Our Newest Album Ever! | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 11, 1997 | |||
Recorded | September 1997 | |||
Studio | One Way | |||
Genre | Christian ska, ska punk | |||
Length | 46:52 | |||
Label | Five Minute Walk / SaraBellum | |||
Producer | Masaki Liu, Five Iron Frenzy | |||
Five Iron Frenzy chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
The Phantom Tollbooth | 4 [2] |
Squares Music Online | [3] |
Real Magazine | [4] |
Jesus Freak Hideout | [5] |
Alternative Press | [6] |
YouthWorker | [7] |
7ball | [8] |
Our Newest Album Ever! is the second full-length studio album released by the band Five Iron Frenzy. Its street date was November 11, 1997, on Five Minute Walk, under the SaraBellum imprint, with distribution from Warner Bros. Records.
Musically, the band set out to differentiate itself from other third wave ska groups, [9] an effort that was met with mixed results. An AllMusic reviewer found that the band's approach was "status quo", pointing out that the sound of "Handbook for the Sellout" was similar to Reel Big Fish's "Sell Out." [1] Another reviewer found that the artwork (which was produced by Douglas TenNapel) and production were superior to the masses of ska bands that had begun to flood the market. [9] In any event, the music is an evolution from the sound found on the group's debut, moving toward a less-punkish feel and incorporating more intricate horn arrangements. [9]
While the album contains a number of references to pop culture items, it uses them to make serious points about society and Christianity. One reviewer compares the effect to the lyrics of Steve Taylor, commenting that Five Iron Frenzy should be known as "the thinking person's ska outfit." [8] Even when used to comic effect, several reviewers indicated that the band's lyrics contain serious messages underneath. [2] [8] Despite the band's religious label, however, Five Iron's approach to issues was perceived as relevant and non-preachy. [6]
Five Iron Frenzy also set itself apart visually by avoiding the checker motif associated with ska. [8]
The content of Our Newest Album Ever! continues several topical threads that the band had begun to explore on their debut album. "Banner Year" takes on the thread of historical mistreatment of Native Americans. Specifically, it references the Sand Creek massacre of 1864, which was an attack led by Colonel John Chivington against an encampment under chief Black Kettle. According to Reese Roper, the song contains a hidden meaning—Black Kettle waved the American Flag which couldn't save him, Christians fall under God's banner, and in Him they find salvation. [9]
Other songs take on a more personal tone. "Blue Comb '78" relays an early memory of the vocalist, about how he lost a prized possession, as an allegory for loss of innocence. [5] [8] The band received thousands of blue combs from fans throughout their career. At their final show, released as The End Is Here , the band lamented "You don't know how many times we wished we'd named that 'Have You Seen My Dollar'... We failed'."
"Fistful of Sand" draws its inspiration from the book of Ecclesiastes, [10] echoing a representation of the futility of life without God. "Second Season" takes a similar thread, explaining that "The strongest will expire just the same... Try to make my shoulders broad, but I am helpless without God."
The band also takes on itself, examining its own success and members. In "Superpowers" the band humorously describes the trials of life on the road, [5] the trials of the music business, [7] and also describing the band's own purpose, "...I just want to share with you, how we got this peace and hope." [4] In doing so the song references Holden Caulfield, a fictional character from the novel The Catcher in the Rye , and Jack Kerouac, a beatnik author and poet. "Where Is Micah?" invokes the image of John Walsh, host of America's Most Wanted , to roast guitarist Micah Ortega for his constant absence from practices. [11]
"Superpowers" is not the only music industry-themed song. [8] "Litmus" takes a swipe at the band's critics within the Christian music industry, with a message that the amount of "Godliness" cannot be resolved through clean-cut measures. "You say preach, they say rock. You put my God inside a box," the lyricist states. Another cut along the same lines is the opening track, "Handbook For The Sellout."
"Suckerpunch" is about how even "rejects" and "misfits" like nerdy teenagers are loved and accepted by God. [8] It echoes the "God is in your corner" [3] theme that is also espoused on "Banner Year."
"Oh, Canada" takes a Tongue-in-cheek look at Canada. The song makes reference to the country as "the maple leaf state," and mentions elements associated with the country including lemmings, mooses, yaks, elements of French Canadian culture, Royal Mounties, Slurpees made of Venison, and Canada-native William Shatner. [5]
The album closes with the worshipful "Every New Day." [5] One reviewer called it without a doubt the best song on the album", [4] noting in retrospect that it closed many of their shows up until the band disbanded. The song is about how daily life and daily struggles can obscure faith. [9] The song draws two lines from The Tyger, a poem by William Blake. The musical melody of the outro horn line contains similarities to the ending vocal melody from the Nerf Herder song "Golfshirt". This horn line was rewritten for the "Winners Never Quit" tour. The end of the song was reprised on "On Distant Shores", the final track of the band's last studio album, The End Is Near .
Following "Every New Day" is the hidden track, "Godzilla".
All music composed by Scott Kerr and Dennis Culp and all lyrics written by Reese Roper, except where noted otherwise
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Handbook for the Sellout" | 3:28 | |
2. | "Where is Micah?" | Kerr | 2:55 |
3. | "Superpowers" | 3:23 | |
4. | "Fistful of Sand" | 4:18 | |
5. | "Suckerpunch" | 3:32 | |
6. | "Kitty Doggy" | 0:41 | |
7. | "Blue Comb '78" | 3:04 | |
8. | "Banner Year" | Kerr | 4:13 |
9. | "Second Season" | music & lyrics: Culp | 3:45 |
10. | "Litmus" | 4:05 | |
11. | "Oh, Canada" | M. Ortega, Culp | 3:15 |
12. | "Most Likely to Succeed" | music: Kerr, lyrics: Kerr, Roper | 3:57 |
13. | "Every New Day" | 4:13 | |
14. | "The Godzilla Song" (hidden track) | 2:03 | |
Total length: | 46:52 |
Five Iron Frenzy
Production
Album – Billboard (North America)
Year | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
1997 | US 200 | 176 |
Five Iron Frenzy is an American band formed in Denver, Colorado, in 1995. Best known for playing ska punk music characterized by an offbeat sense of humor and prominent Christian themes, Five Iron was one of the pioneering figures of the Christian ska movement which emerged with ska's mainstream revival in the 1990s. Since 2000, the band's music has shifted away from straight ska to include and embrace stronger alternative rock and pop punk influences, though it continues to create ska music and feature Christian overtones despite several members' changes in religious beliefs.
Brave Saint Saturn is a Christian rock band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1999. The band is a side-project of members of Five Iron Frenzy started by Reese Roper. The band calls their music style "astro-rock", although Roper has stated that this "doesn't mean anything". The trilogy of albums are meant to artfully represent early life, adversity, and death.
Roper was a Christian pop-punk band formed in Denver, Colorado. The band consisted of Reese Roper on lead vocals, Jonathan Byrnside on lead guitar, Jonathan Till on bass, Matt Emmett on rhythm guitar, and Nick White on drums.
The Insyderz were an American Christian ska-punk band from Detroit, Michigan. They formed in 1996 and disbanded in 2005. The band reformed in 2009, but have not been actively playing shows in the last few years. The Insyderz are one of the "big three" bands which represented the Christian ska scene, alongside the Supertones and Five Iron Frenzy.
Adventures of the O.C. Supertones is the first album released by The O.C. Supertones. Its lyrical content is mostly simple and spiritual, similar to worship music. Cornerstone reviewer Don Hill stated that its simplicity was similar to that of the song "Father Abraham", designed to "draw you out of yourself and into the presence of God like a small child." Some exceptions are "Blood Washed Pilgrim" which contains direct theology, and "Found" which references Saul's conversion to explain the purpose of the band. In the words of the band this is "Preach the Gospel, reach your heart, and ska, ska, ska, ska!" "OC Supertones" continues the explanations, stating their stance on the church and some of the band's background. Musically the album contains simple guitar supported by horns, with splashes of reggae, alternative rock, and rap. The latter elements would become more prevalent later in the band's later releases. The album's first track, in its intro, features a distinct similarity to Metallica's version of the Diamond Head (band) track Am I Evil? released on their 1980 debut album Lightning to the Nations
Michael Reese Roper is an American singer-songwriter, best known as lead singer for the Denver, Colorado-based Christian ska punk band Five Iron Frenzy, as well as fronting the rock bands Brave Saint Saturn and Roper.
The End is Near is the fifth studio album by the American band Five Iron Frenzy, self-released on June 18, 2003. The album was later widely re-released as a part of double album titled The End is Here by Five Minute Walk Records on April 20, 2004. The double album includes both the studio album and a live recording of the band's final concert performance. The album was intended as the band's last as was the tour used to promote it, until the band announced a reunion in 2011 and new album, Engine of a Million Plots released in 2013.
The Light of Things Hoped For is the second album by Christian rock band Brave Saint Saturn, released in 2003.
Upbeats and Beatdowns is the first full-length album of the band Five Iron Frenzy. It was originally released independently on November 29, 1996 before receiving a national release on April 8, 1997 on Five Minute Walk, under the SaraBellum imprint, with distribution from Warner Bros. Records.
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All the Hype That Money Can Buy is the third studio album by Five Iron Frenzy, released on April 25, 2000, by Five Minute Walk, under their SaraBellum imprint, with distribution from Warner Bros. Records.
Proof That the Youth Are Revolting is Five Iron Frenzy's first live album, released November, 1999 by Sarabellum Records and Five Minute Walk, with distribution by Warner Bros. Records. It was recorded at eleven shows throughout 1998 and 1999, including Cornerstone 1999. The cover art was made by Douglas TenNapel.
Five Iron Frenzy 2: Electric Boogaloo is the fourth full-length studio album of the band Five Iron Frenzy. It was released November 20, 2001 on Five Minute Walk records.
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5 Minute Walk was an independent record label founded by Frank Tate in April 1995. Operations were based in Concord, California in the back offices of The Screem, a music club operated by Tate. They only carried Christian bands and considered themselves to be a Christian ministry. Most records were produced by Masaki Liu at Masaki's One Way Studio and executive produced by Frank Tate.
Christian ska is a form of Christian alternative rock, and subgenre of ska and ska punk which is lyrically oriented toward contemporary Christian music. Though ska did not constitute a genre within the Christian music industry until after third wave ska had peaked in the general market, Christian ska continued to thrive independently into the early 2000s.
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