CD Review: Mr. Fish

Mr. Fish

Soft Serve Assault (self-released)

by LORNA PERRY

“S.O.L.V.E.N.T.” by Mr. Fish, from Soft Serve Assault (self-released):

The boys of Mr. Fish ask not to be taken too seriously. Which is a good thing, because these five suburbanite lads are all still in high school. Which isn’t to say their musicianship isn’t as impressive as it is fun. Soft Serve Assault, Mr. Fish’s second self-released album, is a collection of arty, experimental songs with titles like “Hillbilly Death Cry” and “Th’ Ballad of Salad.” Like some kind of pre-drug, preteen Ween, the group uses an assortment of instruments (bongos, sax, cowbell and the suspiciously made-up-sounding “saxabell”) and cruises along through dippy, engaging ballads with meandering, word-association lyrics. The exceptions are the sped-up instrumental “Hillbilly” and “S.O.L.V.E.N.T,” which features lead vocalist Kyle Little speed-talking about, well, solvents. Only a certain kind of band could write a cohesive song about that – successfully.