The Aquabats - Charge!!

The Band's Most Cohesive Album to Date, Blends Quirky New Wave Melodie with the Band's Hometown Signature Punk Rock Sound, Concreted with their Uniquely Sarcastic Humor. Album Details

 No horns? I say "GOOD RIDDANCE!"
As a long-time, loyal fan, I'm confident in stating that Charge is by far the most impressive Aquabats album yet. The absence of horns have been replaced with genius lyrics, towering vocals and prolific guitar work. Each song a masterful work of art. Absolutely amazing stuff! These guys are at the top of their game. Aquabats unleashed!!! September 6, 2006

 Devo anyone?
I can't believe nobody has mentioned the incredible similarities between the "Fashion Zombies" track and Devo's music (my wife actually thought it was a Devo track she had never heard.) "Fashion Zombies" is a revival the long lost art of punk/synth fusion, albeit much more poppy sounding. There are little lyrical gems here criticizing the effort goth kids (or "emo" as they get called now) go through to make themselves look scary:

"Dressed in expensive fashions
To look like they crawled out of coffins

And who can blame them?
They walk through asphalt cemeteries"

And this little parody of Vincent Price's bit in Micheal Jackson's "Thriller":

"Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To accessorize their black zipper hood"

If you have to shop at the mall to show how society has marginalized you...then you've missed the point. It is not an original theme, but it bears repeating...especially in the last 10 years.

Though I loved this particular track, I wasn't that impressed with the rest the tracks, but they weren't horrible. Admittedly, I have never been a big Aquabats fan. I gave it 4 stars based on the strength of this one track.

Btw: If you are new to punk/synth fusion sound and like it, look into stuff like The Stranglers - "No More Heros", The Nuns - "Suicide Child" or Devo - Penetration In The Centrefold. July 31, 2006

 The Real Return of the Aquabats!
The Aquabats have done it again, only with 5 members this time instead of 11. The Aquabats are hilarious, have awesome riffs, lyrics, and overall tone. It doesn't have all the horns of the earlier albums, but they compensate with vocal backgrounds and more guitar riffs. One of my favorite cd's!!!

1 - For your own safety - only a few seconds long, a nice opener

2 - Fashion zombies - makes fun of emo kids, but all in good fun. Awesome lyrics and opening guitar

3 - Stuck in a movie - You enjoy it more every time because you catch something new every time!

4 - Tiger rider vs. the Time sprinkler - Mystic, extreme, how do they do it? Awesome bridge.

5 - Nerd Alert - Saying that nerds are really cool. Raise your fist and take a stand, with your super-cool wrist bands!!! Catchy tune, hysterical theme.

6 - Plastic Lips - Beautiful girls really are too good to be true, aren't they?

7 - Look at me, I'm a winner! - Awesome guitar, lyrics, and overall point.

8 - Hot summer nights - Definitely one of my favorite aquabat songs of all time. Why can't guys take a hint?

9 - Once again, amazing guitar and vocals. A little repetitive.

10 - Mechanical Ape - The title says it all, this song is yet another glorious display of Aquarandom goodness.

11 - Demolition Rickshaw - Highly energetic (as are all aquabats works) good on a stressful day. :)

12 - Waterslides - Gets away from the traditional Aquabats saound and feel, yet one of my favorites.

13 - Awesome Forces - Way to go out with a bang, this is one of the best songs on here. Stating how they're the rock band to battle all the villians. July 16, 2006

 It makes me wonder if this world is plastic....
Im not the greatest fan of the Aquabats, i knew 5 or 6 old songs and they were pretty good. This album is very different, theres less trumpets, its more rocky (not to the extent of actually being rock music though) and dare i say it, a hint of angst creeps in?

Most of the songs on this album are very good. Instrumentally less complex but keeping to the same formula of singing, the aquabats have conjoured up catchy tunes that are also well rounded songs. Fashion Zombies is a great start to the album, the singing style perfectly complimenting the bouncy background. In fact, apart from 'Meltdown' which i could take or leave, this is a very solid album.

The album isnt for everyone as the lyrics may prove to be too repetitive for some (look at me look at me look at me, im a winner, im a winner!) but its great if youre an aquabats fan or generally like a ska singing style

i personally think this album is great, i hope they make many more May 16, 2006

 Suerhero Aquabats are back!
The 2005 release of the Aquabats' charge is a creative, catchy, and solid album for the quintet. Prior to my purchase of this album I have never heard of the aquababts, what made me make the purchase was that a friend of mine found the front and back cover interesting and wanted to see what the playing cards inside were all about. My first listen I was not impressed, but as I do most albums, I wanted to give it a second chance; I did, and enjoyed it much more. The songs are all catchy, and I find myself to regularly get a few of these songs stuck in my head.

The most notable track in my opinion is the hard rocker; Look at me (I'm a winner)! The song has a lyric that references classic rock (Four radios blasting classic rock, and they're pointing at you). The song itself sounds quite similar to a classic rock song, and is my favorite off the album. The song following that (Hot summer nights) is another catchy, and funny song. It's the only song I know of that has the name Elizabeth in the lyrics (Excluding Beth by Kiss, and The Allman Brothers band instrumental In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed)

The album was produced, engineered, and mixed by Cameron Webb. Cameron did a wonderful job, the instruments and sound effects used on the album sound crisp and excellent.

Overall I enjoyed my experience with this album. I figured that I would have it up for sale the day I bought it, but I thought wrong. It now sits among the beginning of my CD collection surrounded by other A-band artists.
April 13, 2006

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