School of Fish - s/t

Name: School of Fish
Album: s/t
Year: 1991
Style: Jangle Pop, College Rock
Similar Bands: REM, Redd Kross, Dillon Fence, James, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Collective Soul
"One-Word" Review: Slacker Pop
Based Out Of: LA, CA 
Label: Capitol

Cover, Lyrics, Tape

Lyrics, Notes, Tape

School of Fish (1991)

1. Intro 1:42
2. 3 Strange Days 5:12 (single)
3. Talk Like Strangers 3:37
4. Deep End 4:53
5. King of the Dollar 2:47 (promo single b-side)
6. Speechless 4:56 /
7. Wrong 4:28 (promo single)
8. Rose Colored Glasses 3:43
9. Under the Microscope 4:34
10. Fell 2:50
11. Euphoria 5:45

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• John Porter - Producer
• Dave "Death" Pine - Engineer
• Ken Paulakovich - 2nd Engineer
• Lee Manning 2nd Engineer
• Alison Donald - A&R Direction
• Valerie Pack - A&R Coordination
• Jon Blaufarb - Legal Representation, Spiritual Guidance
• Sandy Tanaka - Mgmt
• Josh Clayton-Felt - Lead Vox, Guitars, Drum Box (Francis X and the Bushmen, Twig, Jewel)
• Michael Ward - Lead Guitars, Vox, Drum Box (John Hiatt, Wallflowers, Ben Harper, Innocent Criminals, Francis X and the Bushmen, Gogol Bordello, Guilty Dogs, Stripsearch, Harry Connick Jr, Lenny Laks, Mad Buffalo, Joel Simpson Quartet, Pinetop Perkins, Duck See Goose, Bo Dollis & Wild Magnolias, Jesse Johnson, Jude, Shawn Mullins, Jessica Riddle, Fastball, David Maxwell, Stripsearch, Gavin DeGraw, Eric Bibb, Avril Lavigne, Tracy Bonham, Shelby Lynne, Nerina Pallot, Five for Fighting, Anna Tsuchiya, Shannon Noll, Mikal Blue, Tom Freund, Kris Allen, Vanessa Da Mata, Glen Campbell, Sara Bareilles,  Cuntz, Sabrina Carpenter)
• Dominic Nardini - Bass
• Michael Petrak - Drums (Samiam)
• Tommy Steele - Art Direction
• Heather Van Haaften - Design
• Dennis Kelley - Photographer

Unknown-ness: I got this cassette back in High School at some point, but i don't remember why or what they sound like. Probably heard a song of theirs on Post Modern PST or 103.9 WDRE, and saw their cassette in a cheap bin, alas, i don't know what's on it. From the muddled guitar smashing image, wacky "Shadowy Men" sorta font, i'm going to guess this is meandering jangle pop.

Album Review: So as soon as I saw the name of the second track, and it started playing I at least remember the song 3 Strange Days very well. It did, in fact, make its way onto a mix tape when i was in high school. The rest of the album falls in line with what was popular for early 90's college radio pop. Half classic rock, half power pop, with a little psychedelic, drawn out musical support, and a lot of loopy, meandering melodies that come off as more slacker rock than pure, clean pop. Singer Clayton-Felt was diagnosed with Cancer and passed away in 2000. King of the Dollar breaks down into the lyric and guitar riff of "I Can't Get No Satisfaction."

Stand Out Track: 3 Strange Days

Links:
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

LA Times 2000 article

3 Strange Days Facts

2nd 1st look

sputnik music

Chicago Tribune On the Road '91 article

Riff Raff - Clayton-Felt article

Josh Clayton-Felt website