SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FISHBONE – STOCKHOLM SYNDROME

FISHBONE
STOCKHOLM SYNDROME
INDEPENDENT

Since the release of their 2023 eponymous EP – not to be mistaken with their debut EP of the same name, classic alternative rock outfit Fishbone has ridden the momentum of a resurgence amid recent lineup changes that have resulted in the departure of founding members Dirty Walt and Norwood Fisher, along with the return of long time guitarist, Spacey T. Despite this, the band, led by Angelo Moore and Chris Dowd, has released their eighth full-length studio album, Stockholm Syndrome, a biting political statement that feels like a musical return to form.

Stockholm Syndrome opens with the recent single, “Last Call In America”. Similar in tone to their previous EP, Fishbone evokes a funky, ska-inspired sound ripe with horns set above a tight groove for Moore’s bouncing, twisting melodies to rest atop. Notably, the song also features vocals from George Clinton, adding a classic, afro-psychedelic tone to the track. The smooth, jazzy, and soulful performance of “Last Call In America” is immediately countered by the breakneck, punk energy of “Adolescent Regressive Behavior” and chugging wall of distortion that is the chorus “Dog Eat Dog”.

The range of influences and styles that can be found within the opening trio speaks to the deeper, near genre-less sound Fishbone have been steeping for nearly forty years. While Stockholm Syndrome may be a much more refined, and a far more polished approach to that signature Fishbone sound when compared to their classic records, on Stockholm Syndrome, we see a band still willing to take risks in their songwriting and performing in the name of musical thrill seeking. “Suckered By Sabotage” opens with a full sonic onslaught, but over its five-minute runtime, slows the tempo psychedelic inspired refrains and a chorus driven by a strong, hard funk backbeat, before bringing the distortion back near the end, almost as a reminder as to how this odyssey of a track began. Furthermore, across the album, we see songs take distinct influences that contrast shapely against one another, despite feeling oddly cohesive as a collection. From the Bowie new wave of “Secret Police” and “Living On The Upside Down” to the reggae jam that is “Why Do We Keep On Dying” or the closing, ballad, “Love Is Love”, Stockholm Syndrome is a highly versatile record that shines for this very reason.

While the absence of Fisher and Dirty Walt is certainly noticed, Stockholm Syndrome feels like the plunge into the deep end, one would expect from Fishbone following the softer, cleaner approach of their previous EP. By embracing their traditional sound, the band has returned with their most exhilarating album in decades as they once again ask their audience to follow them into the unpredictability of the unknown. Ultimately, Stockholm Syndrome marks latter career high from the alternative rock legends.

SPILL FEATURE: STOCKHOLM SYNDROME – A CONVERSATION WITH FISHBONE’S ANGELO MOORE & CHRIS DOWD

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