Striking a pose that only a Bugs Bunny fan could love, Jim Skafish exudes discomfort and vulnerability visually and, with his eponymous six-piece band, audibly on Skafish. Signed to I.R.S.' growing legion of new wave artists (many of whom gained important exposure on the movie/soundtrack Urgh! A Music War), Skafish mixed quirky arrangements, catchy melodies, and strange subject matter that fit stylistically with bands like Devo, Oingo Boingo, and Sparks. They are more than willing to push the envelope of good taste (as anyone who saw his live performance of "Sign of the Cross" could attest), but the very politically incorrect "Joan Fan Club" will go too far for some, despite its delightfully demented Jerry Lee Lewis arrangement. Better are the album's singles: the edgy "Disgracing the Family Name" and the ambitious "Obsessions of You." Much of Skafish's music leans on '50s rock idioms for support, which gives the album a warped jukebox feel not unlike the soundtrack to Rocky Horror Picture Show. The band doesn't throw a wrench into every arrangement -- "Romantic Lessons" and "Maybe One Time" are pretty straightforward -- but it's the wrenches that keep things interesting. The remainder of the album is catchy but sometimes amateurish, notably on the forced strangeness of "We'll See a Psychiatrist," "No Liberation Here," and "Work Song." The album ends with an obvious nod to Roxy Music (a pioneering perverter of rock's conventions) with "Take It Out on You." Skafish's band deserves credit for tight support, creating an edgy sound that could walk between parody and power chords without tripping. They throw a lot of ideas out, especially in the vocal department, but occasionally they hit on a good idea that justifies the distraction. Unfortunately, the planets aligned just this once; their follow-up two years later was a disappointingly dance-oriented dud.
© Dave Connolly /TiVo