| All the Hype That Money Can Buy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 25, 2000 | |||
| Recorded | 1999–2000 | |||
| Genre | Christian ska,ska punk | |||
| Length | 45:47 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Frank Tate | |||
| Five Iron Frenzy chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Real | (not rated)[1] |
| Tollbooth | (not rated)[2] |
| Jesus Freak Hideout | (not rated)[3] |
| Cross Rhythms | 9/10[4] |
| 7ball | (not rated)[5] |
| HM | (not rated)[6] |
| Bandoppler | (not rated)[7] |
| Exit Zine | (not rated)[8] |
| Decapolis | (not rated)[9] |
All the Hype That Money Can Buy is the third studio album byFive Iron Frenzy, released on April 25, 2000, by5 Minute Walk, with distribution fromForeFront Records.
All the Hype That Money Can Buy is Five Iron Frenzy's most musically diverse album, binding elements ofsalsa,calypso andreggae withska.[10][11] Certain tracks also contain impressions of rockabilly, metal and arena rock. Guests appearing on the album include returning member Scott Kerr, Karl Perazzo ofSantana, Christian singerRandy Stonehill,Justin McRoberts andThe W's members Bret Barker and Valentine Hellmam.[6] The album contains typical Five Iron Frenzy fare, with both serious and humorous content. Even the album's title is self-deprecating humor intended to foil the audience's expectations.[5] In the title track, the band reveals that "It's so wrong, so far from true. In secret, I'm just like you."[5]
The album contains Five Iron's signature mix of serious and silly content, though it leans toward heavier issues more than previous albums.[2][10] On the serious side is "A New Hope", written in response to theColumbine High School massacre. In "Giants", Roper refers toAdam Smiths'The Wealth of Nations to continue his general attacks onbig business andSocial Darwinism.[12] In "Hurricanes", the vocalist laments "...and I am a failure / defeated every time..." before bringing the focus back to hope in Christ. Roper commented toHM magazine that it was "...probably the most depressing song you'll ever hear from us."[10]
Roper also tackles issues withinChristian culture and the church, taking onhomophobia andhypocrisy in "Fahrenheit".[2][3][4] The song refers toFreddie Mercury, the frontman ofQueen, who eventually died ofAIDS,[12] and the superheroFlash Gordon, a reference to the fact that the score for the 1980sFlash Gordon movie was composed and performed by Queen. In a 2000 interview, Roper explained that "everyone will readily admit thathomosexuality is asin, but not that homophobia is just as bad in God's eyes."[13] However, in a 2014 blog post, Roper recanted his statements and expressed his displeasure with the song's lyrics, writing that over the years his attitudes on homosexuality had "softened" and he no longer considered it a sin. Admitting he was "ashamed" of "Fahrenheit"'s lyrics, he wrote "At the time, I felt that I was doing the most honorable thing that I could, calling the Church to the carpet on being homophobic. I thought that I could do so by pointing the finger at myself with my own homophobia towards one of my heroes, Freddie Mercury. What bothers me is how arrogant and condemning I still was about homosexuality".[14]
The following track is "Four-fifty-one", and when read with the previous track their names directly refer toRay Bradbury's bookFahrenheit 451. The message in the latter track is about isolationism within Christian culture[4] and lukewarm Christianity.[1] Here Roper attacks commercial interests within Christianity such as theChristian music industry, of which he told7ball, "For the most part it is meant to make [Christians] feel good and not at getting anyonesaved."[13] Speaking directly to those interests Roper states, "The radio is preaching the candy coated goo, / the record companies and the TV too. / No one rocks the boat, / terrified of trouble, / can't tamper with the walls of their sterile Christian bubble. / It was never your point to get people saved, / you pad yourself with fluff just because you're afraid. / I'm not afraid to point the finger now, / the choir's so used to the preaching anyhow."[1]
On the more upbeat side, the album opens with "The Greatest Story Ever Told" which boldly proclaims the message of Christ[3] and closes with the worshipful "World Without End".[3] The album also contains examples of Five Iron's humor and irony. "You Probably Shouldn't Move Here" pokes fun at the band's home state ofColorado and atCalifornia.[3][5] "The Phantom Mullet" is a satirical look at theMullet hairstyle popular in the 1980s.[5] "It's Not Unusual" is a cover version of theTom Jones song. A short track entitled "What's Up" was hidden in the 3-second "header" at the beginning of the album. To find this track, the listener has to start track 1, then hold the rewind button. On the album's back cover, the track was listed as "Track 0".[3]
All lyrics written byReese Roper, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0. | "What’s Up" (pregap track) | 0:05 | |
| 1. | "The Greatest Story Ever Told" | Culp | 3:19 |
| 2. | "Me Oh My" | music: Culp, L. Ortega,lyrics: L. Ortega | 2:16 |
| 3. | "Solidarity" | M. Ortega, Culp, Roper | 3:31 |
| 4. | "The Phantom Mullet" | Verdecchio, Culp | 2:59 |
| 5. | "Ugly Day" | Culp | 3:36 |
| 6. | "Fahrenheit" | M. Ortega, Culp, Roper | 3:35 |
| 7. | "Four-Fifty-One" | Culp | 3:04 |
| 8. | "You Probably Shouldn't Move Here" | Culp | 2:30 |
| 9. | "Hurricanes" | Culp, Kerr | 3:47 |
| 10. | "Giants" | Culp | 4:13 |
| 11. | "I Still Like Larry" | M. Ortega, Roper | 0:31 |
| 12. | "All the Hype" | Verdecchio, M. Ortega, Culp | 3:04 |
| 13. | "It's Not Unusual" | Reed,Mills | 2:21 |
| 14. | "A New Hope" | Culp | 2:38 |
| 15. | "World Without End" | M. Ortega, Johnston, Culp, Roper | 3:45 |
| Total length: | 45:52 | ||
Five Iron Frenzy
Additional musicians
Production
Album -Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | The Billboard 200 | 146 |
