Reel Big Fish – Monkeys for Nothin & The Chimps for Free

Free from their label and ready to go out and do what they’ve always wanted to do, Reel Big Fish are following up their successful live album with a new full length – Monkeys for Nothin & The Chimps for Free; and it’s clear that they’re enjoying this new found freedom.

The songs are just teeming with excitement and a kind of energy that has been missing from their recent studio recordings. The entire album is full of skanable beats and upstrokes and every song features that special Reel Big Fish comedic charm to them. There’s the minute and a half romp through expletives withAnother F.U. Song and the “love” song I’m Her Man (which the Fish have been playing live for a few years now) with lyrics “I can see you looking down her shirt, I can see you looking up her skirt and I’m sick of your shit… you better stay away from my girlfriend” – a nice contrast to their older I Want Your Girlfriend To Be Mine track. Everybody’s Drunk is sure to be the summer drinking song with a shout along tribute to Twisted Sister (We’re all gonna get drunk! Oh! We’re all gonna get drunk! Oh wait, we’re already drunk!) and Hate You is an explosive, horn heavy, pissed off song that only The Fish could produce.

The nicest thing about this gigantic comeback is the diversity that the album brings. While every song is distinctly Reel Big Fish, the band plays on all aspects of the ska genre. Slow Down slows it down with a reggae tune and Why Do All Girls Think They’re Fat sounds like Hello Rockview era Less Than Jake. The album is more cohesive this way and never becomes repetitive. The only thing missing is a cover song; but in a way that’s good, because it proves that Reel Big Fish don’t need to rely on cover tracks to make it.

The only downside is the length as the final few tracks do often run a bit longer – particularly the 6 minute closer Cannibal, on another album the songs could work – but with 17 songs and close to 60 minutes in length they just lose the intensity near the end.

However, this album is still a great ska record from the kings of third wave ska. The freedom from the label has clearly rejuvenated them and Monkey’s For Nothing just shouts that out. A lot better and more cohesive than We’re Not Happy Till You’re Not Happy, the album will surely be one of the best ska records of the year (it’s only competition will be the ever illusive Streetlight Manifesto record.)