Fishin' for Woos

Fishin' for Woos is the eighth studio album by the American rock band Bowling for Soup. The album was released on Que-so Records/Brando Records   in the United Kingdom on April 25, 2011, and worldwide on April 26, 2011.

Release
The album was recorded over a three-week span in June 2010. Frontman Jaret Reddick stated the album would be released in spring 2011. Prior to the album's release, the band planned to release a six-track EP, titled Fishin' for Woos. The track listing for Fishin' for Woos was announced to be "Let's Pretend We're Not in Love," "Dear Megan Fox," "Here's Your Freakin' Song," "Evil All Around the World," and a song the band had been playing for years, but had previously never recorded, "Guard My Heart." Reddick stated that the album would be released on a label, after Fishin' for Woos is released independently. The EP was originally set for release October 5, 2010, but Reddick announced on September 24 via Twitter, "The bad news: The new EP release is being pushed back. The Good news: new FULL album sooner, a free song for you, & MUCH more! Stay tuned." Later that same day, the band put up a new song called "Friends Chicks Guitars" as a free download on their official site. When asked if any songs from Fishin' for Woos would be on the album, Reddick responded with "maybe 2 or 3." The band released another new song titled "Let's Pretend We're Not in Love," exclusively through their BFSArmy Fancorps site in November 2010. Reddick announced via Twitter on November 15, 2010, that the new album has a tentative release date of May 3, 2011. This was further confirmed two days later, via the Bowling for Soup Twitter, that stated Merry Flippin' Christmas Volume 1 would be released on iTunes and CD, the band's first two albums would be re-released, and there will be a new album and tour in May. Reddick announced in his eleventh podcast that instead of releasing an EP before the band's next full-length album, the band would be releasing just the album, which is currently set to have twelve songs and be titled Fishin' for Woos. Reddick also featured another new song, titled "I've Never Done Anything Like This" (feat. Kay Hanley), during his eleventh podcast. It was announced November 19, 2010, that the band had signed to Razor & Tie, but later changed to Brando Records. To help promote the album, the band will be embarking on the "Fishin' for Woos Tour" beginning in the spring of 2011 in the United States.

Musical style
Reddick stated in his ninth podcast that fans of Drunk Enough to Dance and A Hangover You Don't Deserve will like the album. Bassist/vocalist Erik Chandler said in an interview with Rocksins.com, that the album "feels very much like a 2002–2004 Bowling for Soup sound."

Singles
The band played what is said to be the first single off Fishin' for Woos, titled "S-S-S-Saturday" (also referred to as "Saturday Night"), live on ABC for the Professional Bowlers Association Tournament of Champions finals on January 22. Reddick has since mentioned making a music video for the song, that will also allow fans to participate. The band released the song as a free download for joining their e-mail list prior to the event. The song was released for download on iTunes and streaming on MySpace on January 17, 2011. The video to "S-S-S-Saturday" was released on April 15. The band has announced that "Turbulence" would be the second single from the album. The band had filmed a music video for the song with Built By Ninjas. The album's third single was I've Never Done Anything Like This, and the band re-recorded "The Bitch Song" and a cover of Fountains of Wayne's Stacy's Mom for the single's b-sides.

Reception
The album received generally positive reviews. Most reviewers noted the similarity of the music to the band's previous releases; About.com said that "the sound is more of what we expect and love from BFS; it's pop punk polish that unabashedly leans toward the poppier side of things" and gave Fishin' for Woos four out of five stars, while Allmusic gave the album a rating of three out of five stars and said that "more of the same isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and that’s certainly what Fishin’ for Woos offers" and Rock Sound rated the album seven out of ten, and said that "Bowling For Soup are back, doing what BFS do best – upbeat, uplifting, foot-tapping songs." In a more critical review, Blare Magazine rated the album 2.5 out of five stars, and said that "[i]t’s clear the boys in BFS fancy themselves quite the humorists, but the gags heard on Fishin’ for Woos are far more likely to elicit groans or eye rolls than yucks."

B-Sides

 * "Sixteen Years, That's a Lot of Beers" (never finished or recorded. In 2015, "20 Years, That's a Lot of Beers" appeared on Songs That People Actually Liked, Vol. 1: The First 10 Years)
 * "What About Us" (Acoustic; part of SXSW4Japan album for 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami relief efforts) – 3:52
 * "The Bitch Song (2011)" (B-side of "I've Never Done Anything Like This" single) – 3:18
 * "Stacy's Mom" (Fountains of Wayne cover; B-side of "I've Never Done Anything Like This" single) – 3:14
 * Frontman Jaret Reddick stated on Twitter the band planned to have a new version of "Belgium" on the album, but there was not enough time.

Personnel
Bowling for Soup: Production: name="Press release"/> "Dear Megan Fox" co-produced by Mitch Allan
 * Jaret Reddick – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
 * Erik Chandler – bass, vocals
 * Chris Burney – lead guitar, vocals
 * Gary Wiseman – drums
 * Produced by Jarinus (Linus of Hollywood and Jaret Reddick), <ref
 * Recorded at Valve Studios in Dallas, Texas & the Tackle Box in Hollywood, CA
 * Engineered by Casey Diiorio at Valve Studios, Assisted by Nick Evans
 * Additional Engineering by Linus of Hollywood at the Tackle Box
 * Mixed by Jay Ruston
 * Mastered by Stephen Marsh
 * Additional musicians
 * Linus of Hollywood – additional guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, and percussion
 * Gabriel Mann (of The Rescues) – piano and vocals on "Turbulence"
 * Kay Hanley – vocals on "I've Never Done Anything Like This"
 * Gang vocals, angry girl talk, and party sounds by The Dollyrots, Kay Hanley, Rebecca Black, Katie Ogden, Linus of Hollywood, and Jaret Reddick
 * Illustrations by Izzy Ray Brown