I loved Five Iron Frenzy. I still do. I always will. When they broke up, I was sad. I remember talking to Reese at their last show in Kansas City, and he said he was working on Guerilla Rodeo, and there was hope. When all they ended up doing was three songs, and breaking my heart, it was a breath of relief to know that 5 Minute Walk Records was putting out the debut for Reese’s new group, Roper. Brace Yourself For The Mediocre pretty much picked up where Five Iron left off. Though it obviously didn’t have any of the ska-ness to it, it was similar to Five Iron otherwise. Reese’s impeccable lyrical talents were ever-present, and he found for himself a great set of musicians to back him up. In true Roper style, the lyrics were funny (the old person’s rock anthem “Vendetta!”) and satirical (the anti-bad boyfriend song “You’re With Stupid”), and sometimes even made pop culture references (the Back To The Future-theme “1985” and the G.I. Joe adventure of “Red Eye To Miami”). And of course, the serious times reflecting on God (“How Your Halo Fell” and “In Excelsis Deo”). There’s even a cover song (a guilty pleasure of mine) of Shania Twain’s “You’re Still The One.” My understanding was that each new Roper album was to have another cover of a country song on it, but sadly, Roper broke up after this one album. And from talking to Reese in an interview last year, there’s pretty much no chance of a reunion. But there’s still this one album from Roper that us fans can hold on to when we cry about missing our beloved FIF. ~ Scott Fryberger
Roper
Brace Yourself for the Mediocre (2004)
Click here for a JFH Staff Review.
Our synopsis: “Some fun and intelligent pop/punk from the mega-talented Reese Roper and friends.” (Recommended by JFH’s Scott Fryberge)
Perfect For: Fun, pop culture, satire
Song Highlights: “You’re With Stupid,” “Vendetta,” “Red Eye To Miami,” “1985,” “Day of Pigs,” “You’re Still The One,” “In Excelsis Deo”
So, what are your thoughts on and experiences with the album Brace Yourself For The Mediocre? Do you recommend it? If so, why?