Five Iron Frenzy

Item: Five Iron Frenzy 2: Electric Boogaloo
Author: Olin Jenkins

Five Iron Frenzy 2: Electric Boogaloo

(2001)

Reviewed by Olin Jenkins

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Label 5 Minute WalkThe Phantom Tollbooth2002

alternative rock pop punk punk ska punk

I've been waiting for this one for over two albums now! While I enjoyed the live Proof That the Youth Are Revolting and FIF's return to the studio with All the Hype That Money Can Buy, something was missing from the last studio project (including heavy cynicism, e.g. "Four-Fifty-One"), and that's the zany trademark quality of Five Iron Frenzy. From the first moments of "Pre-Ex-Girlfriend" from Electric Boogaloo, I was laughing again.

Welcome back, guys (and Lenore "The Girl" Ortega)!

What I've loved about FIF since Upbeats and Beatdowns is what makes Five Iron Frenzy: an uncanny knack for making merry, crazy music that somehow manages to convey the wonderful message of Jesus Christ. One of the latter gems from this band is "Dandelions," from quantity is job 1, and this project's gem is the radio-friendly single, "Far, Far Away," as Reese Roper explains, is inspired by "Come the Day" by the Seekers, the lullaby his mother sang to him when he was a baby. What a breath of fresh air!

With exception of the tone of much of the band's last studio project (which I personally felt was too harsh), FIF has always touched on cynicism but has handled it in a palatable manner, in the form of Christian accountability and responsibility. Two songs which handle this theme are the aforementioned single, "Blue Mix," and "Vultures." And give a listen to "Eulogy." FIF deals with the harsh reality of life.

What's different here -- and it's a back-to-the-basics quality -- is that FIF undergirds these excellent lyrics with the zany, wild music that's its unique stamp!

Of course, as the O.C. Supertones have done, FIF's music quality is pretty much "rock with horns" now. Ska? What's that? Yes, there's still enough of it to whet the appetite of the ranks of the skanktified. "Plan B" even borders on swing-ska. "Eulogy"'s mix is classic FIF, reminiscent of "Every New Day" or "My Evil Plan to Save the World." Every track on this project is tightly and impeccably recorded and, pardon the pun, with plenty of upbeats and beatdowns.

My only beef is a big one -- a definite detraction -- the length of Electric Boogaloo. It's less than 40 minutes long (and doesn't have a hidden track). The bottom line is this: if you enjoy FIF, Electric Boogaloo is a must-have project, but for the uninitiated, I recommend our newest album ever or quantity is job 1. Nevertheless, Five Iron Frenzy is definitely on the right track with a very solid offering.

4 tocks