Bill Fisher - How To Think Like a Billionaire Review

Bill Fisher's 'How to Think Like a Billionaire' seamlessly blends synths, rock, and nostalgic soundscapes.

Bill Fisher is probably better known as the high priest of the mystical prog-rock outfit Church of the Cosmic Skull. A band that somehow manages to blur the lines between rock, gospel, science fiction and satanism. His more recent solo offerings have included 2020’s Mass Hypnosis and the Dark Triad, a muscular sucker-punch of rock and metal, and the much more restrained folk infusions of 2021’s Hallucinations of a Higher Truth. 

So to find Fischer’s latest album, How to Think Like a Billionaire, being discussed on electronic music forums alongside the likes of Planetary Assault Systems, Burial and Client_03 was a surprise, to say the least. So why is this eccentric Nottingham-based rock-troubadour being lauded by electronic music aficionados? 

Well, if you’re already a fan of Fisher, fear not, he hasn’t swapped his guitar for a set of decks. However, How to Think Like a Billionaire is a huge departure from his previous work. It utilises lulling electronic synthesisers to perfection and at times wouldn’t feel out of place on your dad’s Yacht Rock playlist. 

From the onset, it’s clear that Fisher is diving into new territory. The aforementioned synths and dreamy soundscapes on Overview Effect sound like a forgotten eighties movie soundtrack and provide the perfect backdrop to Fisher’s affecting vocals. It’s so nostalgia-inducing that it’s almost overwhelming, in fact, all that’s missing is a John Hughesian freeze-frame. The song itself is not a million miles removed from Bon Iver’s Beth/Rest which gives you some indication of how far this high-priest of rock has strayed from his roots. Ride On, Unicorn is a jaunty fist-pumping affair that again lends from eighties influences, though this time it’s less Vangelis and more Springsteen. It’s not quite as effective but it’s catchy enough nonetheless. 

If Ride On, Unicorn feels a little too trite then third track Consume the Heart readdresses the balance. It’s a genuinely heartfelt rock ballad which begins with a circular piano arrangement and ends in an orgy of distorted guitars. Xanadu pulls us even further into the time-warp. It’s pleasant enough, though perhaps a little too middle of the road.

It’s at this point the album pulls out its ace in the hole. Two tracks on the bounce which are worth the admission fee alone. Beast of Man is the moment in which Fisher’s brave new world begins to make sense. It’s beautiful, dark, moving, packed with idiosyncrasies and quite possibly one of the finest songs you’ll hear this year. 

Next track Yell of the Ringman sees Fisher make a deal with the devil. It’s a not-so-gentle reminder that Fisher knows a thing or two about rock and metal. Here, we find Fisher back in his comfort zone and the results are outstanding. The seven minutes of loud/quiet dynamics provide us with big riffs, elegant pianos, face-melting guitar solos and pulverising drums. It’s a song that’ll continue to ring in your ears for an eternity. 

The reverb-drenched Intranaut and the choral’esque Lead Us Into Fire see the album out admirably but its tracks like Overview Effect, Beast of Man and Yell of the Ringman that will put Fisher on the map and open up his music to a whole new audience. Myself included. 

How to Think Like a Billionaire is one of the most daring genre shifts since that weird second season episode of Stranger Things that everyone unanimously hated. However, unlike that particular eighties-inspired nostalgia-fest, How to Think Like a Billionaire is an unmitigated triumph.