Review Summary: Sex is just like pizza. When it’s good, it’s really, really good, and when it’s bad, its still pretty good. The same principal goes for Reel Big Fish. When they’re good, they’re freakin’ excellent, and when they’re bad, they’re still prett
Sex is just like pizza. When it’s good, it’s really, really good, and when it’s bad, its still pretty good. The same principal goes for Reel Big Fish. When they’re good, they’re freakin’ excellent, and when they’re bad, they’re still pretty damn good. Everybody says that ‘Cheer Up!’ is their worst album, but really anyone who says this kind of thing is an insecure freak who dislikes having their iPod on shuffle because the songs will be out of order. Reel Big Fish have created a masterpiece with this album, whether it be their worst or their best.
Lets go track by track:
Good Thing:
Truly one of the best songs on this album, great opener and possibly one of their best songs ever written. Starts with a roughly spoken “You and I are mortal but rock and roll will never die!” it then jumps straight into with a few “a-ha’s” and then a “woo!” before the crazy bass line kicks in for a few bars before the horns come into play. Killer chorus, the songs a ripper get into it.
9.5/10
Somebody Loved Me:
Starts with some soft guitar, you can hear those awesome horns in the background right before they explode into the main riff. Personally not one of my favorite songs, its pretty much about the fact that somebody loved him once but it was such a long time ago he can’t even remember who or why. The lyrics are well written on the upside.
6/10
Ban The Tube Top:
Pretty funny song about a pretty girl who dresses like complete crap. Horn section is not as strong in this one, but it’s just right non-the less. With lyrics such as “You dress funny strapless and skin tight….Wear it outta sight….Ban the tube top!” It’s a pretty cool song but still, they can do a lot better. Good guitar and drums in this one. “Beautiful girl, ugly shirt, you are a fashion red alert…”
6.5/10
Cheer Up:
Song named after the album, or album named after this song? Hmm, go think about it. Anyway, cool bending and distortion of the electric guitar at the start. This songs about how life was meant to suck and we should all just cheer up because it was meant to be this way. Very cool horns and very cool guitar riffs. Lyrics are fairly good but it still doesn’t quite hit home.
7.5/10
Where Have You Been?:
One of their only hornless singles, and for that fact I don’t really enjoy it as much as I would because lets face it, Reel Big Fish are internationally known for those horns. Pretty emotional song but it definitely doesn’t play in the depths of any genre other than Ska. Nice deep bass and funky electric guitar, nice chords. Pretty good song.
8/10
Suckers:
Where do I even begin with this hell of an awesome song? Starts with a spoken piece stating: “This one is for all the suckers who still believe in love!” With Scott over the top insisting “I wanna say it…I wanna say it…let me say it!” Great electric guitar and nice background horns. Bass gives it the melody. The singing is done in a slightly more high-pitched key and the chorus just completes the song perfectly.
9.5/10
What Are Friends For:
Another one of the masterpieces on this album. It’s about a so-called ‘friend’ who isn’t actually a friend. With lyrics such as “I’ve got a lot of bad things I wish that I’d had never have done coz they’re coming back, coming back to me now. But don’t think I feel guilty or that I’ll apologize coz I got my way and that means I was right!” And insane horns, especially in the bridge, this is really one of the better songs on Cheer Up.
8.5/10
A Little Doubt Goes A Long Way:
Starts with funny little “Uh-uh”s along with some strange animal like noises before it jumps straight into the chorus. This is music you can jive along to easily and with silly lyrics it’s easy to get in the swing of it. The pre chorus has some really cool back up singing that suits the song. Makes you want to sing along. The bridge is really well written and the bass is good and strong.
8.5/10
Dateless Losers:
Starts with a Michael Jackson like scream before kicking in with some light guitar riffs. It’s written about the fact that this band were dateless losers who never had anyone calling or anyone to make out with. Refers to the ‘cool kids’ a fair bit. Ends the chorus with “why why why?” Ordinary song in my opinion.
5/10
Valerie:
Starts with some really cool drums beats and a “one…two…rock and roll please!” right before the horns and guitars come in to a nice jumpy drumbeat and some trendy bass. The versus could be better but the pre chorus and chorus are extremely good. I personally love the way Aaron screams “Valerie!” The songs about how a previous girlfriend ruined Aaron’s life. Goes as far as to scream “you make me wish I was dead…my life is ruined your to blame!” Slow bridge.
7/10
Rock ‘N Roll Is Bitchin’
I personally hate the start of this song, its made to sound as if they are playing live with an audience clapping along and Aaron’s voice sounds terribly bad and whinny. The chorus is also a huge let down but hey there’s some cool electric guitar slides in there. They say the words ‘bitchin’ and ‘yeah yeah yeah’ to often. The only upside is the good guitar. Terrible song, I’m sorry. Filler.
3/10
New York, New York
Pretty bad cover but give them kudos for trying. It’s obvious this song is only on the album to entertain people and it certainly does that. They need some more instruments in the background of this one, the singing itself doesn’t cut it.
6.5/10
Sayonara Senorita
Instrumental, I think it’s very, very, very good. They make up for the lack of vocals very well. Starts of with some cool horns before exploding into a strong guitar, bass and drums riff before casually straying back to the horns and funky bass. The horns do a very good job and the drummer deserves recognition for this because he’s done a good job also. The bridge is nice, and then follows a trumpet and bass solo, which rocks the house.
8.5/10
Boss DJ
I strongly dislike the starting of this one as well. It’s pretty rotten. The sound effects are sad but this has a pretty cool reggae feel about it. Goes for a couple of bars at a slow pace before it picks up and then slows back down, then picks back up again and continues along this path. The chorus is cool. But the song’s damn shocking.
3/10
Brand New Hero:
Another hornless single, and again it’s pretty good. The chorus is great, but some of the lyrics in the versus are a little…off. They need more instruments in the versus in my opinion, just to fill it in a little more. Slow-ish song but it’s easy to relate to. Worth a listen, worth your time.
6.5/10
Drunk Again:
Third hornless single on the album, clever closer, uses a piano. It’s a very slow and somewhat depressingly funny song. “If I had a dollar bill for every time I’d been wrong, I’d be a self made million and you’d still be gone. So hand me down my best dress shoes and my best dress shirt coz I’m going out in style to cover the hurt…” Closely followed by “because now, I’m drunk again….” Not a song you sing along to but its sure good.
8.5/10
BONUS TRACKS:
I wont spoil these ones for you; I’ll just give a brief description of their overall sound.
Kiss Me Deadly: Really great song with a cool intro, cool horns, cool lyrics, bloody great song, one of the best they’ve ever done.
9.5/10
I Want You To Rock It With I: Awesome reggae feel, the singing sounds so very awesome, get into it people.
9.5/10
Overall wonderfully good, go pick it up from HMV or Leading Edge or wherever the hell you get your music. You know you want to…Long live Reel Big Fish.
