Years ago, before every L.A.-based high school band geek packed his horn and headed to the clubs to work up some ska for a public that never knew it wanted it in the first place, Fishbone was hitting those same venues, combining funk, punk, blues, jazz, rock, and ska for a tasty and freewheeling stew. Over the years it amassed quite a cult. Some of those fansGwen Stefani, George Clinton, Rick James, Perry Farrell, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers Flea, John Frusciante, and Chad Smitheven turn up on Nuttwerx (as does, and I swear Im not making this up, Donny Osmond). But even with these heavy hitters going to bat for them, theres something a bit empty about Fishbone.
It quite possibly has a lot to do with the fact that Fishbone is best in small doses. Two EPs by the band, 1985s self-titled debut and 1990s Bonin in the Boneyard, capture what Fishbone does best: quick and often random bursts of noise, stitched together into a post-punk party monster jam. Subsequent records by the band sharpened its pop proficiency (which led to a couple modern rock hits in the pre-Nevermind era) before it developed into a multi-instrument, multi-genred funk machine akin to Clintons Parliament-Funkadelic (note the rambling title, and this isnt the first instance of such) or Clintons museyes, Sly Stone. Thats made for some pretty serious funkin, but some wildly erratic listens. And Nuttwerx is no different.
