| The Return of the Aquabats | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | The Aquabats |
| Cover: | The Aquabats - The Return of The Aquabats cover.jpg |
| Released: | December 1995[1] |
| Recorded: | Summer 1995 |
| Genre: | Ska |
| Length: | 36:24 |
| Label: | Horchata Records Fearless Records (re-issue) |
| Producer: | The Aquabats, Jim Barnes |
| Prev Title: | Bat Boy Demo Tape |
| Prev Year: | 1995 |
| Next Title: | The Fury of the Aquabats! |
| Next Year: | 1997 |
The Return of the Aquabats is the debut album by American band the Aquabats, independently released on Horchata Records in December 1995, and subsequently re-issued by Fearless Records.
The Return of the Aquabats firmly establishes the comedy-oriented songwriting the Aquabats would become known for, covering such familiar territory as pop culture satire, fantasy and science fiction-influenced narratives, and self-referential songs centered on the band's superhero aesthetic. Musically, however, The Return differs from the rest of the band's discography by being their most overtly ska-based, featuring some of the surf music influences which characterized their early material but little of the new wave or punk rock elements which would eventually become the core of the band's sound on future releases.
The Aquabats independently released The Return on their own record label Horchata Records in December 1995, pressing and selling the CDs themselves. As the band's local notoriety began to rise with the commercial resurgence of ska music, they eventually sold an impressive 24,000 copies without any distribution.[2] [3] By the end of the 1990s, The Return eventually fell out of print, and the album was re-issued and distributed by Fearless Records in 2002.[4]
The Return was the only Aquabats album to feature original guitarist The Brain (Ben Bergeson), keyboardist Nacho (Chad Parkin) and drummer Roddy B. (Rod Arellano), all of whom would leave the band prior to the recording of their next album.
At the 2006 San Diego Aquacadet Summit, the Aquabat's semi-annual fan club gathering, Adam Deibert joined the band's current line-up to perform the album in its entirety in celebration of its tenth anniversary.
All tracks written by the Aquabats, except where noted otherwise.