| The Cool Kids - ‘When Fish Ride Bicycles’ |
| Written by Cecily Van Horn | |||
| Thursday, 08 September 2011 01:56 | |||
 The Cool Kids released When Fish Ride Bicycles on July 12, 2011. It is their second major album and debut studio record produced by Green Label Sound Records. Their previous release was the mixtape Tacklebox in 2010. Chuck Inglish, Pharell Williams from Neptunes and Travis Barker's collaborative effort is the 'fuel for this fire' so to speak. The album also features some great guests like Bun B, Ghostface Killah, Travis Barker, and Asher Roth. Hip hop is a genre that you either like or hate; I am currently somewhere in the middle. I must say that I was apprehensive at first because I am still learning the art of good hip hop. However, I gave them a chance because similar to books you can't always judge music by its genre. Overall, I was left pleasantly surprised to find out that this album wasn't all about swearing every two seconds, getting rich, fighting with gangs, nailing bitches, and living in ghettos. "Rush Hour Traffic" is a great opener with a solid beat and lyrics that are genuine about life. I liked this track because they didn't overdo it with unnecessary cussing and all those things that are usually found in this style. The Cool Kids continue the clean beats with "GMC" and the lyrics are as awesome as the previous track. It has an old-school 80's hip hop vibe highlighting the duo vocals of the band quite nicely. "Boomin'" features Tennille, another popular hip hop artist. This track is made awesome by having a female voice in the mix adds a cool touch because the previous tracks have lacked something and this may have been exactly it. Travis Barker makes his contribution in "Sour Apple." This song has a more traditional hip hop beat to it and is about women, the good ones and the bad ones. Although it is done in a very tasteful way compared to some hip hop songs in where they call women "bitches and hoes." Personally, as a woman, I dislike the hip hop bands that degrade women because it's just offensive and so I am glad that The Cool Kids stay away from that. "Penny Hardaway" featuring Ghostface Killah starts off with an interesting instrumental beat. The lyrics are really close to spoken-word style and really had me impressed overall. This track was also my first introduction to Ghostface Killah and I must say that he is also quite an outstanding hip hop artist. Their track "Bundle Up" has a seriously rad electronic beat. It is a track that definitely had my head bouncing to the rhymes, which is a good sign that they've got some seriously skills with the new release. "Gas Station" features Bun B has some seriously sick lyrics (in a good way) and the beats are downright as stellar as the previous tracks on When Fish Ride Bicycles. Its lyrics are slightly comical because it is a song about trying to pick up a girl at a gas station. The track "Get Right" includes The Neptunes and it is definitely a nice compliment to The Cool Kids. It's got a nice crunk vibe and the message is very optimistic about trying to make yourself the best you can be for the summer and also in life. "Swimsuits" from this new release is used in a Mountain Dew commercial and features Mayer Hawthorne. Again it has comical lyrics about picking up a girl with coconut drinks in the Bahamas. It is a track that definitely has me longing for the summer months. "Roll Call" brings back the more traditional crunk rap style. It features some awesome artists like Asher Roth, Chip tha Ripper, and Boldly James. Although I am still somewhat a newbie to this style, I must say that with each track on When Fish Ride Bicycles. I think I am becoming more and more impressed with the awesomeness The Cool Kids provide in their hip hop music. The last song on the album, "Summer Jam" has a nice warm beat and features Maxine Ashley. The lyrics left me seriously wanting to have the warmer months come back because they sing about the beach, bikinis, and sitting back enjoying the summer. This track will definitely be added to my "Summer Sizzle 2012 Playlist." Overall, I am highly impressed with When Fish Ride Bicycles and give it a stellar 8.5 out of 10. And I am glad to report that I have decided to jump the fence in becoming a hip hop fan, although only for the groups that keep it wholesome like The Cool Kids. For more articles like The Cool Kids - 'When Fish Ride Bicycles', please visit the Music/Album Reviews Section of TimesSquare.com
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