Furthermore -- Fluorescent Jellyfish

8/10

Rap is just like any other genre. Most of the popular stuff sucks, and you have to really dig for whatever fits your tastes. During one of my last trips to the fabled Paradise Records, I picked up an excellent Tooth & Nail compilation titled Songs From the Penalty Box 4. This collection was loaded with songs from many albums that became favorites of mine. The diversity on that particular record label at that time was ridiculous, from rock, ska, punk, rockabilly, shoegaze, glam rock, to hardcore. You name it, turn of the century Tooth & Nail had just about everything, even rap, as Songs From the Penalty Box 4 attests. It's penultimate track is "Are You the Walrus" by a trio called Furthermore. I was shocked by its presence on the first listen, but I almost immediately came to love this song. How could you not love this song?

It provides just what I'd want from any music--smart, in this case, funny, lyrics, and enjoyable music. Unless you don't like to have any fun, ever, this song and its video are awesome. The album from which it is taken, Furthermore's debut, Fluorescent Jellyfish, features more of the same. Old school hip-hop beats, varied music, and clever, often introspective, sometimes funny lyrics. Daniel Fischer's rapping and Pepe "Lee" Chang's singing might be an acquired taste for some folks, but I love both. Fischer's musings about life, ghosts, and Marvel super heroes just get better with repeat listens.
If you usually hate hip-hop but wish you could at least say, "well, I do like ____," you can fill that empty line with Furthermore.

1999 Tooth & Nail Records
1. Flourescent Jellyfish 3:30
2. Best Of 3:17
3. Daydreaming 3:34
4. Are You the Walrus? 3:31
5. Moment of Her Time 3:13
6. Another Dimension 3:29
7. Figuratively Speaking 3:00
8. Being a Ghost Isn't That Great 2:54
9. Youth of Today 3:14
10. Melted Vinyl 3:48