Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

JFH Music Review




Five Iron Frenzy
Cheeses...



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 34 tracks: 56 minutes, 13 seconds
Street Date: April 22, 2003


In 2002, the sad news of Five Iron Frenzy's impending demise was announced. Along with the sad news of the band members parting ways, knowledge of two new recordings from the group were also made known to the public. The first of those recordings, a project consisting of b-sides, live tracks, demos, and joke songs, is aptly entitled Cheeses of Nazareth and is a tribute to the die-hard fans that have followed the horn-powered band from the very beginning.

Cheeses... opens with the b-side "Kamikaze" which was originally meant for their 2001 record Five Iron Frenzy 2: Electric Boogaloo. The horn-enhanced rock n' roll track is classic modern 5 Iron and would have fit well on Boogaloo. "Rhubarb Pie" is probably my favorite track on Cheeses... as it uses the musical backdrop from "Ugly Day" (on 2000's All the Hype...) and is a flat-out fun tune written and performed by trombone player Dennis Culp. In the informative and clever liner notes for the album, lead singer and primary brains behind 5 Iron, Reese Roper, admits this was the original version of the song before the lyrics were changed to the more serious and sad "Ugly Day." "Marty" is a classic 5 Iron ska track originally meant for Our Newest Album Ever which later appeared on a 7 inch. A live rendition of "Fistful of Sand" offers fans a chance to hear the band's first attempt at playing the song live and includes Roper deliberately incoherently singing portions of the lyrics as the song had no been finished yet at that time. "Four Kids From Memphis" uses the music from "I Still Like Larry" on All the Hype... as does the humorous "Never Ask Us To Play This" (which urges fans never to ask the band to play their joke songs live). "Mind For Treason" is a re-recorded version of a skacore song that had originally been on the band's 1995 demo. Drummer Andy Verdecheccio offers his hardcore vocal talents on "Mind..." creating an overall experience that will remind the listener just why this song never made it to an official FIF record prior to Cheeses. Fans are next treated to original demo versions of "Cool Enough For You," "3rd World Think Tank," and "Old West" all from the band's debut Upbeats & Beatdowns. "Burn" and "Left" are unreleased songs from that same 1995 demo and are decent tracks, but suffers greatly from poor production quality. "Dog Food" is an Electric Boogaloo b-side that includes probably the worst vocals you'll ever hear come from Ropers mouth but is an amusing song nonetheless. "When I See Her Face" is an intriguing demo tune (with no liner notes) as it begins as a pseudo-love-song but abruptly ends with a startling surprise. Most of the tracks from here on out are downright musical insanity as in the dreary and haunting "Abraham Lincoln Beard" ("a symphonic adventure in three short movements" as guitarist Keith Hoerig puts it), the Joy-Electric-on-acid "Praise The Lord," the four-second "Give Me Back My Sandwich," the noisy mess "Omnivores For Mediocrity," the destructive "That Tastes Horrible," the pointless "No Grandma = Know Grandma," the Guardian-ish "How's About Some Milk," angst ridden "Donkey Basketball," and the delicately cute yet also pointless "Pootermobile." But that's not all! Highlight joke tracks include the gibberish-driven "It's So Hot (I'm Gonna Have a Heat Stroke)," the prank call "Thea and the Singing Telegram," the metal-influenced "Screams In the Night," Mexican-flavored "Mayonnaise Taco Monday," the southern "Chew Water," and the chipmunk mumbles of "Metal Rules!"

OK, so a good portion of the 34 tracks are mostly pointless musical mayhem, but let's face it: this is Five Iron Frenzy and a tap into the antics that are recorded behind the scenes. As someone who has enjoyed the band's music over the years I can say this really is a project for the Five Iron fan and nothing more. So if you're new to Five Iron Frenzy, you'll most certainly want to check out their 1997 record Our Newest Album Ever, but if you're a diehard fan just looking for a collection of tidbits from one of the craziest acts in music, Cheeses of Nazareth is perfect. Just don't expect every track on Cheeses... to be as pleasing as what the band has previously released.

Here's a little random JfH trivia for you... If you open the CD case, there's a map inside that highlights "Cheeses of Nazareth, PA." Jesusfreakhideout.com was actually born and bred from that very town of Nazareth, PA.

- Review date: 04/19/03, written by John DiBiase



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

 

FIF CD

Buy This CD Online


. Artist Info: Discography
. Record Label: 5 Minute Walk Records
. Album length: 34 tracks, 56 minutes and 13 seconds
. Street Date: April 22, 2003
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. Kamikaze
  2. Rhubarb Pie
  3. Marty
  4. Fistful of Sand (live)
  5. Four Kids In Memphis
  6. Mind For Treason
  7. Cool Enough For You (demo)
  8. 3rd World Think Tank (demo)
  9. Old West (demo)
  10. Burn
  11. Left
  12. Never Ask Us To Play This
  13. Dog Food
  14. When I See Her Face
  15. Abraham Lincoln Beard (first movement)
  16. Praise the Lord
  17. Give Me Back My Sandwich
  18. Omnivores For Mediocrity
  19. That Tastes Horrible
  20. No Grandma = Know Grandma
  21. Stinky Hippy
  22. Abraham Lincoln Beard (second movement)
  23. It's So Hot (I'm going to have a heat stroke)
  24. Thea The Singing Telegram
  25. How's About Some Milk
  26. Donkey Basketball
  27. Screams In the Night
  28. Pootermobile
  29. Abraham Lincoln Beard (third movement)
  30. Mayonnaise Taco Monday
  31. Chew Water
  32. Metal Rules!
  33. Five Iron Is Stupid
spacer Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 


(JFH Sponsor Spot)

 

 

                 
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

Search JFH




This Friday, November 8, 2024
ALBUMS
Gabby Barrett Carols and Candlelight [Warner Music Nashville]
CXMMXNS CXMMXNS Chapter 1 - EP [Essential Worship]
New Hope Oahu There Is One - EP [DREAM]
Neal Morse & The Resonance No Hill For A Climber [InsideOut]
TAKE Time Bomb [Resuscitation Records]
Lauren Talley A Lauren Talley Christmas [Horizon]

SINGLES
Cory Asbury I Hope You Dance - Single [BEC]
Jordan Kauflin, Laura Story Approach, My Soul - Single [Getty]
Sam Bowman & GLADDEN Misfit Toys - Single [DREAM]
Wavorly Enemies - Single (independent)

VINYL
Michael W. Smith Every Christmas Vinyl [Rocketown]
Stryper To Hell with the Amps Vinyl [Frontiers]
TAKE Time Bomb Vinyl [Resuscitation Records]

DVD
Stryper To Hell with the Amps Blu-Ray [Frontiers]

Next Friday, November 15, 2024
ALBUMS
Dolly Parton & Family Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables [Owepar Entertainment]
The Lore Family Faith Over Fear [Horizon]
Fernando Ortega For All the Saints - EP (independent)
Earnest Pugh Worth is the Lamb
We Are Messengers Rejoice! (A Celtic Christmas) - EP [Curb]
Paul Wright III Reverie [United Alliance]

SINGLES
Big Dismal Here In My Heart - Single (independent)
Hannah Kerr It Came Upon A Midnight Clear - Single [Curb]
Olivia Lane Silent Night - Single [BEC]
Tasha Layton Wake Up It's Christmas - Single [BEC]
Jamie MacDonald A Million Chances - Single [Capitol CMG]
Ronnie Martin On Christmas Morning - Single [Velvet Blue]
Hunter Plake Daylight - Single [BEC]
Jordan St. Cyr Christ is Here - Single [BEC]

VINYL
Sixpence None the Richer Divine Discontent Vinyl [Word]



For all release dates, click here!
 



Check out the new album from Taylor Holland Armstrong!



Listen to the new Single from Second Adam and the New Creations!

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images