Two years after the noted ska-punk band returned to the stage after an eight-year layoff,
Five Iron Frenzy made their reunion complete with a new studio album, their first in a decade. Financed by a Kickstarter campaign that was fully funded less than an hour after it was posted (the group ended up raising close to $208,000 on a $30,000 goal),
Engine of a Million Plots contains the elements that made
Five Iron Frenzy cult heroes during their original 1995 to 2003 lifespan -- tough guitars, punchy horn arrangements, powerful rhythms, and lyrics from lead singer Reese Roper that deal with personal and spiritual concerns with heart and an eccentric sense of humor. Songs include "Zen and the Art of Xenophobia," "I Am Jack's Smirking Revenge," "Battle Dancing Unicorns with Glitter," "It Was a Dark and Stormy Night," "We Own the Skies," and seven others. ~ Mark Deming