Smash Mouth

Fush Yu Mang (Interscope)
by Katy Shea

Carazzy man, carazy. “Walkin’ On The Sun” is such a great tune; from the first strains of the ’60s style sax intro, lead singer Steve Harwell takes us on a groovy retro-syncopated beat trip. When I played Fush Yu Mang, I was surprised to find not one other song even remotely similar in style. The songs are mostly an amalgamation of punk and ska played with an obvious and flippant irreverence toward each genre. There are some decent songs here, but I’m left feeling that this lack of commitment to one style might make it difficult for Smash Mouth to develop a faithful audience. The talent and energy are there but the lack of direction is a distraction.
(www.interscope.com)