Way back in BL [before Lechuza], a group of Texans got together and stuck out an album full of crazy, quirky punk rock tunes. Acting the goat like a certain US threesome with the name Blink 182, they garnered quite a following for supporting the oft-naked nutters. But to be fair, although Fenix TX may have been a bit weird back then, there is no debating the fact that they can write good pop-punk songs.
Their self-titled full lengther is a weird mix of stupidity and great songs. Opener 'Flight 601 [All I've Got Is Time]' is a great opening. Soaring melodies and cute riffs, it is sugary, disposable pop-punk. It won't be to everybody's tastes, but if you like Blink, New Found Glory and all the others then you'll certainly like this. 'Minimum Wage' is about as close to a political song as Fenix will ever come; "this United States proud crap makes me sick" they sing. But in truth it's about as Propagandhi as Britney Spears.
'Surf Song' crunches it's way through the verses, and although it is pretty lame lyrically, it will have you singing along before the end. "I wish that I was cool, I wish that I was surfing." Hmm.... Shakespeare it is not. But musically it does hit the spot. 'All My Fault' was all over MTV like a rash a couple of years back and it is not that hard to see why. "Tell me something that's sure to break my heart, cos everything's my fault..." it's almost pop-punk perfection. Even the most critical old-skool punks will surely smile through this.
The lamest name of the year award goes to 'Jolly Green Dumbass'. I'm not quite sure what possessed the guys to name it that. Guys, it's not hard or clever. Still, the song is damn fine. Cool intro, cool verses and some wicked drumming. 'GBOH' slows things down a bit before the guitars and drums kick off. It's not as fast or frenetic as other songs, but it's no ballad either. Fenix do predictably go through a plam-muted verse/singalong chorus kinda style, and although it is a bit obvious and predictable, it does work better than most similar bands.
'Ben' is a good song, but it does stick to a similar structure to many of the others. But the sign of a good pop-punk band is this; if you're singing along by the end, then somebody is doing something right. And needless to say, if you have an ear for a tune then you'll be singing along before the end of this. 'Speechless' is another highlight, and shows that the band could do emo well before 'Lechuza' hit the shelves. Slower in pace, but keeping all the good bits that Fenix do so well, the song is only bettered by 'All My Fault'.
'Philosophy' is fast and furious with the drums going through ten shades of mental when the song kicks off. Definetly one to air-drum to. With a chorus as catchy as anything else around, you can just about believe them when they sing "nothing good can ever seem to last." And at a shade over two minutes long, it doesn't outstay its welcome. 'No Lie' also kicks off in a fairly quick style, before a mini-bass solo and then it totally kicks off. You want melody? You got it in abundance here, "why didn't I lie to you" really does hit the spot. 'Apple Pie Cowboy Toothpaste' is an awful name for a song, but the intro riff does sound a bit New Found Glory-ish, which is a good thing. Whereas musically this kicks ass, lyrically this is absolutely pathetic. And the 'rap' at the end...the less said about the better I think. Closer 'Jean Claude Trans Am' is as quick as anything else here, but by now it does all sound a bit samey. Still, it's better than a kick up the bum. And anyway, a song about a guy trying to convince his girl to lose her virginity is pretty funny, even if it has been done to death.
So there you have it, 'Fenix TX' is a better album than 'Lechuza'. The latter has better songs, but this is probably a more truer sound, and contains none of the dodgy metal references which litter the latter. People slag off Fenix for merely being Blink rip-offs, and the clowning around will always draw comparisons. But the songs are good in their own right, and they don't profess to be anything other than a cool pop-punk band.
If you like all the other Drive Thru bands then you'll like this, it's as simple as that.
Paul Savage
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