Have you ever had one of those days where everything seems to be going against you, and the world has teamed up to make you miserable? I know I have. One day recently for me was like this. I happened to pop in Five Iron's CD, All the Hype That Money Can Buy. It cracked right though that bad mood and made me sing along! Everybody now: "Cuttin' it short in the front, I want that for me! Growing it long in the back, so savage and so free!" ("The Phantom Mullet").
Five Iron Frenzy's 2000 release, All the Hype That Money Can Buy emits the crazy and wacky sense that Five Iron Frenzy fans have come to expect from the band. The lead singer of Five Iron, Reese Roper, has an abnormal, chalky voice, which can be something of an acquired taste.
The first real track, (besides the elusive track 0) "The Greatest Story Ever Told," is a decent song, but has a funky beat that is solid enough to come back to. "Me Oh My" is crazy, with almost a Veggietales sound to it. "Solidarity," easily the dud of the album, is one to be skipped. Next, moving to a high note, "The Phantom Mullet" is a hilarious ditty with an upbeat sound. Track number five, "Ugly Day," is unique, yet fun to listen to, and talks about Reese's longing to be with his woman.
The album was assembled well, and the album pictures are funny, and add a lot to the overall appeal to the fun-loving band. Along with the funny songs on this album, some of the more serious songs are great. The last song on All the Hype That Money Can Buy, "World Without End," is almost a worship song and ends the album on a high note. There are 16 tracks in all, and most are fun and fancy-free numbers that will keep that smile on your face.
If you like some serious horn action like the W's or Flight 180, then Denver's Five Iron Frenzy is the band for you. They aren't for everyone, but if you like this style, I would recommend you check out All the Hype That Money Can Buy.
Mark's Score: 3/5
Amber's Score: 3.5/5
Other coverage for this album
ReAL Magazine 2000Reviewed by Kevin D. Hendricks"This album is the first step towards world peace," says bass player Keith Hoerig. And with typical Five Iron Frenzy style comes their third full length studio release, All The Hype That Money Can Buy. It's being billed as more rock, but the band stays true to their ska roots and manages to stray stylistically--enough to keep things interesting. Five Iron has earned the reputation for being…Bandoppler 2000Reviewed by Earl CampbellIt has been billed as a "more rock" record, but while there are instances of basic rock nuance to be found on FIF's latest offering, All The Hype That Money Can Buy, they are mostly there for sardonic effect—especially on "The Phantom Mullet," a brilliant piece of stadium satire. Other than that and a few other minor samples, this album unapologetically rebukes the popular notion that "Ska is…Decapolis 2000Reviewed by Tom BastianI found this album kind of hard to review. Some of the songs sound similar to their older stuff (rock/ska/punk), yet other songs are just different (reggae, rasta, rap). The songs I enjoyed on this release were the songs that sounded similar to their other stuff. Songs such as, "The Greatest Story Ever Told", "Me Oh My", "The Phantom Mullet", and "Fahrenheit". Some of the other songs such as…Decapolis 2000Reviewed by Jim ShadyI have been a fan of FIF for about 4 years now. Actually, it would be more correct to say that I am a sideline fan, meaning that I am anxious to hear what they come up with next but I am not about to go see them in concert. Ever since their first album Upbeats on the Beat Downs, I have not been overly impressed. Sure they put out one or two good songs per album but I can compare them to any of…Decapolis 2000Reviewed by ChrisI have never been much of a fan of Five Iron Frenzy, it's always seemed to me that they are a bunch of talented musicians who COULD be a very, very good band, but never quite hit the mark. This, like the other FIF stuff I've heard, has some really good serious material, and some totally silly stuff. I call it silly, and not humor, because none of it even got a chuckle out of me. I guess I am just…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Michial FarmerIt takes an awful lot of guts to release a song against homophobia on a Christian label: I was in eighth grade I said he was a queer I thought he had it coming He died of AIDS that year My liberty As if Christ's death meant nothing to me (From "Fahrenheit") It takes even more to follow that up with a song condemning Christian escapism and isolationism: The radio is preaching the candy coated goo…Similar sounding releases
1999The O.C. SupertonesChase the Sun
Bunch of BelieversIt's a Ska Ska Ska Ska World
2001The DingeesThe Crucial Conspiracy
2004PepperIn With The Old
1999The ChinkeesPeace Through Music
2002ApologetiXGrace PeriodMore from Five Iron Frenzy
2003Cheeses...
1996It's Funny... but not very creative.
1997Our Newest Album Ever!
1998Quantity Is Job 1
2003The End Is Here
1996Upbeats and Beatdowns
