Kooky Spooky...In Stereo
Kooky Spooky...In Stereo is the sixth studio album and eighth album overall by American band The Aquabats, scheduled for digital release on August 21, 2020.
| Kooky Spooky...In Stereo | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 21, 2020 | |||
| Recorded | June–July 2019 | |||
| Studio | Maple Studios, Orange County, California | |||
| Length | 32:39 | |||
| Label | Gloopy Records | |||
| Producer | Cameron Webb | |||
| The Aquabats chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Kooky Spooky...In Stereo | ||||
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Production history
Shortly after the release of The Aquabats' fifth studio album Hi-Five Soup! in January 2011, the band's independently produced television pilot The Aquabats! Super Show! was picked up as a series by American cable channel The Hub. Though lead singer Christian Jacobs (The MC Bat Commander) would frequently mention intentions to eventually record another studio album, The Aquabats spent most of the 2010s primarily focusing on production of the series and its soundtrack.
In July 2018, The Aquabats launched a high-profile Kickstarter campaign aimed at helping independently finance additional episodes of The Aquabats! Super Show!, money which would also help fund the production of at least three new albums.[1] When the original Kickstarter failed to meet its $1.1 million goal, the campaign was relaunched with a new goal of $100,000 to help produce new Super Show! "mini-episodes" and a sixth studio album. The new campaign ultimately raised over $600,000, surpassing several stretch goals which included two new studio albums, among other releases.[2]
Recording for The Aquabats' new studio album began on June 4, 2019 at Maple Studios in Orange County, California.[3] Progress on the album was sporadically updated throughout the year by The Aquabats' individual members on their respective social accounts; guitarist Ian Fowles (Eaglebones Falconhawk) revealed on Instagram that the guitar tracks had been completed by June 22.[4] On October 25, The Aquabats premiered "Skeleton Inside!", the first single from their then-untitled studio album on their official YouTube channel, though did not confirm a release date beyond "later this year".[5]
In a February 2020 press release for a summer tour with Reel Big Fish, The Aquabats revealed the title for their upcoming album, Kooky Spooky...In Stereo, though again did not confirm a release date.[6] On April 10, 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic which necessitated mass self-quarantining and social distancing, The Aquabats released the coincidentally relevant couch potato-themed single "Pajamazon!", which was followed by the release of a music video on April 25, The Aquabats' first new music video since "Fashion Zombies!" in 2005. A third single, "No One Wants to Party!", was released on May 1.
Kooky Spooky's original release date was set for June 20, 2020 on all digital platforms, with an indefinitely postponed physical release date in wake of coronavirus-related interruptions in manufacturing.[7] On June 12, within the midst of the international George Floyd protests which prompted many artists to delay new releases and instead draw attention to anti-racist causes, The Aquabats announced they would push back Kooky Spooky's release date to August 21, writing in posts to their social media accounts that "There will always be time for goofy, rowdy rock...but it doesn't feel right to us to be loud and self-promoting at this moment in time. We'd rather give space to people who are saying they need to be heard", encouraging open discussion about race and racism and linking to resources from the National Museum of African American History and Culture.[8] The album's fourth single, "Karate Body!", was also postponed from its planned June 5 release date, eventually being released on July 31.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Karate Body!" | The Aquabats, Matt Gorney | 3:03 |
| 2. | "No One Wants To Party!" | The Aquabats | 3:09 |
| 3. | "Skeleton Inside!" | The Aquabats, Matt Gorney | 4:23 |
| 4. | "Bed Head!" | The Aquabats, Nate Pyfer | 2:19 |
| 5. | "Aliens And Monsters!" | The Aquabats, Nate Pyfer | 3:02 |
| 6. | "The Walk Off!" | The Aquabats | 3:07 |
| 7. | "Dangerous Leon!" | The Aquabats | 2:39 |
| 8. | "Pajamazon!" | The Aquabats, Matt Gorney | 2:48 |
| 9. | "She's Gonna Live Forever!" | The Aquabats | 3:14 |
| 10. | "Sneak Attack!" | The Aquabats, Matt Gorney | 3:23 |
| 11. | "Karate Body Part 2!" | The Aquabats, Cameron Webb | 3:12 |
Track information
- "Karate Body Part 2!" is a 25-second reprise of "Karate Body", followed by a hidden track of a jam session after thirty seconds of silence. The album's packaging erroneously lists this as a 12th track entitled "???!".
Personnel
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- Production
- Produced, mixed and engineered by Cameron Webb
- Executive produced by Ivan Askwith and Jordan McArthur
- Mastered by Andrew Alekel at Bolskine Studios
- Design and layout by Parker Jacobs
- Photography by Jeff Butcher
References
- Graff, Gary (July 31, 2018). "The Aquabats Return With Kickstarter Campaign, Guest Star-Filled 'I Am the Aquabats' Video". Billboard.
- "Bring Back THE AQUABATS!".
- "THE AQUABATS! on Instagram". June 4, 2019 – via Instagram.
- "Ian Fowles (@ianfowles)". June 22, 2019 – via Instagram.
- "Skeleton Inside! - The Aquabats! Lyrics Music Video!". October 25, 2019 – via YouTube.
- "Reel Big Fish and The Aquabats Announce Co-Headline Tour". The Prelude Press. February 26, 2020.
- Kremkau, Bryan (April 10, 2020). "The Aquabats Releasing New Album "Kooky Spooky…In Stereo" on June 20th!". ReadJunk.
- "The Aquabats!". June 12, 2020 – via Facebook.