Being that it’s the band’s first original release since 2004, ‘Blood, Fish & Bone’ wasn’t meant to be a swansong, yet that’s exactly what it rather inevitably has become. Having called it a day last year, SMOKE LIKE A FISH have (finally some might say) released this album to wave farewell to a scene that it earned a great deal of respect from.
‘Blood, Fish & Bone’, the band’s third album proper, pretty much follows the blueprint the band has worked with for the past decade or so. It’s essentially a ska record with few boundaries to breakdown. That’s not to say it’s linear or uninteresting.
Contained within these 12 songs is a rich accord of layered musicianship that harmoniously incorporates keys and brass into the mix of seasoned Jamaican influenced music. Expect a lot of up tempo numbers that vary from sweat-inducing skank-alongs to pacey brass driven slices aimed at making the listener sway. There’s also fair share of ska-punk moments, with ‘Subvert’ being a particularly raucous rabble-rousing number.
As a final epitaph, ‘Blood, Fish & Bone’ provides the listener with a personalised reminder of what Smoke Like A Fish stood for over its 10+ year tenure. For those that didn’t know the band, think The JB Conspiracy with more of a hint towards the 2 Tone era. For those that knew the band, the influence is impossible not to see. This is a band that played with a lot of bands, taking influence whilst shedding inspiration. As an album this is a fine reminder of a band that probably should have been bigger than it was.
ALEX HAMBLETON