Lyrically, Candy Coated Fury is characterised by a strong bitterness, presumably founded in some relationship woe. When asked about the autobiographical nature of the subject matter, band leader and chief songwriter Aaron Barrett coyly replied.
“Well it’s kind of half and half. It’s half my own personal experiences that I’ve gone through over the years and the other half would be observing either friends or relatives that may have been going through certain issues of their own.”
Barrett’s lyrics have often had an angsty disaffected focus, dating right back to the band’s 1995 debut LP Everything Sucks. “I always think of the lyric writing style as like a punch to the face followed by a really nice warm hug. It’s sort of ‘I hate you I never want to see you again, but I love you please don’t go’. The indecisive world of relationships that I think everyone can relate to, in a way.”
Indeed, some songs on Candy Coated Fury show the development of contrasting feelings. During I Know You Too Well and She’s Not The End Of The World the angry narrator realises that beneath the desire to be free from an antagonistic lover there is still a strong attachment. “Usually, it starts off dark but I try to make it so that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. You don’t want everything to be just totally negative, because that would just suck! You always want a little bit of positivity in there.”
On the other hand, songs such as PS I Hate You and Everyone Else Is An Asshole push things to their extreme, expressing direct loathing. Barrett claims that even when the lyrics dwell deeply in cynicism, the perky musical accompaniment and the band’s comic presentation soothes the sting. “I’d like to think it’s not completely negative. You have this happy-go-lucky energetic dance music, when you couple that with the lyrics I think it helps. I think in any art-form you need to have that balance. If you’re going to be positive all the time then that just sounds cheesy; if you’re going to be negative all the time then you’re just complaining. So I think that there is definitely a conscious effort to make sure each aspect complements the other and it all works together.”
This notion of balance also applies to compiling the live show and Australian audiences can expect a diverse setlist from Reel Big Fish on their December tour.
“We definitely play all the old hits that everyone knows and loves us for and we try and throw in some of the deeper cuts that we don’t get to play too often. And there’s the opportunity to throw in new songs too. That’s a big part of being a band and being on the road; trying to show people that you still have something to say. That’s definitely an important aspect.”
Reel Big Fish’s ability to consistently tour without putting out new music confirms they have a regular and devoted fan-base. However, such devotion could potentially prevent the band from progressing if they felt obliged to cater to specific demands. Barrett explains that, rather than simply conforming to what is expected of them, the relationship with their supporters is mutually satisfying.
“Early on we figured out what the fans love about us and it worked out so well because that’s what we do naturally and that’s what we love to do. It’s worked out pretty well, to be able to be honest and sincere about what we do. People can see right through it if you’re just trying to please your fans, so it works out great that this comes out of us naturally.”
The band’s biggest hits, songs released in the late ‘90s, Sell Out and Beer, are setlist mainstays. Barrett has personally come a long way since that time but he doesn’t feel the songs have lost any relevance.
“I think once a song has been written and it has been recorded and it’s been released and it’s out there in the world, a strange thing happens – it takes on a life of its own at that point. It almost becomes public property. Everyone who hears a song is going to interpret it a certain way, which is a really cool thing because at that point a song you wrote could be about a hundred different things to a hundred different people. So, once it gets released it’s almost like you can let go of it. It’s like the therapy is over at that point.”
Reel Big Fish are perpetually on the road and Barrett admits that tour life is reasonably reserved. Yet, they do indulge in extravagance when the moment calls for it and the upcoming Australian visit is likely to be one of those occasions.
“When we’re in Australia we usually cut loose pretty well because it’s kind of like a mini vacation.”
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
