Five Iron Frenzy

Five Iron Frenzy: Electric BoogalooElectric Boogaloo (2001)
5 Minute Walk

Reviewer Rating: 4

User Rating:

Contributed by: marcMarc
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on June 17th 2003There is almost nothing about Five Iron Frenzy on this entire site. Although I can hear the clever jokes coming already, I feel that this is a problem that needs to be rectified. FIF has played infectious ska-punk for several years now, without mainstream fanfare or ridiculous record sales. Sur.

There is almost nothing about Five Iron Frenzy on this entire site.

Although I can hear the clever jokes coming already, I feel that this is a problem that needs to be rectified. FIF has played infectious ska-punk for several years now, without mainstream fanfare or ridiculous record sales. Sure, they are a Christian band (the horror!), and sometimes their lyrics tend to lean towards "very religious", but over the past several years, their bouncy music and wacky live shows have made them one of my favorite bands of all time.

After the ska craze faded away, many bands ditched their horn players or formed emo bands. Five Iron's latest studio release, Electric Boogaloo, proved that brass still has a place in punk music, without becoming a gimmick or a pain in the ass. From start to finish, this is one solid album, containing the same dual guitar work, fast paced drums, and memorable vocal harmonies that we've come to expect from this band. Songs like "Plan B" and "Blue Mix" allow the 3-part horn section to add something valuable to the song without becoming overdone or annoying. "Car" and "Eulogy" showoff the band's songwriting skills, both musically and lyrically, while "Pre-Ex Girlfriend" and "You Can't Handle This" never fail to make me laugh. The disc's strongest song has to be "Farsighted", with such great brass harmony that you'll wish it were 1996 again.

Granted, this isn't a perfect cd. The latte-flavored "Vultures" and metal-wannabe "The Day We Killed" are songs that are usually skipped over, but you still can't help but appreciate listening to once and a while (especially after hearing all of the "metal" songs on FIF's newest "release", Cheeses of Nazareth).

Overall, "Electric Boogaloo" comes off as one of the better Five Iron albums, with a harder sound and more polished production job. The ska is still there, and there is a positive evolution from the last album to this one. Sadly, Five Iron Frenzy recently announced that they would be breaking up at the end of the year. With plenty of tour dates and a new studio album on the way, there is still time to experience ska at its best. I wish only the best to the band members, who put out some of the finest ska that ever was, and who were genuinely nice people, and above all, true professionals. They will be missed. But not by anyone on this site, apparantly.

Now if only I had the courage to listen to the new Brave Saint Saturn songs....

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Anonymous (June 23, 2003)

This is definitly not their best album, and I am wondering why it is being reviewed so long after it was released but I am very happy to see FIF finally metioned on this site. They do not push their beliefs on anybody and even play shows with bands that might not agree with them (Less Than Jake), but they still write amazing songs and take the time to talk to their fans. I am bummed that they are breaking up but I have high hopes for Brave Saint Saturn, that cd rocks!

Anonymous (June 23, 2003)

the reason for the mediocrity is because most religious based record labels don't care about the music as much as the message portraid. if you want to get a good band with a christian message check out Living Sacrifice. they're a metal band that is breaking up soon.

FortyMinutesWest (June 22, 2003)

Religion doesn't dictate morality. Also, most religious bands are mediocre, I'm not sure why that is, it just seems that way.

Anonymous (June 22, 2003)

by the way. i was the last one to post and i just wanted to clear one thing up. i haven't heard the cd, so i don't rate it. the 5 stars means nothing.

Anonymous (June 22, 2003)

i think its funny when people diss religious bands because they are religious. what ever happened to liking it for the way a band sounds or how they are live? just because they sing about stuff that you don't necessarily believe in for one reason or another (the "coolness factor usually applies here) doesn't mean you should diss them for putting together music. how many of you out there actually go out and play music? it's not easy. i did it for 2 years. instead of being open to different types of music, you close your eyes to something that may be the best musical experience of your life. i myself am a christian and i like death metal. bands like vader, the haunted, rotting christ, and stuff like that. do i diss them because they don't believe the same things i do? no. i know that sometimes in order to appreciate music you have to be able to look past your opinions and beliefs to get to the core of the songs. "religion brainwashes you and you don't think for youself". what's wrong with having morals? since when has that been something to be ashamed of? im tired of people dissing bands because of a religious background the band may have. listen to the music and enjoy it. forget the stereotypes. music is music. live it, love it, and most of all, respect it.

Anonymous (June 21, 2003)

The cable went out in my dorm once... And all we could get was tbn , the christian channel....... Anyways... They had some kind of music video hour and they played these guys... Needles to say it totally sucked...

toma (June 21, 2003)

awesome, i just found out today that i'm gonna be seeing these guys this summer... i was scared i never would before they broke up... oh yeah :)

Anonymous (June 21, 2003)

The singer has a really good voice.
Where did Micah go?

FortyMinutesWest (June 19, 2003)

Christian metal like Crimson Thorn? Im glad I don't know what those guys are saying because half the time it's about someone getting smited.

toma (June 19, 2003)

i am a christian. i guess the type of music i'm putting down is all that weird christian metal my sister listens to and stuff lately, where the lyrics are literally pretty much "god is cool hey yeah he is"... and repeat. what i was saying is that five iron frenzy has more intelligent lyrics than that.

Kurt_F (June 18, 2003)

Yes, Reese sings "The Sun Also Rises" as well as most of the Brave Saint Saturn songs.

Toma: I don't expect a non-Christian to really understand praise and worship. If you are a non-Christian, obviously "God is cool, lalala" is all you seem to see it as.

Anonymous (June 18, 2003)

When did it become so cool to hate religion?

Jon_the_Skafather (June 18, 2003)

FIF sucks, i'm glad they broke up because that means they're less population of shit ska bands.

Anonymous (June 18, 2003)

Anyone who rips apart this band based soley on christianity is an ignorant dolt.

FIF probably has more songs that talk about the messed up current state of church, and even politics than "praise God" songs. If you can't get past people with level heads believing in something like that without getting all pissed off, YOU should not be involved in punk rock.

Anonymous (June 18, 2003)

I love you guys for writing this review.
Ska will never die.

-Chris from Long Shot Hero
www.longshothero.com

ash007 (June 18, 2003)

i like FIF and they're great live. is that reese roper singing on "the sun also rises" by Brave Saint Saturn?

toma (June 18, 2003)

yeah, at least when they do write a praise song it's well written and not mindless GOD IS COOL HEY HEY HEY YEAH GOD IS COOL HEY!

hey_sailor (June 18, 2003)

I myself am far from Christian but I will admit that Every New Day is a fucking powerful song...very well written.

Anonymous (June 18, 2003)

the 14 year old who knows it all will bash your christian beleifs to shame

FortyMinutesWest (June 18, 2003)

It could be argued that it's ingrained in your mind from birth if you're raised by Christian parents.

Kurt_F (June 18, 2003)

...Come on now. But thier "praise Jesus" songs are oh so great. (like "Every New Day")

And um, they do think for themselves. I'm pretty sure Christianity is a conscious decision.

toma (June 18, 2003)

yeah, people who bash five iron frenzy on the sole basis that they are a "christian" band really need to open their eyes. they have more songs criticizing the current state of christianity in general and how it has been historically than they do mindless "praise jesus" tunes.

FortyMinutesWest (June 17, 2003)

Screw you Flanders.

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

true say

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

They have plenty songs about how their religion is fucked up. "Old West" "451"... So stop thinking that every person in the world that has faith or whatever you may call it is Ned Flanders.
I can't belive the bigotry you guys have against people who have this one opinion on life. Big fucking deal. They aren't hurting anyone. They aren't singing songs about how whoever is going to hell. Just let go of cool for once (i know how hard it is for you kids to do, call yourselves punk all you want "cool" still is your deciding factor), and take music for what it is.

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

Yes, we can't think for ourselves so let's let organized facist religions tell us how to live....and let's write songs about it! And the lets try to pass ourselves as "punk rock".

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

how come theres no jewish ska bands... OY VEY!

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

"God has no place in (punk rock), just as facts have no place in organized religion!"

Superintendant Chalmers

toma (June 17, 2003)

the only five iron cd i can't listen to is all the hype money can buy. it's just way too goofy for my tastes.

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

Coming from an FiF fan... worst album they ever made. bottom line.

Also why is the title art of the cover different than the bold font i've sen just about everywhere else? That must be a fan-made cover...

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

Yay! i saw this cd at wal-mart! yay!

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

pick any ska band, and they'll probably be better than this band.

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

yeah, satan does rule.

MrOhio (June 17, 2003)

Oh my. Someone reviewed sacred Five Iron. This is, perhaps their best work, next to Quanity Is Job 1, which was only an EP though. It's going to be a sad day when they finally end. I can't find "Cheeses" anywhere, actually. No one I know has it.

funkisdead (June 17, 2003)

i listened to a lot of ska for a while, and i think this band sucks.

Tim-PunkInternational (June 17, 2003)

The Brave Saint Saturn CD is really good. It caught me by surprise. I haven't heard anything from Five Iron Frenzy since their first album. That was one of the better ska albums of the mid-nineties in my opinion.

ElVaquero (June 17, 2003)

I must agree with Adam on this, the horror... the horror...

Kurt_F (June 17, 2003)

Man. This band...

So funny. Anybody who has never heard the entire "These Are Not My Pants" (The Rock Opera) is missing out on the funniest song(s) ever recorded. That and that "I go in the street and get hit by cars" song.

Anyways, thier old stuff is really dang good. I'm sad they are breaking up.

As for Brave Saint Saturn: Thier first cd is pretty good, and the new one is almost as good. "The Sun Also Rises" has like, the best chorus ever. Download it.

sweetsugarpezz (June 17, 2003)

thank you for the fine review... one of my favorite bands ever, and i do not consider myself "christian". these guys are fuckin rock, and reese is one of the coolest guys out there. p.s.- i like "the day we killed"...
-sweetsugarpezz

GregSka (June 17, 2003)

I love this band, some friends and I will be sneaking into one of the many over-priced christian festivals they'll be playing at this summer.. cant wait!

Eddie (June 17, 2003)

I respect FIF, but they just ain't the best ska-punk band out there. About the only song on this album I like is "Pre-Ex-Girlfriend". Their eariler stuff was better.

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

YEs, the horror. Lyrics are half of what makes music great, if they are christian fanatics(or any other religion for that matter), then the music would have to be astonishing to get even half my credit.

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

i agree there is not enough about FIF on the site.

i love this band and was not happy when i heard they are calling it quits.

cant wait too see them one or 2 more times.

adam (June 17, 2003)

the horror!