Best Of Fishbone, The

Once upon a time in the 1980s, the word "alternative" was not an over-used appellation in rock music. Instead, it described bands like Fishbone--groups whose manic musical energy burned through genre distinctions in a way that made them totally unfit for mainstream acceptance. As representatives of this bygone era, and as a remarkable entity unto themselves, Fishbone stand as exemplars of "alternative", and THE ESSENTIAL FISHBONE proves why.
A healthy sampler of this Los Angeles sextet's output, ESSENTIAL ranges from Fishbone's earliest ska-heavy releases (think Oingo Boingo meets the Specials) like "Party at Ground Zero" to the metal crunch of "Sunless Saturday" from its most ambitious studio album, THE REALITY OF MY SURROUNDINGS. In between is quirky New Wave ("When Problems Arise"), bouncy funk ("Bonin' in the Boneyard"), celebratory soul rave-ups ("Everyday Sunshine"), and acoustic balladry ("Change"). The dreamy funk of "Lemon Meringue" and the fine cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Freddie's Dead" are additional highlights. This is exuberant, original music that makes one miss the college-rock heyday of the late '80s and early '90s.|