Ghoti Hook
Sumo Surprise (Tooth & Nail)
by Valerie Lambert
I was really getting into these Ghoti Hook guys until I made the mistake of picking up the lyric sheet. Let’s just say that the songs are more than just a little bit cheesy and borderline preachy. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve absolutely nothing against this type of music. I figure, punk rock is supposed to be revolutionary, right? So there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a band trying to start a Christian revolution, figuratively speaking. That’s cool and all, but Ghoti Hook doesn’t seem to have much else to say. Maybe that’s the point, but I think they’re taking a big risk by narrowing their album’s focus so much that it only appeals to a select group of people. I’m sure some potential fans will be put off by this, and I doubt they’re going to give the album much of a chance. Where are all the songs about life, love, and politics, huh?
Musically, though, this five-piece isn’t half-bad, but don’t go expecting anything like fellow Virginians Avail in the music. Ghoti Hook is 100% generic melodic pop-punk. There’s nothing here that you haven’t heard before from the likes of NOFX, Squirtgun, and Face to Face, but then again, you can’t have too much of a good thing, right? The low point of the album for me is definitely “South Capital Street,” which features a guitar line exactly – and I do mean EXACTLY, I’m talking carbon copy here – like the intro to Operation Ivy’s “The Crowd.” I actually thought for a split second that I was accidently playing my Op Ivy CD until the NOFX-like drum lines kicked in and led to an early Offspring-like vocal delivery. There’s nothing wrong with showing your influences, guys, but this is ridiculous!
What Ghoti Hook lacks in originality, however, is made up for in raw energy and punch. There are some great songs here. Though the intro to “Tract Boy” is slow and tinged with grunge for some reason, it slides into an infectious pop-punk groove complete with catchy sing-along chorus. In fact, the majority of the songs on Sumo Surprise are sugary, catchy, upbeat, and everything a pop-punk band would want to be (or not, depending on who you talk to). If you like this kind of music, there’s no reason why Sumo Surprise wouldn’t blend in nicely with the rest of your record collection. Yeah, I’ve heard it done a lot better, but I’ve heard worse, too.
