There isn’t a band quite as crazy as The Aquabats. Maybe it’s the superhero motif—complete with separate names, back-stories and costumes for each member. Maybe it’s the band’s love of the ridiculous (see songs like “Super Rad,” “Pool Party” and “I Fell Asleep On My Arm.”) Maybe it’s Yo Gabba Gabba, the Aquabats-helmed kids show, boasting such cameos as Jack Black, MGMT, The Roots and Elijah Wood.
Whatever the reason, there’s a very specific niche set aside for the Aquabats, and with the band’s newest release, Hi-Five Soup!, the group maintains the collective attitude of a bunch of guys who’ve been out of their minds since 1994.
Taking a look at Hi-Five Soup‘s track listing is the simplest way to sum up the experience. If you’re not sure what to expect after hearing “Pink Pants!” (featuring Strong Bad), this record may not be for you. This isn’t an album — or band for that matter — for people who search for a deep message in their music.
Hi-Five Soup! is completely untouched by pretension. Songs may be centered around doing really dope wheelies, or about your B.F.F. (big friend forever!). This is, and has always been, the Aquabats’ greatest strength — an innate ability to leave the present behind, and focus on the past, or on the ridiculous. It’s a unique trait, and one that the band brings out in droves.
It’s been five years since the Aquabats have recorded an album, and the band’s sound has definitely changed in the interim. Though it’s been a while since the group has played proper ska, the influence definitely exists. Lead guitar is all but absent, while bright synth fleshes out the instrumentation, maintaining the same level of energy as traditional ska. Vocals are covered by frontman MC Bat Commander, and his performance is what actually sells the band’s loopy attitude. Not many vocalists can get away with singing lines like, “love dragon is with you,” or orchestrating a call-and-response entirely in British accents, but the Bat Commander pulls it off with ease.
If you want to get technical, Hi-Five Soup! isn’t especially impressive, but that’s missing the point. This isn’t an album about inventive riffs or meaningful lyrics. It’s about having a whole lot of fun making a record, and that’s what is evident in the final work.
If you’re looking to make an impact on your life through listening to music, by now you know that The Aquabats can’t help you. Instead, The Aquabats serve to remind us just how much fun music can be — and Hi-Five Soup! is a superb exercise in that sentiment.
