The Forces of Evil are a throwback to a throwback, and specifically for those of you who can’t wait a decade for another ska revival. Spawned from the ashes of Orange County ska giants, Jeffries Fan Club and Reel Big Fish’s frontman, Aaron Barrett, The Forces of Evil revel in metal-tinged ska punk. Unfortunately, they stick to formula, simply sounding like a profane Reel Big Fish cover band.
Barrett, known here as Aaron Evil, does manage a few catchy up-tempo rockers, but most of the debut album’s tracks sound like quickly scribbled goof-off filler.
A cover of “Dance the Night Away” both manages to expose these clowning teen-wannabes as the ska-punk grandpas that they are and proves that their lengthy careers have resulted in a distinct, off beat tone. This Van Halen track can hold its own against Reel Big Fish’s arena-ska covers of A-Ha’s “Take On Me” and Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like the Wolf,” two fan favorites. Most of the rockin’ moments on Friend or Foe? are a result of Barrett’s ferocious guitar capabilities and humorous vocal tinkerings.
On two full-throttle ska love songs, “Mistake” and “Vague Love Song,” Barrett nails the exact attitude that made Reel Big Fish’s Turn the Radio Off an unmistakable milestone. What could come off as womanizing machismo, Barrett saves by putting his geek-punk self completely in the spotlight. When he sings, “I think we made a mistake, well it’s alright/ I didn’t like you that much anyway,” you know it’s just his overactive self-defense kicking in.
But on “Independent” the band gets too caught up in ripping their female counterparts to shreds. What could have been a funky punk reversal, a man dependant upon an ultra-independent femme fatale, becomes too brutal when the band sings, “She’s independent, Tries not to let it show/She’s independent, I hate that stupid ho.” The alternating female/male vocal parts also recall RBF’s “She’s Got a Girlfriend Now,” and comparing the two only highlights the weaknesses that plague Friend or Foe?.
At its best the album sounds familiar, like decent Turn the Radio Off session outtakes, but at its worst, Forces of Evil seem like musically dysfunctional high school losers, yelling about jocks and constantly trying to get the girl.
“Angry Anthem” and “My Life” are both bogged down by sluggish guitar and repetitive lyrics. Barrett is too obvious in his ploys to seduce the 13-to-15-year-old crowd with choruses like, “Fuck all you motherfuckers, fuck you.” Anyone can figure this for tongue-in-cheek, laugh-track absurdity, but with Barrett’s and the rest of the band’s histories (other members did time with Jeffries Fan Club, the Scholars, Lone Raspberry and The Specials) they should be exploring some new ground. In their defense, Barrett’s rant on rhyming “‘shit’ with ‘shit'” manages to retain some entertainment value.
Other tracks like the instrumental dork anthem of “Hey! Woo! Yea!” (Can you guess the track’s only vocals?) and the fly-boy punk of “Worst Day” and “Maybe I’m Wrong” are some of the most forgettable ska songs ever recorded.
The album’s closer, “Fight,” acts as the Forces of Evil statement of purpose. The band grumbles about other ska groups selling out and asks the mosh pit kids to “Fight for the right to skank.” It’s too bad nobody told Forces of Evil that the right to skank is no longer the priority it was in 1995.
Grade: B/C
