If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Pablo Mathiason Fishbone is currently celebrating their (delayed by the pandemic) fortieth anniversary, and have a new EP coming out that was recorded and produced by Fat Mike of NOFX. The current incarnation also includes four out of six original members, including Chris Dowd who left in 1994. The newest single off that EP, "Estranged Fruit," is an obvious reference to Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit" in title, subject matter, and sound. This new song sees the ska legends going mostly jazz on this one, and with lyrics that are somehow still timely in 2023. Towards the end of the song, it erupts into a burst of skacore, and I think we all need that release on this one. Chris Dowd says of the new song: “‘ Estranged Fruit’ is a timeless composition merging the past and present embodied by the irony of us repeating what should be in the rear view mirror of a so called evolved society that still has far to go .”   You can listen to "Estranged Fruit...

It's been a long, long time since we've heard from ska lifers Fishbone . It's been six years since we had a new song from them, but Fishbone just released a new song, and their first with Charlie Down in nearly thirty years! "All We Have is Now" might be a bit more mellow than classics like "Bonin' in the Boneyard" and "Party at Ground Zero," but aren't we all these days? This new song seems to be a bit more traditional ska than ska-punk or ska-core. It's a fun and positive single, and a wonderful return for one of the most influential bands in ska. You can watch the video for "All We Have is Now" below. The song is part of the Bottle Music for Broken People compilation available now on Bottles to the Ground. You can find the compilation here . For more on Fishbone check out the band on Facebook and Instagram .