Search - Blackfish :: Blackfish

Forgotten party rock album

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 01/17/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Man, 1993 was just the wrong time to debut if you were a party rock band. Hair metal was being shown the door, and the flannel clad alterna-rockers were dominating popular music. I'm amazed that a major label would even release an album like Blackfish's self-titled debut as late as 1993. These guys were way too upbeat for the grunge scene.



That said; I'm glad that the Blackfish album did see the light of day, even though precious few people were aware of it. The Florida-based band served up a completely upbeat and catchy party rock sound that is just a lot of fun to listen to. I suppose Danger Danger and Trixter are the closest comparisons, but Blackfish never manages to sound quite as silly as those bands sometimes were (there's no "Naughty, Naughty" here). There's more of an ultra-melodic Cheap Trick vibe here than anything else, which makes songs like "Easy Saying Goodbye" and "I Wanna Know" so infectious and just plain fun.



Not surprisingly, this was the only album Blackfish managed to release. If you're a fan of the late 80's and early 90's hard rock/hair metal sound, you'll definitely want to check out this album, especially since it's so inexpensive. It's nothing remotely new, but it is plenty of fun and the kind of album that should put a smile on the face of any child of the 80's."

Long lost hard rock gem.

Jonathan Weller | Chambersburg, Pennsylvania | 04/02/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"1993 was not the ideal time to be a party-rock band. Grunge and rap were ruling the airwaves, and the last vestiges of hair-metal was being ushered out. If you did'nt shop at Goodwill or Tommy Hilfiger, you really were no longer considered for MTV, or even worth promoting.



Blackfish is a solid album from start to end. The record has a typical party-rock feel to it, but it also incorporates some alternative vibes as well. The best track on the album is the opener, The Fall, it has a feel-good vibe that reminds of days past. The record is strong and has some decent moments, but like with most albums of the day, some clunkers appear as well.



I would reccommend this record to anyone that appreciates hard rock from the 80's or early 90's."