“Weird Al” Yankovic began his songwriting career at age 7, when he received his first accordion for his luckiest birthday yet. After years of sending in demo tapes to the Dr. Demento Show, his favorite traveling radio program showcasing weird and off-kilter material, he was aired for the first time in his song, “Belvedere Cruisin’.” From that day forth, Alfred Matthew Yankovic has been unwaveringly committed to the entertainment of his constantly growing fan-base of weird, off-kilter subjects – and hardcore music fanatics alike.
Al’s latest album, Straight Outta Lynwood, is quite possibly his greatest yet. His 12th studio album, SOL spoofs everything from Green Day to Chamillionaire, and presents listeners with some of his most clever and musically masterful original work to date. Let’s take a quick look at each song before moving on to a final grade.
1) White & Nerdy – You’ve probably heard this one a dozen times by now, even if you’re not an Al-aholic. It’s received many awards, from its sensational music video reaching first place on MTV’s countdown to a couple of other Number 1 spots here and there. The song itself showcases some of Al’s finest vocalizing yet, and also some of the cleverest lyrics to grace a WAY MOBY record in quite some time. Excellent work.
2) Pancreas – At the totally opposite end of the spectrum for this release is Pancreas. While the vocals are harmonious and the music all right, the simple concept falls flat on its face. For an artist who revels in being a master of adaptation and variety, some excursions will inevitably be weaker than others. On any album, there has to be a song not many will listen to. This is it.
3) Canadian Idiot – This Green Day parody captures the rhythm and sound of Boulevard of Broken Dreams marvelously.
Ha. No, if you can read the title you’ve heard the song. Let’s move on.
4) I’ll Sue Ya - From the opening riff of this System of a Down tribute [a “Style Parody” in Al’s terminology] you know it’s gonna rock. The beat and rhythm changes after the first ten seconds to a more thrashing riff, and the rest is all Al. The lyrics here are pointed, well thought-out and, most importantly, some of the funniest on the album… Ben Affleck cheap-shot not withstanding. Awesome stuff.
5) Polkarama! – Sometimes the best stuff is that which doesn’t need to be changed to be hysterical. Al’s Polka medleys have always been some of the coolest on his records because they’re so simplistic in design, yet so hysterical in execution. Here, Al can take songs, which themselves, are played out and insipid to begin with, and make them into drop-dead hilarious parodies of themselves. No lyrics are changed, but to hear Al and the guys sing the Pussycat Dolls’ intolerable Don’t Cha or 50 Cent’s Candy Shop is simple, instantly identifiable brilliance.
6) Virus Alert – There’s not much to say about this one, but I like it. It’s got a groovy, oddball sound to it, and showcases Al and his band’s harmony perhaps as well as Pancreas, but listenable.
7) Confessions Part III – Al should do more R&B.
8) Weasel Stomping Day – There’s a conflict of interests on this one. Some say it sounds like it was simply meant to be Robot Chicken’ed, while others claim it’s inherently funny. At first, I agreed with the former, then I found it more and more fun to hum along with, and eventually I grew to love it for its demonstration of how the sick, pointless murder of animals can be an experience chock full of family fun and learning. Cool.
9) Close but No Cigar – We come, at last, to my favorite song on the album. This showcase of Al’s comedic genius while working outside of parody simply makes you feel awesome while listening to it. If this means anything in a critical sense, it’s the only song from the album I’ll listen to every single time it comes up on my iPod, without fail. In other words, the song is hilarious, rhythmic and thusly, a great example of Al’s developed experience in both humor and the musical arts.
10) Do I Creep You Out – I have to confess, I’m not a Taylor Hicks fan, I don’t know anything about him, I’ve never heard the original song he wrote, Do I Make You Proud, and I don’t really feel any affinity for Al’s parody. Unprofessional? When I start getting paid I’ll download a Taylor Hicks song.
11) Trapped in the Drive-Thru - You may think that this epic saga of Seinfeld-esque nothingness is second in length on Al’s innumerable track listings only to Running With Scissors’ Albuquerque, and you may be wrong. This is actually the 4th longest of Al’s track listings. If I may show my Alxpertice, the list goes as follows:
1 - Track 2 of Peter and the Wolf/Carnival of the Animals Part I (27:52)
2 - The final track of the Compact Disc release of Off the Deep End (beginning with You Don’t Love Me Anymore, followed by ten minutes of silence, and ending with Al’s shortest recording ever, Bite Me, clocking in at a whopping 6 seconds – Go listen, you’ll be amazed) (14:07)
3 – Albuquerque (11:23)
4 – Trapped in the Drive-Thru (10:50)
Yeah.
12) Don’t Download This Song – A nod to the 70s Buy the World a Coke, We Are the Children era of politically-charged mass harmony. An enjoyably understated way to end the greatest collected work of “Weird Al” Yankovic’s nearly 30 year career.
In addition to all this, the DVD side of this deluxe DualDisc release is packed with a grand collection of extras. Animated music videos for Pancreas, I’ll Sue Ya, Virus Alert, Weasel Stomping Day and Close but No Cigar are included. The best of these also happens to be for the best song, Close but No Cigar, as it was developed by John Kricfalusi, of Ren & Stimpy fame. Be warned, kiddies; John K.’s interpretation of Al’s relatively harmless song of tragically failed love may not be for the faint of heart; partial nudity and extreme hilarity abound here.
You also get a brief, clumsily developed BTS documentary covering a day of work on the album, and somewhat broken and karaoke feature. You can also play the entire album in 5.1 Enhanced Stereo Surround Sound, if you have the means. In addition, the liner notes feature some truly awe-inspiring Gangsta’ photography with Al and the band. A truly complete package, which adds value to what would have otherwise simply been a superb bare-bones release.
This album rocks. Get it.
"Straight Outta Lynwood" is on sale September 26, 2006 from Volcano Records.
