Reel Big Fish

Reel Big Fish: Fame, Fortune and FornicationFame, Fortune and Fornication (2009)
Rock Ridge Music

Reviewer Rating: 3

User Rating:

Contributed by: theturbolemmingtheturbolemming
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Published on January 20th 2009First things first: This is an album of covers. They don't make this evident when you look at the album (or at the show when they shamelessly tout it), but it's 10 covers from the likes of Poison, Van Morrison and Tom Petty. This proves to be both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, Reel Bi.

First things first: This is an album of covers. They don't make this evident when you look at the album (or at the show when they shamelessly tout it), but it's 10 covers from the likes of Poison, Van Morrison and Tom Petty.

This proves to be both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, Reel Big Fish manage to avoid the dearth of creativity that we heard in much of Monkeys for Nothin' and Chimps for Free, but it also means that we don't get much of the great material of their early albums.

The album starts out with Poison's "Nothin' But a Good Time." This is easily the best track on the album, with tight horns and a fast beat. Unfortunately, the following tracks fail to break any new ground and really just give the entire album a rushed feel, as though Reel Big Fish were just trying to get it recorded and out the door as quickly as they could.

If you have liked Aaron Barrett's vocals in past RBF albums, chances are you'll like them in this one, because they sound virtually unchanged. Ditto that for the horns: The two trumpets and trombone remain tight but for much of the album provide nothing more than punch chords with occasionally more interesting licks. The rhythm section, too, remains true to its roots, though hardcore fans may notice Matt Wong's replacement with Derek Gibbs (who is certainly a competent player, but still feels very different).

Another high point of the album is Toots & the Maytals' "Monkey Man," though it's important to remember that they actually wrote the cover years ago for "The Wild Thornberrys Movie" and merely re-released it for this album.

The album's final track, Poison's "Talk Dirty to Me," makes use of female vocals (those of British Tatiana DeMaria, of TAT); it's a welcome change, but the song is the album's weakest; the lack of drums and style of guitar (unfortunately) deviate from the group's traditional sound.

So while this album provides a slew of not-too-bad covers, it fails to do anything new with the songs, and merely feels like a rushed compilation of average 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.

pricey123 (January 31, 2009)

disappointing

hailtothetheif (January 28, 2009)

I do love this band...But! I think they should leave the cover songs to me first and the gimme gimmes. I would love to hear some fresh and new songs from Reel Big Fish.

Fresnoska (January 23, 2009)

Fun album, picked this up yesterday, worth the 9.99 at best buy. Although the Edna's Goldfish cover is weaker than the original, it was nice that they covered a relatively obscure ska band. Props for that.

meesta3k (January 23, 2009)

The Specials cover is quite different from the Maytals version. The fact that RBF plays the song in the exact same structure - and includes the toasting verse that Neville Staple added to the song - means they're covering a cover.

bongsmcj (January 22, 2009)

Turn the Reel Big Fish Off!

sumwon (January 22, 2009)

Should I assume that their cover of "Monkey Man" is really a cover the Specials' version of "Monkey Man"?

I'd say yes, even though the Specials version is almost identical to the real thing, albeit a little faster of course. Come to think of it, that's really why I dont like these Monkey Man covers: too similar to the real one. Seems its more like they just needed to fill space on their album than them being inspired.

stormwatch (January 21, 2009)

I suppose I should have done my homework. I didn't know this was a covers album. Fame, Fortune, And Fornication is pure trash. Reel Big Fish should start smoking more weed or just stop recording music.

JayTee (January 21, 2009)

Really? I mean REALLY? It's 2009 and people are still giggling at 80s nostalgia?

Fuck Ah-Ha and fuck you.

Slazey (January 21, 2009)

Resoundingly 'meh'. An interesting choice in Edna's Goldfish, which reminds me of Green Day's version of 'Outsider'- crisper, better produced, but not terribly different.

TahoeJeff (January 21, 2009)

I love this band, but everything after Cheer Up has just been kinda meh.

meesta3k (January 21, 2009)

I've counted at least 24 covers already released by this band. They did not need to release an album of more covers.

"Monkey Man" is a different recording than the one from several years ago, but both are nearly identical to the Specials' version of the song.

Best song is "Talk Dirty To Me" because it's like acoustic trad ska. And it's a better Poison song that the other one on the album.

timorous_me (January 21, 2009)

Haven't heard this (haven't heard RBF in a while) but I think they should have included a second disk with all their various covers they already released on it (hungry like the wolf, take on me, story of my life, etc).

Cos (January 20, 2009)

Should I assume that their cover of "Monkey Man" is really a cover the Specials' version of "Monkey Man"?

telegraphrocks (January 20, 2009)

Edna's Goldfish were so good! RBF's cover, not so much.

I feel the exact opposite.

I absolutely loathed Edna's Goldfish when they were around, but I dig RBF's cover.

This will be an album I put on once a year when I'm not really even paying attention... and definitely by myself.

sumwon (January 20, 2009)

Im very sick of bands covering Monkey Man. But I guess its better than no Toots at all. Scores for Toots.

IanIsSuperRad (January 20, 2009)

I can't help but feel I would be competely bored by this.

eazyd2 (January 20, 2009)

dumb review fuck nut. i think this might be the first rbf album i don't buy. needs more COWWWWBEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

kirbypuckett (January 20, 2009)

Edna's Goldfish were so good! RBF's cover, not so much.

FelixT (January 20, 2009)

I don't think the 6 songs they streamed on their myspace page were all that great. I doubt the 4 songs I didn't hear yet (3 since I heard Monkey Man before) are worth the price.

I will still go see them live though, since I think they're an awesome live band.