Reel Big Fish release track from first album in six years—watch
Reel Big Fish are partnering with AP to premiere their track “You Can’t Have All Of Me.” As if that’s not exciting enough, they’re also revealing plans to release their first new album in six years, Life Sucks…Let’s Dance!, this winter.
While Reel Big Fish dropped their Happy Skalidays EP in 2014, Life Sucks…Let’s Dance! is the first batch of new material since their last full-length, 2012’s Candy Coated Fury.
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The ska act started working on the new record in January 2018. They met up with engineer David Irish at his new Pot Of Gold studio in Orange, California, where they really dug the vibes, which in turn influenced their sound.
“We loved how everything sounds there, and there’s just really good energy and good vibes,” frontman Aaron Barrett explains. “There’s a really adorable studio kitten named Iggy Fluff there, so we may have accidentally made a positive, happy record instead of a pissed-off, hateful record—oops.”
However, the vibe of the studio wasn’t the only thing that influenced the album’s sound.
“Well, there’s a little pissed off-ness in there and some sarcastic, funny lyrics as usual,” he continues. “Also, I just got married, so there might be a few sappy love songs on the album, too. Yuck!”
The band also had a lot of fun in the studio, making this record an exciting effort for all involved.
“Recording the album with this lineup was really fun,” he says. “We all get along really well these days, and everybody was excited to make a new record. Everybody had lots of great ideas and really got creative with everything, and I really think it shows.”
For the core of the album, it wasn’t Iggy Fluff or wedding vows that served as inspiration. That honor goes to Barrett’s own dog, Walter.
“I have an unhealthy obsession with my dog Walter, and I started singing little songs to him about how cute he was.” he says. “Then I realized I had written some pretty catchy songs, so I changed all the lyrics because I didn’t think anybody would want to hear a rock opera about my dog.”
As far as first single “You Can’t Have All Of Me,” Reel Big Fish are still sticking to what they do best.
“The new single is a danceable sing-along, catchy, hooky good old Reel Big Fish song,” Barrett explains. “We didn’t reinvent the wheel; we just painted more checkers on it.”
Barrett describes the track’s video as pretty simple with the band rocking out in a studio. They chose this route as they didn’t have much free time between the end of the final cross-country Vans Warped Tour and their current tour, the Tickle My Tiki TOURch with Ballyhoo! and We Are The Union.
Check out the new track and video below.
Life Sucks…Let’s Dance! drops Dec. 21 via Rock Ridge Music, and you can stream “You Can’t Have All Of Me” here. Their current tour dates can be seen below, and tickets are available here.
U.S. dates:
10/12 – Omaha, NE @ The Slowdown
10/13 – Patchogue, NY @ Blue Point’s New Brewery
10/14 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
10/16 – Palatine, IL @ Durty Nellies
10/17 – Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection
10/18 – Flint, MI @ The Machine Shop
10/19 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
10/20 – Rochester, NY @ Anthology
10/21 – Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club
10/23 – Wilmington, DE @ The Queen
11/23 – Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom – “SKANKSGIVING”
11/24 – Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall
11/25 – Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage
11/27 – Lynchburg, VA @ Phase 2
11/28 – Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
11/29 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre
01/25 – Bloomington, IL @ The Castle Theatre
Europe dates:
10/26 – Haarlem, NL @ Patronaat (Anti-Fest)
10/27 – Hasselt, BE @ MuzieKodroom
10/28 – Wiesbaden, DE @ (Anti-Fest)
10/30 – London UK @ Forum
10/31 – London UK @ Forum
11/02 – Bournemouth, UK @ O2 Academy
11/03 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
11/04 – Bristol, UK @ O2 Academy
11/06 – Newcastle, UK @ O2 Academy
11/08 – Leicester, UK @ O2 Academy
11/09 – Liverpool, UK @ O2 Academy
11/10 – Leeds, UK @ University
11/11 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy
11/13 – Norwich, UK @ UEA
11/14 – Manchester, UK @ 02 Ritz
11/15 – Glasgow, UK @ ABC
11/17 – Dublin, IE @ Button Factory
11/18 – Dublin, IE @ Button Factory
