After seeing the band’s substation show, Wakemeupmusic label founder John Chiong was electrified. And in 2001 – Fishtank spoke their very first words. 2001’s Souvenir Novelties & Party Tricks hurtled towards jaded, unsuspecting music fans at warp speed. Fishtank’ unique punk-ska sensibility was fresh, immediate, weird and exquisite – a cacophony of melodic intricacy tempered by a quirky, childlike enthusiasm. It became the little album that could – and would – turn local indie-rock on its head. Fishtank had arrived.
If Souvenir Novelties & Party Tricks came directly at you, then its sophomore Make Nice kindly invites you in. A bigger, bolder production aesthetic took everything up a notch and – alongside more adventurous songwriting – polished an already golden egg. To play music for a long time, you have to surprise the people that know you – while also surprising yourself. Enter Make Nice.
Recorded over time by Leonard Soosay – Make Nice is a whole new animal. It is the sound of a band growing up and out. Fishtank’s infectious, fast frantic style is still at the core, and tireless. But anything can happen around it – and in this case, it does. Channeling a Muse-like guitar riff intro, “I want out†pairs a Biffy Clyro rhythm with The Fratellis singalong shout out choruses. Elsewhere the band toys with tweaked-out reggae rhythms (“One Shotâ€); frantic, arpeggiated thunderous anthems (“Conversationsâ€); and, taking cues from the vibe of the new line-up – sweeping, fuzztoned epics (“Yahoo! Superstarâ€). Finally, “Young & Oldâ€, “Candlelight†and “Walkaway†are the songs that didn’t fit in then are now reworked into exhilarating, rollicking, rock-solid songs we’ve all come to desire from Fishtank.
So have a listen to Fishtank’s Make Nice. And consider yourself surprised.
"Make Nice" is in all good records stores island wide courtesy of Wake Me Up Music.
