On occasion, a musical act comes along that I want to like before I’ve ever heard a bar. Usually it’s because of buzz or backstory, but once in a while I preemptively root for a group based on their name alone. In the history of hip-hop, the names tend to be either somewhat literal or something of a parody, so when The Cool Kids (Mikey Rocks and Chuck Inglish) came along with a self-referential twist and ironic twinge to their chosen handle, I wanted to dig them before I ever heard a beat. Once I got a taste of their ‘90s-inspired style, I couldn’t help but smile at a blind hope come to pass.
Like many, I’ve been anxiously awaiting their full-length debut. Even though it’s a little oxymoronic, I want to describe The Cool Kids as uniquely nostalgic. They are instantly distinguishable yet immediately reminiscent of golden era greats like EPMD and Erik B. and Rakim. My waiting grew even more anxious given that When Fish Ride Bicycles was originally due out in 2008. Any time a project is overdue by more than months, it can get saddled with unfair expectations, a condition I call Chinese Democracitis. When you see that parts of the album were recorded with Pharrell Williams, and the guests include Ghostface and Bun B, those expectations are only raised. I’m not sure if they’ve been met yet, but I get the sense that I’ll keep listening until I forget what I expected in the first place.
I won’t keep listening to When Fish Ride Bicycles just for the sharply hooked singles either. Hip-hop albums that are punctuated by a few strong, radio-friendly pieces can rely too heavily on these super-catchy tracks and pay too little attention to the in-betweens. I’m happy to say this album is light on the in-betweens. What it does have are a bunch of tracks that, like their obvious influences, get better with each successive play. “Sour Apples” highlights Rocks and Inglish’s ability to write lyrics with a hint of humor. “Swimsuits” busts out with an up-tempo beat that blazes like the midsummer sun and “Penny Hardaway” features my third-favorite member of the Wu-Tang Clan (sorry Ghostface, Raekwon and RZA are my co-number ones), is named after one of my all-time favorite college basketball players and features my favorite line from the entire album: “I’m not Kevin Costner, I’m not dancing with no wolves like they sheep.”
Usually around this point I might highlight the songs I didn’t like to show I’m giving a complete perspective, that I’m offering the whole magilla as a 1940s beat reporter might say, but I find myself less taken with any not-that-low points and more concerned with what took so long. It doesn’t feel surprising or different than what they’ve done before, there’s no new ground broken or trails blazed, but that’s not what’s driving my concern. I’m concerned because I hope I don’t have to wait too long for the next one. A half-Jewish white dude can only get away with bumping beats in his Element until a certain age, after all.