your Face remains an important musical stepping stone for Fishbone. Few other bands at the time (perhaps only the Red Hot Chili Peppers) were attempting to merge different musical styles together as they were. Ska, funk, and punk rock are again put into the musical blender this time around, along with often thought-provoking lyrics, resulting in several strong compositions. The opening track "When Problems Arise" is an enjoyable, stomping little ditty for which a rarely aired video clip was filmed, while other highlights include the up-tempo numbers "A Selection" and "Give It Up," the Caribbean-tinged "Cholly," the desperate plea of "I Wish I Had a Date," and the gorgeous ballad "Movement in the Light." Also featured are the funk-workouts "In the Air" and "Knock It," the furious punk-rocker "Simon Says the Kingpin," and the goofy, album-closing instrumental "Post Cold War Politics." ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
