Weird Al Yankovic: Straight Outta Lynwood
CML call number: CD/ROCK/Yankovic
Ben Greenman wrote in the New Yorker: "Weird Al's loopy pop comedy persists and even flourishes. Much of the reason for Weird Al's lean years had to do with the explosion of boy bands and gangsta rap, highly formulaic genres that resisted his approach. The new album's lead single, 'White and Nerdy,' ends the jinx. Reworking Chamillionaire's 'Ridin'' as an ode to socially awkward, technologically obsessed white guys is more than a chance for Weird Al to spit out rapid-fire jokes about Wikipedia and 'Star Trek': it's a canny reminder that the uncool make up much of the audience for hard-core rap. … 'Canadian Idiot,' derived from Green Day's 'American Idiot,' is a good one-liner. … 'Trapped in the Drive-Thru' can't top its inspiration, R. Kelly's epically ridiculous 'Trapped in the Closet.' … 'Pancreas' is a sweetly gross tribute to 'Smile'-era Beach Boys. 'I'll Sue Ya' co-opts the fiery agitprop of Rage Against the Machine. And 'Don't Download This Song,' the album's closer, is a sweeping ballad à la 'We Are the World' that details the evils of music piracy. It is, of course, offered as a free download on Weird Al's Web site" (10/16/06, p. 30).
Ben Greenman wrote in the New Yorker: "Weird Al's loopy pop comedy persists and even flourishes. Much of the reason for Weird Al's lean years had to do with the explosion of boy bands and gangsta rap, highly formulaic genres that resisted his approach. The new album's lead single, 'White and Nerdy,' ends the jinx. Reworking Chamillionaire's 'Ridin'' as an ode to socially awkward, technologically obsessed white guys is more than a chance for Weird Al to spit out rapid-fire jokes about Wikipedia and 'Star Trek': it's a canny reminder that the uncool make up much of the audience for hard-core rap. … 'Canadian Idiot,' derived from Green Day's 'American Idiot,' is a good one-liner. … 'Trapped in the Drive-Thru' can't top its inspiration, R. Kelly's epically ridiculous 'Trapped in the Closet.' … 'Pancreas' is a sweetly gross tribute to 'Smile'-era Beach Boys. 'I'll Sue Ya' co-opts the fiery agitprop of Rage Against the Machine. And 'Don't Download This Song,' the album's closer, is a sweeping ballad à la 'We Are the World' that details the evils of music piracy. It is, of course, offered as a free download on Weird Al's Web site" (10/16/06, p. 30).
posted by casemusic at 2:23 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home