Reel Big Fish: Scott Klopfenstein (vocals, guitar, trumpet, keyboards); Aaron Barrett (vocals, guitar, synthesizer); John Christianson (trumpet); Dan Regan (trombone); Matt Wong (bass instrument).
Recording information: World Class Audio, Anaheim, California; Milano Studios, Orange, CA.
When Reel Big Fish broke through with their 1996 record, TURN THE RADIO OFF, and its hit single, "Sell Out," the California ska-punk outfit poked fun at hipster culture and rock-star aspirations. Nine years down the road the band is in a reflective mood about their own fleeting fame, with the seemingly bitter WE'RE NOT HAPPY 'TIL YOU'RE NOT HAPPY. However, the group's collective tongue remains firmly in cheek for a cover of Morrissey's "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful," which RBF playfully redirects at No Doubt.
WE'RE NOT HAPPY opens with a classic Reel Big Fish hook, featuring playful horns over the rhythm section, as the band mocks its own live show on "The Fire." From there, they take aim at the record industry and just about everyone else, as acidic lyrics gloriously clash with brilliantly bouncy music, a particularly potent combination on "Don't Start a Band" and "One Hit Wonderful." WE'RE NOT HAPPY closes on "Your Guts (I Hate 'Em)," capping off a record that continues the group's goofy-yet-existential form of pop satire.