Impossibles

Impossibles: The ImpossiblesThe Impossibles (1997)
Red 5 / Fueled by Ramen

Reviewer Rating: 4.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: fatpunkguyfatpunkguy
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on July 30th 2010This was the first release by the Impossibles and was actually first released by Red 5 Records and then re-released by Fueled by Ramen. It's an amazing debut album for a band who was so young at the time. There are many influences at play here--not just ska and power-pop. I have heard more than a f.

This was the first release by the Impossibles and was actually first released by Red 5 Records and then re-released by Fueled by Ramen. It's an amazing debut album for a band who was so young at the time. There are many influences at play here--not just ska and power-pop. I have heard more than a few people describe this album as ska-Weezer, but that is really an injustice to an album that actually packs quite a bit of variety in style.

The album opens with "Eightball," which is a great opener, especially with the sound clip of Rory yelling out "Hi, we're the Impossibles from Austin, TX," and really grabs your interest right off the bat. "Widowmaker" is a witty breakup song which shows off just how effective Rory and Gabe were as a vocal duo. "Always Have, Always Will" is a great song and I still get goosebumps when I hear the chorus right after the bridge. Other strong tracks on the album are "Priorities Intact," which has no ska riffs whatsoever, and "Leave No Man Behind," which is my personal favorite song on the album. There are a couple of weaker songs such as "Fat Boy," which is a failed attempt to get a laugh, but this is an album that I never skip a track on.

The production on this album is handled well, especially for a low-budget release in 1997, and is sequenced well. Musically, there is nothing very technical going on here, but there is a good variety of rhythms and every member does their part. It's probably more of a compliment to the songwriting, but the songs all feel as if the part of each instrument was considered. The drum parts may not be flashy but move each song in just the right way; the bass parts are especially good as Craig knows when to showflash and when it's time to just help thicken up the guitar parts; and the guitar playing is definitely competent and on the parts with distortion sound nice and thick. The vocals are the real highlight on this record, and the use of two singers is much more effective than other bands who do the same thing.

Overall, this a great record which never got the attention it deserved. It is especially impressive that the members were so young when this was released. If you're a fan of rock music in general this is definitely worth a listen.

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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.

Hogan (August 2, 2010)

Back in 1997 this was my favorite CD! The Impossibles could pack any venue in Texas anytime from 1997-2002. Unfortunatley they did not tour enough to make as big an impact in other states. There is not a bad song on this CD. I agree with the other reviewers in the fact that this is one of the few CD's from my youth I can still enjoy from start to finish. Even their comeback CD "RETURN" is worth checking out also. There was a time where me and my friends really thought this band would be as big as Green Day. They kind of reminded me of an "Pinkerton" era Weezer with alot of kick. Rory Phillips now plays in a band called RORY AND THE ARTIFICIAL HEART, they have an awesome CD out.

leecorsoisapenis (August 1, 2010)

I traded my copy of this to a friend for Slapsticks' "Lookit!" Was it a good trade? Hard to say. They're two of the only ska-punk bands I still listen to.

The Impossibles were so awesome live. I hope they reunite again some day and come back to Indiana. For some reason, they drew pretty well here.

Also, I never thought "Fatboy" was trying to be funny.

pufferfish (July 31, 2010)

Bad ass record.

likeaparasite (July 30, 2010)

Also, someone pointed out to me that they play one of the themes from "Star Wars" during "Eightball" and I think that's adorable.

likeaparasite (July 30, 2010)

I personally think this is the most consistent album I've ever heard. Not a single song on it that doesn't enthrall me. I don't own it, though, because "Anthology" has everything it has and more. I've never related to anything as intensely as I relate to the songs on this album. They helped me through one of the hardest times of my life, and as a part of "Anthology", I think of it as a special occasion every time I listen to them. It's also very therapeutic. Everyone should have one album that they feel captures an important time in their life perfectly and feels like it was made just for them. An album on which the lyrics show that someone out there gets what they're going through more than anyone else and can express it even better than they even can. This is mine.

P.S. I was never a fatty. You don't have to be a fatty to relate to the feelings of alienation, though. =)

Cos (July 30, 2010)

f2freunion-- I think you're thinking of fathead...

Mystereohasmono (July 30, 2010)

Agree with skolarx. Return is awesome.

skolarx (July 30, 2010)

never cared for any of their music other than the return, which i still listen to now and again. at the time this came out, you couldn't throw a rock without hitting 5 bands who sounded a lot like this

facetofacereunion08 (July 30, 2010)

yes! fatpunkguy is back! How about some satanic surfers revies?

Skibz777 (July 30, 2010)

There's been a flux of vintage ska and ska-ish album reviews on PunkNews as of late.....hey, as long as they're not of Reel Big Fish's "work", I ain't complainin'! :D

On a related note, The Impossibles were awesome; one of the very few "ska-punk" bands I continued to listen to past adolescence.