Five Iron Frenzy

Five Iron Frenzy: Our Newest Album EverOur Newest Album Ever (1997)
5 Minute Walk

Reviewer Rating: 4

User Rating:

Contributed by: tomatoma
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on July 22nd 2003This album holds a lot of memories for me, as it was the album that got me into punk. I grew up in a pretty Christian home and for most of junior high I was into the whole Jars of Clay type stuff. Then when I was 17 in 1998 I heard Suckerpunch on a comp cd that one of my sister's friends brought ove.

This album holds a lot of memories for me, as it was the album that got me into punk. I grew up in a pretty Christian home and for most of junior high I was into the whole Jars of Clay type stuff. Then when I was 17 in 1998 I heard Suckerpunch on a comp cd that one of my sister's friends brought over, and I thought it was an awesome song. So then I went out and got this album as quick as I could, and I pretty much listened to it non-stop. I had never really cared that much about music before this. I pretty much threw out my old Jars of Clay and stuff for this, it was the only cd I had that I even cared about any more. I needed more. The next few cds that I bought I picked almost randomly... Hello Rockview by Less Than Jake, Duh by Lagwagon, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Have a Ball... it totally threw me into a new world of music and made me really care about what I was listening to. It was like what bands like Blink182 and Sum41 do for kids who only watch MTV for new music. It's like a gateway drug.

So anyway, that's my story about my emotional connection to this record, now for the actual review. I still listen to this cd pretty often, and it's a good solid punk ska album. The some of the best tracks on the album would probably be Fistful of Sand, Handbook for the Sellout, Oh Canada, and Blue Comb 78. The Christian parts of the cd aren't all that overbearing and don't even really show up until the fifth track with Suckerpunch, and even that song is more about a kid picking his nose and getting beat up than it is preaching. Anyway, here's a track by track review of what to expect here...

Handbook For The Sellout - Nice opening track, similar in message to Lagwagon's Know It All, but from a different perspective. Apparently the song was written about Green Day, which makes sense when you listen to it.
Where Is Micah? - Funny song about one of the guys in the band and how he's late for everything.
Superpowers - A song about life on the road while on tour, starts out pretty humorous and winds up as a sort of commentary on what is really important to them as a band and how fame isn't what they want.
Fistful Of Sand - This is a nice catchy ska track that breaks into hardcore for a few seconds near the end before slowing right back into the ska for the end of the song. Definitely one of the highlights of the album.
Suckerpunch - A song about a kid getting picked on who finds God. It's cute and catchy and it's also the first ska tune I really liked.
Kitty Doggy - This is just the band screwing around. It's kind of funny, but it means absolutely nothing.
Blue Comb 78 - This song is great. Musically it's one of the best songs on the album but the lyrics are about a comb that was lost on the highway when they were kids. The intro is slow and mellow and it suddenly speeds up with "She threw my new blue comb out the window somewhere on I70!" I just find it funny how the song is about something so trivial and it sounds more passionate than almost anything else on the album.
Banner Year - Yeah, a typical Five Iron Frenzy cowboy song. They really don't like cowboys. After Blue Comb this song is kind of a downer... and I always found cowboys boring as a kid.
Second Season - Ok, this song is actually a little preachy, so maybe I lied...
Litmus - A good song. It's about challenging God, but more from an angry perspective than a preachy one. Musically it's one of the better songs on the album, and you can feel the emotion for sure.
Oh Canada - This song is a catchy and funny ska tune about Canada. I live in Canada and I find this thing hilarious. It's funny when Americans try to figure out what's true and what isn't here. Yes, we do have milk in bags.
Most Likely To Succeed - I honestly can't think of much to say about this song.
Every New Day - The other kind of preachy song, but musically it's better than the other one.
The Godzilla Song - This is a hidden track after Every New Day. The song is weird... It sounds like it's just some members of the band screwing around in the studio. It's actually kind of funny, kind of like Kitty Doggy... not really worth listening to, but funny enough at the same time. If you have Cheeses of Nazareth it's like a lot of the stuff on there.

Overall, if you're into ska-punk and stuff, this a decent cd, altho toward the end is does get a little slow. If you're a Five Iron Frenzy fan, then you really should have this album anyway.

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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 (July 24, 2003)

Copied from the review:

"Handbook For The Sellout - Nice opening track, similar in message to Lagwagon's Know It All, but from a different perspective. Apparently the song was written about Green Day, which makes sense when you listen to it."

My comment was based on the review. I have not heard the song. I said I hope they're not serious.

High five dude. Way to take a comment out of context. Not like that doesn't happen all the time with the kids on this board.

--Cos

toma (July 24, 2003)

i'm seeing them for the first (and last) time next weekend... i can't wait!

Kurt_F (July 24, 2003)

"Christian ska-punk calling Green Day sellouts=the funniest thing I've heard all day. I hope they're not serious about this one."

Uh...yea. You just dug your own grave. Way to make statements without background information. The song is actually attacking those that yell "sell out" at every other punk band that becomes popular.

High five dude.

Anonymous (July 23, 2003)

these guys dispite the fact that they are chiristian are able to continually grasp what christianaity is really about and dont cling on to the stereotypical views. the band in itself has many different beliefs. they dont claim to be the one voice of god or the proclaimers of gods glory they only give theyre personal experiences with god. and if you cant respect them for that your fucked. but the music on this cd is awesome handbook for sellout and blue comb are always going to be one of my favorites by this band.. and if you can catch them before the end of the year you should. its an experience thats just awesome best show i ever saw(next to bad religion)

GreenVandal (July 23, 2003)

Wow another enlightening comment from the BSD. I didnt know punk was about leaching off the society you hate, and writing some of the lamest most senseless songs ever. Do you think about the things they say? Really? No you dont. Your just impressed that they squat and do crack because they were told not to. How fucking creative and great of them. And this band fucking sucks too. I just like to talk shit to BSD. If you really were a bullshit detector im sure you would have fucking killed yourself by now. There is no real punk. Punk isnt real, its a fucking fashion, like emo, excpet no one wants to admit it.

Anonymous (July 23, 2003)

Christian ska-punk calling Green Day sellouts=the funniest thing I've heard all day. I hope they're not serious about this one.

The only positive memory I have of this band is being 16 and digging on the stupid wigs they wore on stage, and finishing their set with a rendition of Skid Row's "Youth Gone Wild".

Then they got an interview with Flipside and talked about Jesus the whole interview. Lame

--Cos

Anonymous (July 23, 2003)

jars of clay is what every emo band wishs they could be...

toma (July 23, 2003)

"I seriously doubt Handbook For The Sellout and Litmus are about any specific band. Thats rediculous. This is a very good, underated band. And for all you people who don't like it just because it is religious...that is just a little to closed minded for someone who likes punk."

i actually read an interview a while back where they mentioned handbook for the sellout was written with green day in mind.

toma (July 23, 2003)

"thats cool you got into punk, but fuck, never throw out your jars of clay albums, well, at least the first, self titled one... thats one of my favorite records ever.."

i never actually threw them out, i still have them, they're just buried under all my other music now. in retrospect i realize the first half of my review was pretty unnecessary. ah well, whatever.

Anonymous (July 23, 2003)

Like whoa it is. Get over it, this is a web site. LoC aren't gonna pop out and hurt you.

-BSD

Anonymous (July 23, 2003)

I love how it's soooo cool to act wicked pretentious when you happen to not hate/dislike something that a lot of people here do. Whoa. Way to go against the grain! That's like, mad individuality.

Anonymous (July 23, 2003)

Hmmm... Well, I think a lot of people who like this band might also like Leftover Crack. They are another hXc Christie band who aren't afraid to bring Jesus into the sonic furor of their music.

-BSD

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

I love how it's sooooo punk rock to be tolerant of everything and everyone EXCEPT for Christians and Christianity. Kind of a double standard, wouldn't you say?

I love this band though. They rock out for Jesus hardcore, and I like the fact that they do.

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

Sorry, I posted wrong. I should have given it this score.

-BSD

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

I usually hate Jesus music, but FIF was one of the first bands I got into. Good stuff.

BSD, for future reference, "Handbook for the Sellout" doesn't criticize successful bands. It scoffs at those that point the "sellout" finger. Would it be too difficult to only insult bands and songs that you've actually heard?

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

BSD, you should probably listen to the song before you talk about it. Or maybe read the lyrics. Something to make you not sound like an idiot would be wise.

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

"Handbook For The Sellout - Nice opening track, similar in message to Lagwagon's Know It All, but from a different perspective. Apparently the song was written about Green Day, which makes sense when you listen to it."

Hahahaha. Yeah, these guys are so much more legit than Green Day.

-BSD

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

"a couple of my two cents" that's genius, you can't think up that kind of shit, you just really have to not think. plus, i started hating this band before i even knew there was a god slant, now it's just more fuel for the shit-fire!

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

I seriously doubt Handbook For The Sellout and Litmus are about any specific band. Thats rediculous. This is a very good, underated band. And for all you people who don't like it just because it is religious...that is just a little to closed minded for someone who likes punk.

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

This was always my Favorite FiF CD. Every New Day is a pretty powerful song no matter what your religious beliefs are... Its funny how even after I stopped liking ska, I still enjoy some Five Iron Frenzy from time to time.

-shraps

Eddie (July 22, 2003)

FIF is one ska band that hasn't clicked with me.

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

Not to be a know it all prick, but just a couple of comments on some songs comments;
Blue Comb 78- Actually, this is probalby the saddest song FIF ever wrote because the comb is actually a metaphor for his parents marriage. The songs is susposed to be about the singer's parents divorced soon after that road trip and the memory of the blue comb being throw out the window is his last memory of his family being happy. So the idea of "have you seen my comb" is actually his searching for the comfort he once knew when his parents were married.

Litmus Test- This song was specficially about when MxPx started getting big in the general market and all the christian people gave them shit about it and started saying that they weren't a christian band anymore because they didn't say "God" in all thier songs. So the idea of a litmus test for ones personal spirituality is being challenged by the band; i.e. you're not a christian unless you say specfic things in your songs. Kind of a Chrstian version of Handbook for Sellout or Know it all.
Just a couple of my two cents. Sorry about the spelling errors.

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

If I was a small child I would review this album in one word: "Ewwwwwwwwww"

FIF didnt get too preachy because no one would listen to them if they did...who knows if they want to or not.

I want to see some Buddhist or Muslim bands, there are too many christian ones.

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

a lot of the band geeks at my school like this band...I tried to convince them that if were really into ska they should listen to better ska like OpIvy, Less Than Jake, Slapstick and so on, but it didn't work, how they love their jesus ska bands

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

FIF is great. i love all their cd's and cant wait to see them on tour.

and this cd is kick ass. some great punk stuff on here and the horns are great too.

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

get god out of punk.

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

thanks for the life story

thefirstfive (July 22, 2003)

Great review. These guys are one of my favorite bands and they're really nice. One thing though... Blue Comb is about his parents divorce. The comb was the last thing his folks gave him before they split. Hince the line "maybe just a comb made of plastic a action of a sibling lacking kooth, but the comb that was thrown out that window was the last great symbol of my youth." Its really an amazingly powerful song once you go a little deeper.

inagreendase (July 22, 2003)

Jars of Clay are John Olerud's favorite band.

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

These guys new CD is out on IRC...It's a lot more reminiscant of this cd than of their last few releases.

i-type-poorly (July 22, 2003)

the Godzillia song is genius. definitley worth listening to. I love the abrupt ending too.

FortyMinutesWest (July 22, 2003)

Jars of Clay!? Holy shit. And that's exactly what their music is, holy shit.

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

Hahaha. Five Iron Frenzy makes me think of the nerdy kids in middle school.

-BSD

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

excuse my ignorance, but who are Jars of Clay?

-bemused-

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

why will the fans of this band not die?

Anonymous (July 22, 2003)

thats cool you got into punk, but fuck, never throw out your jars of clay albums, well, at least the first, self titled one... thats one of my favorite records ever..

inagreendase (July 22, 2003)

but would you walk 500 miles an hour to see them?

MrOhio (July 22, 2003)

I love Five Iron Frenzy. They are probably one of the only "mainstream" "Christian" bands I still like. They never really got preachy (like the Supertones)....I'm gonna have to drive 300 miles to see them on their last tour.