Fishboy, Albatross: How We Failed To Save The Lone Star State With the Power of Rock and Roll

Photo Credit: Fishboy

by Kathryn Durfee
03/26/2008

Indie pop band Fishboy (MySpace), hailing from Denton, Texas, released Albatross: How We Failed To Save The Lone Star State With the Power of Rock and Roll in fall of 2007. Albatross is the sixth release from Fishboy and illustrates the transformation the band has made from lo-fi twee to a more polished indie pop/twee sound.

For those out there wondering how this quirky four-piece found itself with the name "Fishboy," the band's website reveals that the name comes from a story from front man Eric Michener's youth. Michener was given the nickname "Fishboy" after being dared to (and following through with) swipe and swallow a fish at the Dallas World Aquarium. The name stuck.

Lead singer Michener calls Albatross "a rock opera about how myself, the band, and the ghost of Buddy Holly attempt to save Texas by going on a tour/crime spree in order to perform all 8,030 of the songs I've written in my sleep since I was in the womb." '

Clearly not all of these are on the album. Running at just over 30 minutes, this short and spunky album will have flown by before you can even finish reading its title. The second song "Minus Two" features a beat that is catchy and bouncy and lyrics that will stick in your head for days. What follows is a handful of tracks equally fun and eccentric.

Some songs on Albatross incorporate horn, piano, and organ, giving songs like "Taqueria Girl" a Sufjan Stevens feel. Lovers of twee kings Tullycraft and indie rockers Neutral Milk Hotel will enjoy Albatross's fast-paced storytelling and nervous energy.

Fishboy's Albatross, short but sweet, will have you dancing along long after the album has ended.