Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Mye bra her
At the start I thought I was going to like this much more than I did. It somehow sounded similar but all over the place. They should have stuck with one style rather than feeling the need to try them all on for size. The production has not aged well and sounds very very 80s. There is fun to be had here though. I like the horns and the ska and I bet they are a blast live
Good musicianship, lots of genres, fun and exhuberent
i don't really know how to feel about an album this varied across its style as it is simply Weird. this feels like less a genre blend and more a genre cacophony because as an album this does not exactly flow or congeal together in my view. tracks are wildly hit or miss for me depending on whichever particular musical leaning they opt for. unsurprisingly i dislike the ska-tinged tracks, but the funkier tracks like "bonin' in the boneyard" with its disgustingly good bassline or the eclectic tracks like "one day" with its delicious guitar tone are a delight, though the repetitiveness of much of the lyricism does weigh on me over the course of the album. on the other hand, i appreciate how thematically forward it is in terms of its social commentary, so on the whole this is a very mixed bag.
bastante guay
Get this right after RHCP really highlights how annoying RHCP are. This is pretty good! It’s not my favorite because I tend to shut down when I hear ska or ska inspired music but this is better than a lot of others I’ve heard in the genre
If someone described this album to me it would sound like something I generally really like: ska, with layers of punk and rock inspiration, but extra funky with a political message. Yet somehow this album really doesn't come together for me. I think if I saw there guys live in a festival setting it would probably be a great high energy show. This album feels like it suffered from production style / recording techniques of the time, cheesy effects, digital sounding drums and over the top guitar solos. There is probably something here and if I sifted through their catalog more, but this wasn't it.
I saw that this was listed as metal, funk, and reggae and got incredibly excited, but right out of the gate I realized it might not actually be a fun mash up of genres I was imagining. I'm not a fan of the genre of metal on the cover of Freddie's Dead; much too 80s metal/pop oriented for me. Luckily, they follow up Freddie's Dead with some fun ska tracks and excellent horns and the album really gets going. Then the punk comes out on Deep Inside! Bonin' in the Boneyard and One Day are the genre mash-ups I was hoping for; funky, metal, reggae tracks that work really well. And then more punk/metal on Subliminal Fascism! Overall, this is a fun ska record with a really interesting blend of genres and influences, but there's maybe a bit too much 80s production for my taste and a couple tracks fall a bit flat. Personally, I prefer the Bad Brains blend of reggae/punk/metal, but it's not surprising to see that both bands travelled in similar circles.
Not bad. Sounds like early RHCP.
90s ska punk, pretty benign, not bad but nothing stood out
Placeholder 3. Need to come back to this again
Was definitely into this in the 90’s. Killer live performance too!
It grew on me
Fun, but didn’t really grab me.
It was OK. Not a relisten, but I didn’t hate it.
It's fun, but it's OVER THE TOP. Like... It's just too much ska, too much politics, but not enough funk and not enough hooks. Like... chill out and let's have a little fun with this.
decent
Liked it!
Solid early alternative album no skips
Reggae meets Metallica to create an entertaining, fun album. The band certainly seemed to be having a lot of fun creating this record, which is highly energetic and has elements of both ska and hard rock, albeit with a "goofy" feel. Of particular note is some guitar-driven rock/funk and a thumping bass, although the band showcases its versatility throughout, from the horn-drenched ska of "Ma and Pa" to the aggressive punk of "Subliminal Fascism". Meanwhile, lyrics reflect on topics such as racism and family.
Saw Fishbone in 2022 at a free park concert in Denver. An event that attracts really young kids and is treated as a family event. They were not ready for Fishbone lmao. hell, I wasn't either.
Favorite track(s): Ma and Pa, Bonin' in the Boneyard, Ghetto Soundwave
Didn’t grab me as much as I thought it would. Funk ‘n metal is still a combination of genres I enjoy though.
What a mish mash. Starts with a dull heavy rock track, proceeds to sound like George Michael doing reggae, then jazz funk, back to heavy rock, rockabilly... A fair smattering of dull pop sounds and horrible screeching guitar solos appear throughout. As well as George Michael, attempts are made to sound like James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Ozzy Osbourne.... all dished up with sound alike instrumental performances and production sounds. Fishbone seem like a band you'd find at a wedding offering energetic dance tunes, ballads for the slow dancing, heavy brass section because somebody's dad can knock out a few covers and then, inexplicably, includes some hard rock that clears the dance floor. Sometimes they want to be The Who, Thin Lizzie, Prince and lord knows who else. It's all over the place with very little originality but I'll give them some points for effort and the sheer audacity of making an album that attempts to deliver such a range of sounds-a-like tracks. They are the band that so many teenage boys would be thrilled to be at their High School dance. They are also clearly enjoying themselves enormously - maybe for some people this is an album that condenses all sorts of genres and styles saving them the bother of listening more widely. In that case it can perhaps be seen as good value!
This was pleasant, but not particularly memorable. Just felt a bit unfocused, trying its hand at too many genres - some hit, some didn't. Certainly much better than yesterday’s Hawkwind, though.
Felt rather long, but not terrible
Super fun, but have to be in mood. I remember having a fishbone shirt when I was younger (like 8), but had no idea who they were.
Cool album. Lots to love about this, mainly the variety between the songs I enjoyed.
Lots of variety in this album. I think there's a song or two for anybody here. Not something I could come back to, but mostly a good time while listening to it.
The Funk/Ska/Punk/Metal band, Fishbone. it's an interesting album but all over the place genre-wise so it's hard to nail down a rating. i have some friends that love the late 80's Southern California "Chili Pepper/Jane's Addiction/Fishbone" type music, me, it's ok with some winners (Jane's Addiction's "Ritual de lo Habitual" and RHCP's "Blood Sugar Sex Magic" (which i am sure is on the list somewhere), but Fishbone's eclectic style isnt for me. i did get a kick out of "Bonin in the Boneyard"...
I liked it. Bonin in the boneyard was upbeat as was the rest of the alblum. It deserves to be in the top 1001 alblums.
eglenceliydi bence baya???? acilisi cok çekiyordu en azindan mesela????
ça va rock basique
Lots of energy on this one, plenty of funk influence, but don't think I'd put it in that category alone.
1. Freddie's Dead - 6 Instrumentally this is great and reminds me a lot of Duran Duran. Lyrically this song makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. 2. Ma and Pa - 6 Lyrically better than Freddie's Dead and instrumentally fun as well. Nothing out-of-this-world phenomenal but nothing bad either. 3. Question of Life - 7 Fun track. Solid lyrics and the way the line that questions if one will pass the test is unique in every rendition of the chorus. It's an awesome feature that elevates the tone of the track. 4. Pouring Rain - 7 Lyrically very good. It reminds me oddly of a Sade track in the way it's very smooth and has some pronounced brass on it. Really good track. 5. Deep Inside - 3 Not huge on the sound of the vocals, especially the background ones. Everything else about this track is ok but it's a departure from what has been enjoyable about the album so far. 6. Mighty Long Way - 7 Good opening rift that really creates a lot of enjoyment in the track. Guitar is definitely the highlight but the rest of the track is also solid and the lyrics are pretty good too. The compliment of brass is also appreciate on this track. 7. Bonin' In The Boneyard - 8 Fun track. The bass on this is really enjoyable. Lyrically the track is a lot of fun as well. Just a great, upbeat, and fun song. 8. One Day - 2 We are waitening on some better lyrics. Very repetitive and annoying track. Instrumentally it's alright but lyrically it's super weak and it goes from preaching to half singing to singing and all the way back. 9. Subliminal Fascism - 1 Just an awful track. 10. Slow Bus Movin' (Howard Beach Party) - 5 Not a bad song. Lyrcially strong, I'm overall just not a huge fan of the style of track that it is. 11. Ghetto Soundwave - 6 The message is important but it's a rather odd choice of pitch and tone for the track. Overall it's not bad. 12. Change - 6 Solid message and a decent song. Really good way to end the album. Average Rating: 5.33 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 2.67 Rounded Up: 3 Stars
I had heard of Fishbone but do not recall listening to their music. It was somewhat entertaining. I think this music would be best heard in person. It’s ok.
Another "new to me" album, and rather enjoyable. 3.5/5
Variety alone gives this value. Didn't completely hold me but still good
Surprisingly I've never listened to a Fishbone album. I've got a deep abiding love for ska music. I gave this one three listens and didn't really feel hooked by anything on the album. Instrumentation was tight and I dug it. Don't know if I'll revisit the album but happy knowing it exists.
Surprisingly chaotic, but in a fun way. Wild mix of ska, funk, soul, and punk rock. I'm usually not a ska guy, but I can see myself revisiting this album in the future just to once again hear how much fun the band had recording it.
Great mix of funk, punk and ska. Their version of Freddie’s dead is one of my favorite covers of all time. Honest opinion is I prefer nuttasauras fossil fuel’in the donkey
C'est effectivement très varié et péchu. On sent bien où la mano negra est venue puiser l'inspiration.
better than expected
Listened to whilst making tea
I wasn't much into this until it got into more ska towards the end
mostly skips pero las primeras dos que bangers
Weird and all over the place.
A cool vibe, definitely some tracks I gravitate to more than others. “Question of Life” “Pouring rain”
There are some good songs here, but nothing really stands out for me. 3 stars or C+.
I think this album is too much of a gimmicky for me. I have to praise it for being a chaotic amalgamation of funk rock, ska punk and some elements from other styles like metal or pop. There are fast rhythms and guitars, slow moments, silly voices, trumpets, funky bass and much more. But as much fun as it sounds, I feel very impassive and uninterested about everything going on. There were even sometimes that I even hated it, but the last listen I gave it, I felt impartial. I think the thing that I like the least are the vocals and the silly noises they make. So that's it, I don't really have anything more to say about it. I was thinking of giving 2 stars, but I'm going with a very low 3 instead due to the high variety of the album.
Whatever
Weird and varied, some of it sounds good enough, I guess it's a light 3 It goes from being Jane's Addiction to becoming a ska punk album within the first two tracks and I would be put-off by that if Ma and Pa weren't as fun and catchy as it is
I'm not really into ska. During my pop punk phase there was a definite overlap into ska music, and some of it I enjoyed but a lot was tough. This album has a lot of the things I like about the genre, but I'm still lukewarm on it
I’d heard of Fishbone before, but I’m not sure I ever listened to any of their music. Their music is hard to describe. The group started out as a ska and funk band, but by their second album, Truth and Soul, they added more metal to their sound, and their lyrics touched on more social issues than their first album. After their first album, it seems guitarist Kendall Jones thought maybe the band was a bit too “cartoonish” and needed to write more socially conscious issues. Fishbone is a band consisting of black men. Meanwhile, Jones was getting into metal and started giving some of their songs a hard metal edge. For the most part, this album is really good. I was a bit surprised. I’m not the biggest ska lover, but the mixing of genres really does keep you on your toes. Fishbone employs a horn section, which I’m in favor of always. The horn blasts really punch up the ska vibe for me. One of the problems with this album and I think it was mentioned when the album came out, is there are almost too many genres of music on the album. It feels almost like a compilation album. There’s no real flow as you go from a slow reggae groove to hard charging metal groove. For instance, Bonin’ In the Boneyard sounds like a Prince song. While Slwo Movin' Bus has a country groove to it, or at least what a ska metal band thinks of as a country groove. It reminds me of the Vandals' Urban Struggle. With the variety of sounds, I think the album needs a good dozen listens before things start to flow well. Lyrically, the band has their “cartoon” time, but they also have thoughtful lyrics about the things going on in the world in 1988. Yes, 1988. It doesn’t sound like 1988, which is good. It definitely has that '90s hard rock production. I can tell you I already added this album to my playlist of the 1,001 Albums I’ve listened to and liked, or at least wanted to hear more of. I think if you’re a fan of late '80s to early '90s hard rock and hair metal, you’ll probably enjoy this album. One of the highlights for me is the song One Day. It has an incredible guitar solo that is as good as anything that came out of the hair metal years. Plus, the song has a Korn sound to me. It’s weird. This is another album I'm not sure is an all-timer and needs to be heard, but I’m glad it was on the list because I doubt I would have ever heard it. And if anything I’ve written in this dreck tickles your fancy, you might like it too.
I cued it up and hit play and it quickly receded into the background and was over before I knew it - which means it was neither great nor horrible
I like the variety of genres and the playfulness of the album. I’m not sold on the songs, though. I appreciate the musicianship and them being one of the forerunners in the funk rock movement, but the songs aren’t as good as I’d hopes. They’re at their best when they enter FNM territory, such as in Bonin’ in the Boneyard and Subliminal Fascism
504/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
Very groovy and funky. It’s like glam rock mixed with funk, punk, and ska. I guess this could also be considered alternative rock in some ways. What a fusion of genres and styles. The air instruments combined with the funky bass lines are insane, I’ve never heard such a diverse mix of styles come together and make this much sense. Such an incredible range. No two songs are alike, there are almost rock ’n’ roll/metal guitar solos, some funky bass, soulful keys and horns, ska rhythms and danceable beats, and even some swoon inducing twelve string guitar. My favourites are Freddie's Dead, Ma and Pa, Boning in the Boneyard and Change.
Quite playful and energetic. I like the sound and rhythms. There's a lot of freedom and experimentation which works for the most part. 7/10
I was expecting this to be far more fun than it was.
I was already familiar with this album. I like this album. It is a bit hard to classify because it touches on many genres, but everything seems to at least be considered rock. This album is catchy and has great instrumentation. It is a fun listen and I would listen again for sure.
I genuinely had no idea what I was listening to at first. Amazing creativity and mashup of genres, and I like the politics. The music didn't connect for me personally though.
All over the place, yet somehow homogenous. Fun and funky. No single song stood out particularly much to me though. An incredibly interesting listen, very much enjoyed it.
It’s okay enough, a little much for me but it’s not bad.
Being forced to listen to "Freddie's Dead" RIGHT AFTER the anniversary of Freddie Mercury's death was way too traumatizing
Nice
Great
An interesting listen for sure. Had elements of ska, garage rock, funk....I didn't hate it, but don't think I'd listen to it again.
Pretty fun! Recognized the second song on this album.
Had some moments I liked Will I listen to again: 34%
I had never heard of Fishbone or their album Truth and Soul before today, but I’m really glad this challenge brought it my way. The album is a cool mix of ska and reggae, and while my first impression was that it might be a novelty record, it actually grew on me the more I listened. There’s a real energy and uniqueness to it, and by the end I found it a fun and refreshing listen. Favourite track: Ma and Pa — a genuinely fun song. Least favourite track: Freddie’s Dead threw me off at first and made me think I wouldn’t enjoy the album. It felt like a novelty track, but thankfully my first impression didn’t hold. Album artwork: Simple but effective; I quite like it.
First listen
When I think ska, I don’t think Van Halen solos and hair metal wails. I was pleasantly surprised to hear much of this here! Of course, you get ample ‘normal’ ska as well.
It’s tough to put this one in a box, as it encompasses a lot of diverse musical styles. Generally,I liked the energy of the album, but still just didn’t like it that much, with the exception of Mighty Long Way. I wouldn’t bother listening to the record again, but if I heard it played somewhere, I would be okay with it. Works out to another 3 star album for me.
This was a real solid album. Enjoyed it.
I liked the music and the vibe, really enjoyed this. It d be a 3.5 for me.
Enjoyable funky grungy sound. Enjoyed this
Pure 80s trash rock.
I liked this, the eclectic mix of genres.
Pretty solid, some really interesting concepts. Not sure how often I'd revisit it.
Quite the all over the place album, some songs were really captivating while I couldn’t wait for others to be over. Not sure if I’d revisit aka music on my own time, but there’s enough here that I enjoyed to make this a 3/5.
I enjoyed the beginning and the end of the record. It was a fun fusion of styles with catchy melodies and dated production. Rating: 3.4
Catchy, would listen again
Fun and funky album. Pretty danceable too, not something heard very much in more modern music. Does sound a bit dated now so this could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on whether you want to feel the nostalgia of the 90’s or not
Pretty decent album truth be told. Ska probably isn’t really my thing, but it wasn’t a hard listen at all and I generally enjoyed it.
I’m an old fan of fishbone, it’s been a while since I listened to them. This album brought back memories, it started a stream of old music that was in my rotation
This is like if you took the funk metal and ska parts of Mr Bungle, threw in a little bit of reggae and made an entire album of that sound instead of switching genres every 30 seconds. As a bass player, I can also appreciate some bass wankery like on Bonin' in the Boneyard too This is fun, I was vaguely familiar with Fishbone and had an impression that I wouldn't like them much. Some tracks are a bit crap, like Subliminal Fascism and Slow Bus Movin' but this was a good listen. 3.5 Highlights: Pouring Rain, Ghetto Soundwave
Truly electric, truly bonkers. It’s Bad Brains, it’s Funkadelic, it’s Chic, it’s Curtis Mayfield, it’s … Charles & Eddie? And then it’s the next song. Whacky dispatches from a group of musicians who, and pretty palpably, honestly couldn’t give a fuck what you think about it. “One Day” (“Who says a funk band can’t play speed metal?”, am I right?) absolutely shreds, and carries that squeezed sounding high gain, phased guitar tone that never fails to grab me; “Subliminal Fascism” is probably the most perturbing hardcore punk song I’ve ever heard; “Bonin’ in the Bonyard” is point blank hilarious. This is fun in a place where self-seriousness otherwise rules; an episode of Looney Tunes in a world of Disney. It’s an outrageous album, and an even greater outrage I’d never heard of it before today.
Fishbone is a band that I first found through a video game: NBA2K8 on the Xbox 360. The song "Skankin' To The Beat" was featured on that game and from that, my knowledge was Fishbone was that they were a ska band. Roughly 10 years later, I was right but Fishbone is more than strictly ska. They have a punk attitude which gives them a fun edge to what they're about. I looked up clips of them live and their performance can be entirely defined by the word: loose. Everybody's jumping, everybody's really going for it. That's a great spirit to have in a band. In addition to their energy, they're also a socially conscious band. There's a few songs on this record that notably speak on serious topics and give some commentary. But all the seriousness is matched up with this deep funk groove punk setting that makes it work. I like this band, I like what they stand for and I like that they're going at it in 2025. This one has the potential to grow on me (7/10, 4/5 on this scale) (Update: 3/5 now)
I genuinely enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
Meh
Deep Inside I know this was alright. One Day I may listen to this again.
Ska! Punk’s fun little cousin. Good to listen to, normally doesn’t have much weight to it though. This album might be a bit of an exception, which actually makes for a bit of a strange listen. Ska with a message? These guys have talent, no doubt. Had some stuff that I liked. Other songs were like, huh? Puts it squarely at a 3 for me.
Not really for me, but I can see how others have liked it. It's quirky and is most definitely a world apart from the others in the same genre. Fun and enjoyable enough to listen to.
3/5
Parfource Ritt durch alle Rock Genres
I want to like this, since Fishbone were on KEXP two weeks ago and it was pretty fun. I think this is a band that, live, would be an absolute blast.
Very 80s but also eclectic at the same time. The message of the album is still relevant today.
i think fishbone is pretty fun and I've always appreciated their blending of genres but there's a little too much hard rock in the mix here for my tastes; never thought I'd be listening to fishbone and wishing for a little 🤏 more ska
Blast from the past. Don’t really need to hear often, but was a good reminder.
Not too shabby
pretty fun and crazy but just not my thing
Different
6/10 Bright and crisp and about 10 years ahead of its time. Just not my vibe I suppose. 10-02-2025
There are some very good songs on this album, but I couldn't find the thread that connect one song to the next. It did not feel like a cohesive project as much as a collection of songs. However, Fishbone is clearly an innovative, ground-breaking, and extremely talented band.
A fun record, though not really my thing. It certainly is a pretty unique meshing of genres and I can see Fishbone’s value in the history of music. Doubtful that I would revisit though.
7/10 Favourite: Ma & Pa Least Favourite: Question of Life
For some reason, I was under the impression Fishbone were a Grateful Dead-esque jam band (I think I was getting them confused with Phish). As a result, this had a lot more tunes than I was expecting, although I found it a tad wearying over the course of a whole album.
I'm surprised I'd never heard of this.
Fun, energetic. This is my first experience with Fishbone, and I'd be interested in checking out more of their stuff.
Quite enjoyed the ska tracks. The other tracks were a bit dull.
Another album that grew on me. Very ska, very punk. Kept me interested the whole time.
Bien! Uno que no conocía. Mal! Escuché el primer tema, el cover de Curtis Mayfield y dije "oh, un Faith No More más berreta". Pero después seguí escuchando y el disco mejoró: es variado y los tipos parecen ser competentes con sus instrumentos. Todavía no tengo las canciones del disco muy interiorizadas. ¿Cómo lo puedo definir? Es un disco de música divertida: rock, reggae, metal, ska, funk.... el tipo de música que podrían hacer bandas como Faith No More, los Red Hot Chili Pepper, System of a Down... ese tipo de cosas. Es un disco variado: todas las canciones parecen ser bastante distintas, sin que haya ninguna que se destaque mucho pero tampoco ninguna que sea mala (las peores me parece que son el cover de Mayfield y las dos canciones más cortas que son muy genéricas). ¿Canción favorita del disco? Me quedo con la instrumental One Day que muestra el talento que esconden los músicos detrás de sus boberías y Slow Bus Moving que es un tema corto, movido, con arreglos interesantes y más memorables, en mi opinión, que el resto. Le pongo tres estrellas, tratando de ser objetivo. Las cuatro le quedan lejos pero dos me parece que son demasiado poco.
I was prepared to rag on Bonin’ in the Boneyard just based on the title but it slapped This is really like a 2.75 for me
It’s fine
This was a pretty good jam album. I’m giving it a solid 3 bc some of the songs were great and punk-ish but others were a bit too ska for me
Meh. I know they were groundbreaking but not sure they still hold up.
Drôle d’album. Musicalement, c’est très, très varié. Genre, du rock, du ska, du soul, du funk, un peu de métal. C’est intéressant, mais pas pour moi.
6.5/10
Some of these songs were enjoyable but some were not my thing. Fun to listen to but probably not something I’ll listen to again. Fav song: Ghetto Soundwave Least fav: One Day
I don’t know a bit all over the place this one. I’d say I liked it overall though Specific rating - 3.5 Fav song - ma and pa Least fav- change
𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘭 shows Fishbone at their most adventurous, fusing ska, funk, punk, and soul with wild energy. It’s undeniably interesting and influential, but the chaotic genre mix doesn’t quite click for me.
A fun listen! There were plenty of great lyrics and I really enjoyed the guitar and instrumentation throughout. As it jumped from sub-genre to sub-genre, it still had a connected feel to it that I really enjoyed. A nice 3.5/5
love the funk rock
Heard some songs from this album before. I really do enjoy the fun energy of the whole album and it's a really pleasant listen 3/5
Šim albumam ir kulturālais konteksts, kas man nav zināms. Kopumā interesantas dziesmas.
Another album I went into triple blind (never heard of the band, the album, or a single song). Liked it quite a bit. Felt like a perfect encapsulation of where the 80’s ended and the 90’s began. Like someone put Huey Lewis and the News, and Reel Big Fish in a blender and turned it on. Not sure which “wave” of ska you’d assign this to, but really fun listen
These guys are fun. Just a bit disjointed
3-
This album surprised me. Several different genres it could fall into. Not sure I'd listen again, but I did enjoy this one.
I enjoyed the rock, ska, reggae mix but I did the whole looking at the reviews before I listened and I thought it was going to be better than it was. Enjoyable though, heard a band I hadn’t heard before but maybe will not revisit.
Interesting. Genres all over the place. Not sure if I will listen again, but did enjoy the album
Kicks off like and 80s Deep Purple/Van Halen mix and gets funkier from there on in. 3.5 stars.
Im not sure what I think about this tbh. Cool for some parts, absolutely out there for others
This was a pretty fun record. It's kind of hard to categorize, there are a lot of different things going on here. That's good and bad - good because it definitely keeps you interested and doesn't get boring but bad because it's not exactly a cohesive album. It almost seems like just a collection of random songs rather than a full album. Some of it is painfully 80s which I suppose you can't really fault it for but just something that might not be everyone's cup of tea. I liked this album well enough but I don't think I would really ever listen to it again. 2.75/5
Better than Coldplay
Fun.
The opening track teased me and made expect more funk metal, overall its ok, its fun but I will only come back for a couple of tracks. I do want to check the rest of their music now.
This is a surprising mix of rock and ska/reggae from a 1980s band, but it melds together into a fun, energetic and unexpectedly good album. 3.5⭐️
It’s pretty good, not super memorable though
I was not expecting another rendition of “Freddie’s Dead” but here we are 3.4/5
I enjoyed some of it. I was indifferent to some of it.
Didn’t mind this. It was nice background. Won’t be in a rush to play it again but won’t be turning it off if I start listening to it again. Good mix of songs and was just about the right length
2.75
A good album, I liked Freddie's Dead, Mighty Long Way and Ghetto Sound wave the most.
Not bad
While admirable that the band dares to try so many different sounds, from hard rock to ska to reggae to funk, the album's social message seems to get buried under the cartoonist impressions band members exude during the recording. It's high energy and has something to say but just doesn't feel focused enough
Enjoyed this. Seems like a precursor to a good bit of 90’s rock
Pretty cool but there's something missing, idk what. Maybe it's just the cartoony tone of the singer that turns me off.
Pretty fun album. The lead singer's voice isn't the best for this material, but it is hard not to enjoy this.
забавный, хоть и ска. боп, как говорят дети
Interesting, all over the place.
Imagine being at a party. There are platters with hors d'oeuvres going around. One gets to you and on it are tiny hotdogs, lemon pies, shots of warm milk, garlic dill pickles, salmon sashimi, and a pile of pop rocks. That being said this belongs on a list like this. It feels a little insane at times, but it's fun. I just don't think it's for me, but who knows.
Favorite: Freddie's Dead
This was a fun, funky, spa rock album. Need to check out their ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ album from 2025.
I don’t think I would necessarily listen to these songs individually, nor do I think they sound particularly coherent as an album. However, I did like several tracks, and overall the album felt like a pleasing experiment.
This album is kind of all over the place. There's some really solid songs that work and then there are a few songs that seem out of place. When they hit the sound is awesome, but a few times they lost me.
Havde meget lave forventninger men synes desværre at det var ret fedt. Føles som en guilty pleasure
3/5. It's funky and fun, just not sure it is essential. If I found this album in the wild, I am pretty sure I would dig it for a few days and then kind of pass on it. The fact that it is here on this list kind of makes it weird. I still enjoyed it, don't get me wrong, but didn't love it. The vocal diversity is a highlight and the big band energy does shine through and the lyrics are pretty progressive for the time. Best Song: Freddie's Dead, Slow Bus Movin', Pouring Rain
good vibes. i like
Good
Favorites: Ma and Pa, Mighty Long Way, One Day I didn't expect to enjoy this one as much but I found Truth And Soul to be incredibly engaging and entertaining. Funk rock isn't totally for me, but I got a lot out of this.
Not my thing. But fun.
It's good. They should have been bigger. Must have been great live. Sounds very dated though. Favorite song: one day
Mmmh non ho capito perché me lo segna come “album raggae” ma va beh Un buon lavoro
This is full of funk and I got a little Prince and the Revolution vibe off of it. Maybe it could have been a bit more varied over the 12 tracks, but I definitely got into it regardless.
Influential, fun and upbeat album Standout songs: Freddies Dead Pouring Rain
okay, why not.
OK
cool album. ska, punk, metal influences.
very soulful, and fun, like a bouncy house you’d play in as a child. honest music. i really enjoyed it!!
Quite an eclectic album with all sorts of range. It almost feels chaotic it's so diverse. There are some very quality songs on here. And the style of vocals won me over eventually, even if it felt a bit cheesy / dated at the outset. Ultimately, a very impressive album.
ts was ok 4.5/10
Solid
High energy and interesting lines. Not my favorite genre though
Funsies!!
I didn't know anything about this band. It started to grow on me but I was really confused in the beginning. I felt like it was ask over the place. Maybe that was intentional. I did really like the song called "Change".
Skatahan tämä, kunhan ekasta biisistä päästään, ja se olikin paras, yllättävä. Levyllinen skata on mulle liian veikeää. Mutta sai naurahtamaan, siitä yksi tähti.
first thought: what did I do to deserve a ska album however, it's not at all bad – it was an interesting journey. each song brings something new, I particularly liked the sudden switch up into the punk-y sound with Deep Inside (nice song).
Heard of them but I guess I've never really listened to Fishbone. Not bad.
Cool variety. Mostly not super my thing but enjoyed the lyrical content. "Enjoyed."
Not bad, but really just not for me
ska but old
Ok, I guess. Kind of like a happier Rage Against the Machine. Not my cup of tea, but I appreciate the talent and the enthusiasm.
Solid.
Funky. Wasn’t expecting this. I realise they were one of the first Ska bands, I just feel like others did it better, but I’m not a fan of Ska so I have an ignorant view.
01) Freddie's Dead - 5,5 02) Ma and Pa - 7,5 03) Question of Life - 6,5 04) Pouring Rain - 6,0 05) Deep Inside - 6,0 06) Mighty Long Way - 5,5 07) Bonin' in the Boneyard - 5,5 08) One Day - 6,5 09) Subliminal Fascism - 5,5 10) Slow Bus Movin' (Howard Beach Party) - 7,0 11) Ghetto Soundwave - 6,0 12) Change - 7,0 TOTAL: 6,21 (62/100) Current ranking: 401/530
Fishbone is an ambitious band. Their willingness to experiment with different sounds pays off in some big ways ("One Day"), but also leads to some confusing choices (the Ska-core cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Freddie's Dead"). That said, their more straight ahead ska songs are still very enjoyable.
6/10
Guess I liked it more than I thought I did.
Didn’t like QUITE as much as I hoped but this was really fun
Fascinating! I mostly liked it but some of it wasn't my vibe, especially the more classic rock sounding songs.
Honestly just not for me. I like their next album way better which is a funk metal album and that kicks ass
Meh...
Fun listen, seems to blend every popular music genre from the late 80's and early 90's into one. There's the hair metal, fun ska-esque trumpets and the funk metal the likes of RHCP would copy. Can't see this being all too memorable but it was a nice and varied album that seems to be a cut above most albums coming out at the time. I wish it had more of the punk and metal that they seem to be known for on here.
Some sizeable tunes tbf
solid
Interesting band, interesting album. I like Funk. I like Rock. I like Ska. I like Punk. Put them all in a blender for 40 minutes ? Yeah, it works for me.
Good sound
One remembers liking this more when one was younger (and presumably funkier). The rest is more or less an exercise in meh-ness (anachronism alert) before “meh” was a known commodity. The thrashier stuff – “Freddie” and “”Deep Inside” – is the most forgettable (or annoying). "Ma and Pa" is great and a few other cuts (e.g., “A Question of Life,” and “Pouring Rain”) have a winning mix of soul and flow. The bright, womping horns (e.g., "Ghetto Soundwave") are a pleasure in the right mood, but time has not been especially kind to this record or indeed this genre. (Genre aside: RHCPs have got pathetic [the last thing one would’ve expected]; Primus and Living Color had the dignity to burn out quickly and, thus, gracefully (though surely unintentionally); check out early Crazy 8s for an underrated player from this long-lost space and time; “Courage and Conviction” is an treasure).
Favorite: - Ma and Pa zeker een paar leuke, ook zeker een paar missers.. Het is voor mij iets te bombastisch, hard op hard. Vindt de rock-soul combinatie wel wat hebben though.
When I was attending college this band was one of a few bands that dominated the college rock scene and you could see them fairly regularly touring the college campus circuit with their mostly unique blend of punk, ska, rock, funk, and blues. Personally though I was always a bigger fan of what I think is a much better and underrated punk, swing, rock and funk album FEROCIOUSLY STONED by the Cherry Poppin Daddies, before they largely limited their compositions on subsequent albums to Swing and Ska.
Love the horns, and the technical level is high throughout. But this kind of funk-rock has never really moved me, even if Spotify claims it is the lineal descendant of the ska that I once did love.
3.5
Pretty cool early ska. The variety from track to track is impressive; not all of it works, but the creativity and scope are admirable.
Прикольный фанк рок. Данный альбом напоминает моментами звучание RHCP со сходим басом, мотивами и гитарами (на ранних альбомах) но звучат настолько чисто и правильно, в отличие от перцев, что это даже начинает звучать интересно и по своему. Сравнивая первые альбомы РХЧП с Trust And Soul, я бы слушал второе, но не стоит забывать, каким говном были Энтони и компаниях на них, поэтому альбом ближе к среднему, чем к чему то большему. Фанковые 3,5/5 (3/5)
This album was all over the place. It was hard to categorize/pin down.
hressilegt fönkskotið pönk. þarf ekki aðra.
Good stuff
need-a re listen
I vaguely remember Fishbone from their first album and what I recall they were an exciting, energetic ska/reggae/funk-punk band that produced some infectious songs that were pretty good. With their second album, they added a rock edge and more socially conscious lyrics to the mix. For me, it's a fine listen, but I wouldn't consider it essential, important maybe, but there are better options out there.
Omalaatuinen, ehkä oudohko jopa. Ei siis välttämättä pelkästään pahalla tavalla. Loppujen lopuksi aika jakomielitautinen setti. Ehkä pitää kokeilla myöhemmin uudelleen. 3/5
Monipuolinen joskin aika kevyt platta. kyllä se kolmoseen silti yltänee.
Kinda fun, but got old towards the end.
Good album. Great mix of styles.
3 - Why is it so all over the place? It’s mostly good too?! Just so random, it literally has no genre
Interesting listen from the late 80s, but nothing quite catches my fancy.
Good 3
WAT? 2 ska albums, op 3 dagen? Wat de fuck hahaha Nou, gaan we weer hoor. Vorige ska album was echt prima. Jammer, Ma and Pa is echt een lekker ska funky nummertje, maar er staat ook ontzettend veel rock en hardrock op dit album en dat trek ik toch echt een STUK minder. Het album is echt zwaar schizofreen en gaat álle kanten op, van een hardrock plaat, naar een funky jazzy nummer. Ik vind de zanger trouwens wel best prettig, fijne afwisseling na die draak van New Order. De muziek van Fishbone is instrumentaal wel echt ijzersterk met leuke melodiën. De zang is prettig, maar soms ook heel vreemd en qua genre zijn ze niet erg vast. Dat zorgt er wel voor dat het album lekker wegluistert, maar ik zou je nu niet kunnen zeggen wat het typische Fishbone geluid is. Misschien is het gewoon 'Ja'? FAVO: Ma and Pa, Bonin in the boneyard, One Day, Slow Bus movin
This was a fun album that had notes ska, punk, as well as straight up rock. I don't understand the relatively low rating because it was overall an enjoyable album.
Freddies Dead misses the mark for me. Curtis Mayfield has stolen my heart. A lot of the album feels kind of promising but then doesn't really deliver. Fave: Subliminal Fascism
Fun album. Some really upbeat songs and great use of horns throughout. Doesn’t always hit, but overall a good album. 3.5/5 Probably will listen again
really covered the whole range from reggae to punk with ska sprinkled in between
This was a solid album that blends funk rock, ska, and reggae. While this style isn’t necessarily my go-to, I still found it enjoyable for what it was. The energy and musicianship stood out, and overall, I’d rate it as slightly better than average.
Quite enjoyed this one, lots of fun.
Unfortunately, this is funk rock to forget. You’d think a punchy and energetic album like this would be fun throughout, but in reality it’s likely to leave you checking the tracklisting to see how long’s left before you can write a passive-aggressive review. There’s some great messaging here on paper, but its execution seems more like a box-ticking exercise than anything to move the masses. Perhaps by the late 80s the ship had sailed on this sort of stuff. I wasn’t around, so I don’t know. It’s what I’m getting from this sole example, though. It’s a 40-minute conglomerate of similar-sounding not-quite heavy enough funk rock, until the ending of Change, a weird semi-ballad that seems to say; ‘just in case you didn’t get our very basic messaging, here’s something to hammer it in.’
Rocky, Ska, La rock sound that tells me A LOT about the lives these ‘rock-stars’ lived. Maybe it was in a transitional period for rock as a whole, but they certainly made the most of the attention and money; I’m assuming. Not terrible, but not great either - enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Z wszystkich dotychczasowych najbardziej nijaka. Weszła jednym uchem, wyszła drugim. Nie przeszkadzała mi, ale też nie byłabym w stanie zanucić, ale fragmentu. Takie typowe ska, jak dla mnie, nic wyjątkowego. Dla mnie ten zespół nie ma tożsamości. 5/10
Eh. Ok, I guess.
New to me, but pretty fun. Upbeat mix of styles moving in and out of punk, ska, funk, reggae, and even rock with a touch of metal.
Good rock music. Traditional and classical ones. Not that distinctive or innovative. 2.5-3/5
Heyrðu, misskemmtilegt en oftar en ekki gott stuð og hresst. Og fjölbreytt, það er nú alltaf plús.
This is like proto pearl jam mixed with all the weird trends of the 80’s 3/5
A bit cheesy but quite fun at the same time
Probably a 6
What a fun listen! Seems like a band that knows not to take themselves too seriously, while still knowing the importance of high quality musicianship. Knowing nothing about this band apart from this album, I can tell they put on one hell of a live show.
3/5
An interesting mishmash of sounds and genres going on here. One Day was my choice track, something about the funky bass/electric and the bi-dom-bom-bom-bom's tickled my fancy. I liked it for its variety and would potentially check out more of their discography.
No on kyllä melkoinen sekoitus vähän kaikkea. Ska ja funk rokkia, välillä aika metalliakin. Parhaat: Ghetto Soundwave, One Day
Pretty fun, flew by. Horns! 🎺 🎷
honestly? was so relieved this wasn't a christmas album i was ready to rate it five stars out the gate. kinda picked up for me in the second half but i can't really imagine returning to this. 2.5
On paper it seemed like an almost perfect album for me - a mix of funk, rock, metal and a bit of ska just for a good measure. In reality, the album didn't do any of those things well enough, none of the songs were really interesting. Quite boring record, shame I couldn't have liked it more.
Not bad!
They put the fun in FUNky.
Meh, not as bad as it felt like it was going to be, and the variety was definitely a plus. But overall didn't inspire me.
Decent album 3/5
I love Fishbone and I hate Fishbone. Their originality for merging ska and punk into the modern sound has done wonder for music. The problem becomes that they can also be blamed for what became pop Punk in the 90s. Truth and Soul is a good Sophomore album, but not my favorite of theirs, but to see them on the list is pleasant. 3/5
These guys are clearly good at what they do, but I'm just not into it.
I wouldn't call this album exceptional but it feels like the combination of a bunch of styles I already like. A bit of nlue-eyed soul, a heavy dose of punk rock and ska, all dressed up in a late 80s funk/alt rock sheen. It's consistently enjoyable and doesn't let up in the songwriting department, which more than makes up for the lack of masterpieces in the tracklist. Unfortunately due to my new star distribution I have to give this 3 stars but it's a very strong 3.5. 7/10
This was pretty decent. Knocked down from 3.5 to 3 because their version of Freddie’s Dead didn’t swing like the original did.
Enjoyed it more than anticipated
not essential, nor one of the best 1,001 albums, but one I would probably never have heard otherwise, so I'm glad it was on the list. Sounds like a band with many more albums under their belt.
sounds like they're competent musicians, but i'm not very interested in the result.
Good album. Enjoyed it. Fusion of numerous genres.
I faintly remember Fishbone from back in the day, maybe from the very brief moment when I was into ska. But I didn't recall a single track from this album or any other. It's OK as fairly happy-sounding music (even while dishing out social commentary).
Not particularly my thing, but with it mix of ska, funk and metal, I could see how it would be someone else's.
2.5
Decent but not great album that was probably somewhat influential at the time but feels pretty dated now. I do think it's fun at times, but nowhere near essential enough to be on this list. 3 stars.
3.5
Putting 3.5 for RYM site but 3 for here. Lacks passion though it’s well played and performed. Does have cool moments. Freddie’s Dead is cool.
This was really fun. For the first half a 4 but the latter a little lower. So a strong 3
Eclectic, happy music. Identity seems to be an issue but I'd rather that than everything sounding the same. After all, variety is the spice of life, a cliche perhaps, but nonetheless true.
If you don’t take this seriously, which I didn’t, then you could say that this album is a lot of fun
I remember this bank funk rock kinda in the chilli, faith no more kinda vibe era. Yeah was ok. An interesting nite in musical history.
Eclectic fun, but if you try to cover too many bases there's inevitably gonna be some tracks that let the album down. Great in places, and quite fun overall.
I kinda wanted to hate this after the opening. "Freddie's Dead" is just a classic that should lay in the hands of Curtis Mayfield and not be covered. But then the rest of the album really grew on me. Nothing I would listen to too often but nice enough.
Fresh beats. Kept me entertained
Very eclectic and varied sound here. Ska, reggae, elements of nu-metal, punk, soul, etc. This album somehow feels ahead of it's time but also steeped in late 80's cheese. No doubt this was a seminal album for a lot of acts I listen to, but I fear this album is more interesting to discuss than listen to. Still glad I got to hear it!
Truthfully—maybe not so soulfully—just a silly grab bag of styles and influences that’s as groovy as it is goofy.
Liked it better than I thought it would. Reminded me of thps music.
Das Album aus dem Jahr 1988 kombiniert verschiedene Musikstile miteinander verbindet. Die Band kombiniert Elemente aus Funk, Ska, Punk und Rock, was zu einem einzigartigen und energiegeladenen Sound führt. Es Album beginnt mit einer kraftvollen Coverversion von Curtis Mayfields “Freddie’s Dead”, die durch verzerrte Gitarren und schwere Drums eine ganz neue Dimension erhält. Songs wie “Ma And Pa” und “Question Of Life” zeigen die Vielseitigkeit der Band, indem sie von Ska-Rhythmen zu funkigen Grooves wechseln1. Obwohl die musikalische Vielfalt beeindruckend ist, fehlt dem Album manchmal die Kohärenz. Einige Tracks wirken etwas überladen und es fehlt an klaren Höhepunkten, die das Album wirklich herausragend machen würden. Dennoch ist es ein solides Album, das die Experimentierfreude und das Talent von Fishbone unter Beweis stellt.
Mad album but I respect the variety
Un peu trop éclectique à mon goût, entre ska, hard rock, punk... Ça allait un peu dans tous les sens.
Ok. Very diverse though.
This album had a lot of interesting musical styles, I'd listen to it again and would give it a 3.5.
I got the funk but not the punk.
My dad LOVES Fishbone, he was a teenager during their heyday, after all, but I do find this metallic infused ska to be very hit or miss, personally. When it goes hard it works really well, and even the late 80s-like production can't touch this album's powerful moments. However, I think a lot of it still carries those cheesier moments that plague ska-revival into something perfectly of its time. I'll admit that this is ahead of most of those 90s acts that made up the Pro Skater soundtrack, but its pretty rare that the funkier, more upbeat moments make me feel much of anything. It's the guitar heavy One Day or the odd Ma and Pa that feel a lot more unique, and therefore, quality. The rest of the album is fun enough, it just doesn't have that lasting impact, and even lacks most of the truly great songs Fishbone is known for, such as Sunless Saturday.
3 Ska is such a goofy genre - the first thing I thought of was this Hard Times article: https://thehardtimes.net/culture/trumpet-player-stuck-traffic-turns-shitty-ska-band-okay-punk-band/ Linking because it’s funny, no disrespect meant, but I do honestly have a bit of a hard time taking ska seriously at times. Don’t get me wrong, put one song on for me, I’m jamming, but put a full album on for me, I’m going to start questioning what I’m doing with my life. As a big fan of punk, something about the genre has always felt like some sort of weird cousin, the kind you’ll give a big hug to at reunions and around the holidays but will ignore their texts when they ask what you’re up to or if you have ten bucks. Anyway, I’m getting the vibe that the reason this album is significant is because this is the moment ska became goofy. If not for this, I probably would have pointed to a group like Reel Big Fish, Mustard Plug, or Might Mighty Bosstones as being responsible for that - that’s the impression that I get (so sorry). However, these guys actually beat those groups by quite a few years. Granted, ska had already been around for decades in the form of reggae, rock bands like The Specials, and even existed concurrently in a more punk format with groups like Sublime and Operation Ivy (which I kind of prefer, frankly), but these guys in particular seemed to have brought the horns and energy that would go on to influence our suited friends of the late 90s - though also with a good dose of 80s cheese mixed in for good measure. So, is that a good thing? I don’t know, I have mixed feelings. Like a lot of other ska, I find this album to be both fun and over the top. I really have a hard time saying how much I liked this, and honestly, I feel like my enjoyment could be very hit or miss depending on the time or place. My biggest complaint with this album is that it just doesn’t seem to have any one great or catchy or even really memorable song that stands out. Once again, it’s a fun energy, but I also kind of feel like I was just blasted in the face by horns for 40 minutes. That all to say, unbeknownst to me until writing this very review, I’m apparently seeing these guys this very weekend at the NOFX final concert series in LA, so I’m fully prepared to eat crow about everything I said here and become a newly converted Fishbone fan!
Genre seems to change with each track which keeps you on your toes. Didn't really find it a gripping album but was fine.
This was kind of interesting. I always appreciate genre fusions. However, this was a little forgettable to me and I didn't really get into it, but I appreciated it being a different take on 90s hard rock.
I have never heard this album, or any album by Fishbone before, but I remember When they broke nationally, and I particularly recall an incendiary performance they put on the Arsenio Hall Show (if I remember Correctly, it was a very vamped up performance of the Rolling Stones’ “Shattered”). It was a wild frenzy of a performance, truly one of a kind. While Truth and Soul does showcase the band’s speed, precision, and overall exuberance, the recorded atmosphere felt controlled and governed as compared to their live performance. It’s a solid and ambitious album that blends styles with total confidence. But with their live act as my point of reference, I couldn't Help but to be slightly let down. Solid three stars.
good album 4 i would say
I’ve never heard of this band or any of their music, so this was a wild ride. Opening with a quasi-metal rendition of a Curtis Mayfield song was a shock and then actually a lot of fun! Getting hit with Ska was also a surprise lol. Overall, the album was a fun listen, I couldn’t help think of the Chrono Trigger soundtrack every time I heard the keyboard ripping it. Lots of sounds that reminded me of playing my SNES. Average track: 🎶🤩 🕺🎺🎸 Lyrical content: 😔😈🤬💀 Standout track: One Day
I like it okay. I should check it out a few more times before having any definitive opinions
I do love ska, but I'm a little confused as to why this is here.
ok
New to me; possibly didn't do very well in the UK? Anyway, it's not bad. They were all quite young guys at this point, by the sounds of it, so there's no point being unduly harsh; it's perfectly proficient, and the ska influences were good to hear (there weren't enough of those moments; a lot of it was more like the J Geils Band, or maybe David Lee Roth-lite.) Overall, it was very mainstream - not sure it's very noteworthy, tbh, although they must have been entertaining live. Perhaps they still are. To finish on a positive, I really like the singer's voice, and the trumpety and funky bits were enjoyable.
No real standout tracks but interesting lyrically and musically. Variety of styles made it a little jilting.
You can definitely hear this band were in the same music scene as early Red Hot Chilli Peppers. They also remind me of Faith No More. I liked the songs that were more funky (Bonin' In The Boneyard, One Day), but I wasn't so much into the rest of the album.
Een soort ska on steroids, best leuk in elkaar gestoken, al zijn er ook stukjes dat ze er met de pet naar gooien. Niet te hard de vraag stellen wat we hier eigenlijk mee moeten.
De eerste twee nummers ken ik zowaar, die komen waarschijnlijk nog met enige regelmaat voorbij op K!NK. Freddie's Dead is wel een fijn nummer. Doet me denken aan Living Colour. Het wisselt wat af tussen funky (glam)metal, blije ska en zelfs een soort van 80s balladachtig iets. De funky metal is vet, daar kan ik best een 4 voor geven. Maar die ska hoeft van mij niet. Het schijnt dat ze hierna meer de metal kant op zijn gegaan, dus wie weet moet ik nog even andere albums checken. Want af en toe groovet het zeker wel lekker. Als ze nu de beste nummers bundelen en alle reut weglaten, dan had het nog wat kunnen worden. Maar nu is het eigenlijk vrij logisch dat deze band verder in de vergetelheid is geraakt. En daar hoort een 3 bij.
Levy sisältää jos jonkinlaista biisi eli voisiko sanoa "epätasainen". Soundi kuitenkin viihdyttävä ja pari kolme kertaa jaksoi helposti kuunnella.
Hauska ja ilosen rallatteleva. Piristi päivää, helposti kolmonen
very sticky album
It's on a song by song basis for me. Some I liked, others did nothing.
Shrugworthy. 2.5/5
3.5 rounded down it’s fun! not rlly clicking for me tho… highlights: question of life, subliminal fascism (aug 6 2024)
Neutral
I wasn't in the mood for 3rd wave ska when I listened to this, so the best I could muster was 3 stars.
I had no idea what to expect here. First track I thought "this sounds like a mashup of Curtis Mayfield and GNR," then realised it was a Curtis cover. Not a bad album - hint of ska mixed with rock, which probably needs a second listen