FUGAZI

Track one (ASSASSING) takes forever to get started. Weird chants about the 0:54 mark make me cringe. Song finally starts at 1:32 (far too long for a song not even 8 minutes). Guitar plays a disco (!) rhythm; in fact, the entire opening sounds like something from Donna Summer. Fish sings tunelessly, muttering bizarre lyrics like his mouth is full of marbles. At best, laughable; at worst, well.let's not go there. Funny. the only thing they're assassinating thus far is my ears. Rothery plays great guitar here, but the tone is thin. And it doesn't help that Fish is warbling tunelessly over it. Kelly has a great synth interlude, but Fish spoils that, too. Shut up already! He finally gets in tune at the 5:10 mark (over another disco rhythm, it must be noted), but it's far too late by then. Fish.please let someone else do the talking.PLEASE!

Next track (PUNCH AND JUDY) has a synth opening, followed by the whole band. Nice time signature and good opening. But again, Fish sings like he's got a mouthful of marbles (or something), and ruins it. Like I said, Fish.please shut up! He even quotes a classic country song by Tammy Wynette and George Jones; D-I-V-O-R-C-E (enough already)! The chorus is somewhat more tuneful.where he asks a bunch of seemingly rhetorical questions to a lover (i.e.; Whatever happened to walks in the pouring rain?). I tell you what happened, Derek.she left when you opened your mouth! It's back to the "Punch and Judy" opening (not much of a hook).and all I can do is hit the skip button. Next up is JIG SAW, with an excellent blend of tom-toms, bass and keys in the intro. Guitars come in, and Rothery is playing his heart out. Wonderful! But Fish has to barge in and ruin it with some more high pitched, ear-rending gargle-screeching.this time, he sounds like a cat in heat. He's off key and out of tune. Vocal lessons, anyone? this puppy is only 5 minutes long? I feel like it's 10! Then he starts screaming INNOCENCE (???) over a weird processed backing vocal, and suddenly, it all starts to make sense.it's senseless! . EMERALD LIES opens with a great string synth, and for once, Fish is singing within his register. That's a plus. In some instances, he sounds like a choir boy (albeit one with VERY limited range). Fantastic guitar around the 3:36 mark.very emotional.very Alex Lifeson-esque. I could listen to this lead forever.kinda like the one in KAYLEIGH. In fact, this track sounds like that one, what with the wistful lyrics and whatnot. Fish has managed to uncover something that he's yet to show thus far.EMOTION! This is a great song! Yes.this is what I'm looking for. It closes with some more string synth, in a relaxed manner. Thanks, guys. SHE CHAMELEON is up.faint church organ sounds that fade in; ok; what next? Ah. that's right; Fish. But he's decent here (though it pales in comparison to the last song). I'm starting to notice that he has a (bad) habit of stretching out his syllables to the point of breaking.it irritates the hell out of me, because the more he does it, the less in tune he is. "Watch The Lizard." Does he think he's Jim Morrison? Hehe.yeah right. Say something intriguing, for once in your life! Wait.I can't go on listening to this drivel anymore. The "songs" are tedious and boring.In my opinion, Fish comes across as pompous and self-aggrandizing, and he drowns out the rest of the band with his waste-of-time-and-my-hearing lyrics! Say no more, please.FUGAZI? One star!