REALITY OF MY SURROUNDINGS

Fishbone: Angelo Moore, Chris Dowd, Walter Kibby II, Norwood Fisher, Kendall Jones, Fish, John Bigham. Additional personnel: Fenando Pullum (trumpet); T-Bone (percussion); Sam Mims (programming); Vicky Calhoun, Kristen Vigard, Aklia Chin, James Grey, Greg Bell, Natalie Jackson, Byron West, Larry Fishburne, Nadja Holmes, Kyva Holmes, Wendell Holmes, Gaz Mayall, Susan Rogers, Sultana Muhammad, Katherine Cederquist, Clip Payne, Jeff Conners, Susan Stoval (background vocals). Engineers: Larry Duhart, Joel Stoner, Clark Germain. Principally recorded at Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood, California. The apotheosis of Fishbone's socially conscious funk/ska/metal/reggae amalgam, THE REALITY OF MY SURROUNDINGS must be heard to be believed. The crunching metal of the opener, "Fight the Youth," in which blistering guitar riffs squeal over funk bass and soulful singing, signals that this won't be your average rock outing. This is reinforced by the self-implosion narrative of "Pressure" (required listening for all fledgling punk bands). The exuberant, funkified ska of "Housework" (perfect for anyone's chore time), and the old-school reggae of "Pray to the Junkiemaker" (which marries a sunny sing-along with biting social critique) further prove that stylistic curveballs are Fishbone's specialty. These whiplash change-ups might seem forced if the band's members weren't such talented musicians and songwriters, and if each deconstructed and reconstructed genre weren't played with such conviction that it ends up sounding strictly Fishbone. The beautifully bright "Everyday Sunshine," though channeling Sly Stone, fits perfectly within the kaleidoscope of the album. As if every base hadn't already been covered, the record closes out with the bump-and-grind funk workout "Naz-Tee May'En," the angular, mid-tempo rocker "Those Day Are Gone," and the surging heavy metal of "Sunless Saturday." Eclectic, furious, and fun, REALITY shows Fishbone at their most ambitious and incontestably unique.