Search - Fat Day :: Fat Day IV

Punk rock's resident weirdos' best effort yet!!!

The Legal Monkey | Boston, MA USA | 07/03/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a longtime fan of Fat Day, I must say I was a little apprehensive about the pending release of "Fat Day IV." The band decided to take a somewhat unorthodox route with respect to this offering: in the liner notes for its previous album, the critically acclaimed "Cats of the Wild," the band offered its fans the opportunity to pen their own Fat Day songs and send them in to the band, to be performed and recorded by the band itself for inclusion on their next studio album. Admittedly, I was skeptical of what seemed to be nothing more than a transparent marketing and publicity ploy, but consider me a convert--this album kicks [butt] in every way imaginable! From the note-for-note, ironic cover of Guns 'N' Roses' melodramatic "Patience" to the deceptively simplistic "Magnus," "Fat Day IV" represents the band at its sardonic best. Whether it's the intricate, Stevie Vai-influenced six-string masterwork performed by lead guitarist Doug DeMay, or the shrill, Freddie Mercury-esqe lead vocals of the singer whose name now escapes me, this album has something for every fan, no matter how young or old, dumb or smart, well-adjusted or socially abysmal. "Fat Day IV" will do much to pave the way for legions of future nihilists and bizarro-punk uber-noise meisers to follow in the band's impressive footsteps. If you only buy one album this year...try Eminem's "The Eminem Show." If you buy more than that, you might just want to check out "Fat Day IV." Crank up the volume, put in those earplugs, and consider yourself adequately warned..."