I've only heard the album once, and I was away while most of the new information was leaked, so I'll give this whole review thing a go.
1. White and Nerdy - pretty good, but it sometimes seems like more of what we've seen/heard before. The instrumental is very well done, but sometimes the lyrics get a bit too hard to hear clearly. Much better with the video. 8.5/10
2. Pancreas - weird. Funny in principle, but in reality it's just stupid. And the music is good, but gets too random in the same way that GIF does. 3/10
3. Canadian Idiot - it's okay. My main issue is that this in my mind was the totally wrong way to parody a Green Day song, and BoBD would have been a much, much better target that AI. Not enough international appeal and I didn't even hear a single "eh?" in the song. And the instrumental is poor in comparison to the real song. 5.5/10
4. I'll Sue Ya - a bit odd but pretty good. The repeated line near the end bugs me still but I can overlook that. Much funnier with the video. 7/10
5. Polkarama! - I like this one quite a bit. There a few songs in there which may have been better replaced with more well known songs which were overlooked in the parodies. BTW, I've never heard "Candy Shop" before but it's hilarious in this polka. 9/10
6. Virus Alert - Possibly my favourite on the album. The music's great and it's a very funny song too. Original idea for a song too. And the video is the icing on the cake. 9.5/10
7. Confessions Part III - again, pretty good. Quite a few laugh out loud moments, but I'm completely unfamiliar with the original, and I think that means I miss out a bit. Great singing work on this one. 7.5/10
8. Weasel Stomping Day - how completely random. Not laugh out loud funny but you still know it's somehow funny. The video helps this one a lot. I'm glad it's a short song though because you couldn't expand this idea to a full length song. 8/10.
9. Close But No Cigar - Had the potential to be funny, but it's a one joke premise and it's a bit too like figure-of-speech/pun based songs of old. The music is pretty good though and despite what I just wrote about this song I still find myself liking it quite a bit. 7/10.
10. Do I Creep You Out - I'm having a hard time forming an opinion about this one for some reason. Not familiar with the original though.
11. Trapped in the Drive-Thru - this is fairly good. This was a very good target and the principle of the original is very well parodied in this. It is pretty funny, but it could have been better. I guess my expectations were a bit too high for this one. Actually, this song gets better as it goes along. Somewhere between 8 and 8.5/10.
12. Don't Download This Song - very good. Pity I'd pretty much worn it out and got "used to" it while I was away. 7/10, but when I heard the early release it was more like 8/10.
You're Pitiful - would have been the best lead single. White and Nerdy is good but Al needed this song or a BoBD parody, along with a video this album around. Still majorly pissed at Atlantic Records about the whole issue. 8/10, but it would have been a 9/10 if it was actually on the album.
Overall - pretty good. Not as good as PH though. 8/10.
Straight Outta Lynwood Full Album Reviews
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Weirdalfreak27
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Here's my review, taken from my blog on Myspace, written the same day I purchased the album.
On September 26th, "Weird Al" Yankovic's new album, "Straight Outta Lynwood" made its debut. I've been a fan of Al's for years, but I have admitted a recent decline in how big of a fan I am. I still really enjoy his music, but in the years since I was first introduced to it (about '95, '96), I've broadened my musical tastes. However, I still picked up his new album the day it was released, if that tells you anything. On to the record:
After having listened to the entire thing in one sitting, I still have to say that I admire Al for keeping as musically current with his parodies and polkas as he has. The lyrics are still very clever, and the arrangements on the non parody songs Al has written remind me of the genius of Frank Zappa. Frank would arrange all his songs himself, to amazing effect, and so has Al done the same thing.
1.) White & Nerdy
A parody of "Ridin' Dirty" by Chamillionaire, I really feel like this song is a stronger lead parody than even "Couch Potato" (a parody of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" from Al's last studio album, "Poodle Hat") was. Al nails this parody to the wall, and it is a precursor to how the other parodies on the album turned out.
2.) Pancreas
The first of Al's original ballads on the album, "Pancreas" is a song about the pancreas' essential bodily functions, and is an obvious Beach Boys homage, with elements of educational explanations you'd find in a song by They Might Be Giants.
3.) Canadian Idiot
Parodying the Green Day song "American Idiot", I think Al's Canadian fans will understand that Al is just teasing with lines like: "Don't wanna be a Canadian idiot/don't wanna be some beer swilling, hockey nut".
4.) I'll Sue Ya
Though this is another song written by Al, it obviously parodies the style of Rage Against the Machine. It's funny take on the sheer amount of ridiculously frivolous lawsuits that are the norm in our time.
5.) Polkarama!
The album's (almost) obligatory polka is very strong. Al showcases those accordion skills that made him who he is, he shows that he still keeps his ear to music's current cultural vein. Throwing songs such as "Beverly Hills", "Take Me Out" and "Drop It Like It's Hot" into the medley, ending with Kanye West's "Gold Digger", it's sure to get Al fans off their seat and onto their feet.
6.) Virus Alert
Another song written by Al, it's a hilarious take off of those "virus alert" e-mails we all get at one point or another, telling us to watch out for the latest insipid, computer destroying virus to hit the internet.
7.) Confessions Pt. III
A parody of Usher's "Confessions Pt. II", Al pokes fun at the artists confession laden song in a hilarious manner, with lines like: " My boss thinks I'm a jerk, I didn't get that raise./ I haven't changed my underwear in twenty-seven days!/ And when I'm kissing you I fantasize you as a midget/ I'm so sorry Debbi! I mean Bridget!"
8.) Weasel Stomping Day
A fictional holiday Al dreamed up to write this song. The holiday is about exactly what the song title suggests it's about, and while I could see PETA giving him trouble over it (and regular readers to my blog KNOW what I think of PETA), it's still a hilarious song.
9.) Close, But No Cigar
The latest in a long line of songs about a girl that doesn't quite cut it for whatever reason, this is a fun take on those flaws that all of us have noticed in a partner at one point or another that have caused us to break up with them.
10.) Do I Creep You Out?
A parody of recent American Idol winner Taylor Hicks' song "Do I Make You Proud?" (again, regular readers will KNOW what I think of American Idol). A hilarious song about a guy whose obsession with a girl is just a little too far out there.
11.) Trapped In The Drive-Thru
It's this song, a parody of R. Kelly's recent "Trapped In The Closet", that makes it debatable as to whether "White & Nerdy" is the best parody on the record. "Trapped" is a spot on parody, with beats and lyrics all intact.
12.) Don't Download This Song
This is a hilarious take on the RIAA's crusade to stop file sharing and music downloading of recent years. Al pulls a classic bait and switch in this song, with the beginning actually sounding like he may be making a serious bid at stopping music piracy. As the song goes on, however, one can tell he is instead poking fun at the level of seriousness the issue has gained over time, with court litigations and arrests having been made, with lines like: "You start out stealing songs/then you're robbing liquor stores/and selling crack/and running over school kids with your car."
The disc is loaded with special features, as well. To make up for only having one video on his last album, Al has put an unprecedented 6 music videos on the DVD side of the DualDisc, along with a special "making of" segment, and a never before done option of hearing instrumental versions of the songs on the album with an on screen karaoke style lyrics option.
All in all, I give "Straight Outta Lynwood" 4 out of 5 stars, total. Not every song on the record had me rolling, but they did all definitely leave me smiling. I highly recommend the album to Al fans, and fans of comedic music in general. Hey, if any of you non Al fans out there could stomache a few laughs every now and then, you should pick it up, too!
On September 26th, "Weird Al" Yankovic's new album, "Straight Outta Lynwood" made its debut. I've been a fan of Al's for years, but I have admitted a recent decline in how big of a fan I am. I still really enjoy his music, but in the years since I was first introduced to it (about '95, '96), I've broadened my musical tastes. However, I still picked up his new album the day it was released, if that tells you anything. On to the record:
After having listened to the entire thing in one sitting, I still have to say that I admire Al for keeping as musically current with his parodies and polkas as he has. The lyrics are still very clever, and the arrangements on the non parody songs Al has written remind me of the genius of Frank Zappa. Frank would arrange all his songs himself, to amazing effect, and so has Al done the same thing.
1.) White & Nerdy
A parody of "Ridin' Dirty" by Chamillionaire, I really feel like this song is a stronger lead parody than even "Couch Potato" (a parody of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" from Al's last studio album, "Poodle Hat") was. Al nails this parody to the wall, and it is a precursor to how the other parodies on the album turned out.
2.) Pancreas
The first of Al's original ballads on the album, "Pancreas" is a song about the pancreas' essential bodily functions, and is an obvious Beach Boys homage, with elements of educational explanations you'd find in a song by They Might Be Giants.
3.) Canadian Idiot
Parodying the Green Day song "American Idiot", I think Al's Canadian fans will understand that Al is just teasing with lines like: "Don't wanna be a Canadian idiot/don't wanna be some beer swilling, hockey nut".
4.) I'll Sue Ya
Though this is another song written by Al, it obviously parodies the style of Rage Against the Machine. It's funny take on the sheer amount of ridiculously frivolous lawsuits that are the norm in our time.
5.) Polkarama!
The album's (almost) obligatory polka is very strong. Al showcases those accordion skills that made him who he is, he shows that he still keeps his ear to music's current cultural vein. Throwing songs such as "Beverly Hills", "Take Me Out" and "Drop It Like It's Hot" into the medley, ending with Kanye West's "Gold Digger", it's sure to get Al fans off their seat and onto their feet.
6.) Virus Alert
Another song written by Al, it's a hilarious take off of those "virus alert" e-mails we all get at one point or another, telling us to watch out for the latest insipid, computer destroying virus to hit the internet.
7.) Confessions Pt. III
A parody of Usher's "Confessions Pt. II", Al pokes fun at the artists confession laden song in a hilarious manner, with lines like: " My boss thinks I'm a jerk, I didn't get that raise./ I haven't changed my underwear in twenty-seven days!/ And when I'm kissing you I fantasize you as a midget/ I'm so sorry Debbi! I mean Bridget!"
8.) Weasel Stomping Day
A fictional holiday Al dreamed up to write this song. The holiday is about exactly what the song title suggests it's about, and while I could see PETA giving him trouble over it (and regular readers to my blog KNOW what I think of PETA), it's still a hilarious song.
9.) Close, But No Cigar
The latest in a long line of songs about a girl that doesn't quite cut it for whatever reason, this is a fun take on those flaws that all of us have noticed in a partner at one point or another that have caused us to break up with them.
10.) Do I Creep You Out?
A parody of recent American Idol winner Taylor Hicks' song "Do I Make You Proud?" (again, regular readers will KNOW what I think of American Idol). A hilarious song about a guy whose obsession with a girl is just a little too far out there.
11.) Trapped In The Drive-Thru
It's this song, a parody of R. Kelly's recent "Trapped In The Closet", that makes it debatable as to whether "White & Nerdy" is the best parody on the record. "Trapped" is a spot on parody, with beats and lyrics all intact.
12.) Don't Download This Song
This is a hilarious take on the RIAA's crusade to stop file sharing and music downloading of recent years. Al pulls a classic bait and switch in this song, with the beginning actually sounding like he may be making a serious bid at stopping music piracy. As the song goes on, however, one can tell he is instead poking fun at the level of seriousness the issue has gained over time, with court litigations and arrests having been made, with lines like: "You start out stealing songs/then you're robbing liquor stores/and selling crack/and running over school kids with your car."
The disc is loaded with special features, as well. To make up for only having one video on his last album, Al has put an unprecedented 6 music videos on the DVD side of the DualDisc, along with a special "making of" segment, and a never before done option of hearing instrumental versions of the songs on the album with an on screen karaoke style lyrics option.
All in all, I give "Straight Outta Lynwood" 4 out of 5 stars, total. Not every song on the record had me rolling, but they did all definitely leave me smiling. I highly recommend the album to Al fans, and fans of comedic music in general. Hey, if any of you non Al fans out there could stomache a few laughs every now and then, you should pick it up, too!
Let those who worship evil's might beware my power, Green Lantern's light!
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algonacchick
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mewrio, I don't think Al needed to pur an "eh" in Canadian Idiot, seeing that he did use "aboot" and rhymed "sorry" with "story". I know a lot of people said this song was predicatable, but, I could care less. I like it.
Hopefully, at least for some of the songs, they'll grow on you. If not, hey, we can't all love SOL *like I do*.
Tuck, nice review.
Hopefully, at least for some of the songs, they'll grow on you. If not, hey, we can't all love SOL *like I do*.
Tuck, nice review.
4 words that Al said to me that blew me away:
"How's Problem Child doing?" - 7/12/11
So awesome!
Al Team #325
"How's Problem Child doing?" - 7/12/11
So awesome!
Al Team #325
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SmileyGirl87
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Mewrio, Pancreas will grow on you. Trust me.
Well, not ON you. I'm sure you probably already have one in you. It probably won't change in size at all, as a matter of fact.
But two weeks from now, you'll want to up that three. Did you also dislike GiF when it came out?
Nice review Barney Slayer!
~*Cat*~
Well, not ON you. I'm sure you probably already have one in you. It probably won't change in size at all, as a matter of fact.
But two weeks from now, you'll want to up that three. Did you also dislike GiF when it came out?
Nice review Barney Slayer!
~*Cat*~
Straight Outta Lynwood:
Not a speck of gristle.
Not a speck of gristle.
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TheMeccaOfAlbinoPoodles
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FULL ALBUM BOUGHT!TheMeccaOfAlbinoPoodles @ Sep 9 2006, 02:06 AM wrote: Here's track-by-track, full album review at release (see sig).
White/Nerdy: Great lead single, 9/10 if not just for the Picard bit.
Pancreas: The most bizzare song on the album, but it's okay. 8/10
Canadian Idiot: Sort of underwhelming, it's basically the same joke over and over. 7/10
Sue Ya: I wasn't 'with' the style, but really really funny Affleck thing. 7/10
Polkarama: I'm gonna say this with every album, but best polka yet. Feel Good, Inc could've been longer. 9/10
Virus Alert: It's alright, a bit catchy. 8/10
Confessions Part 3: It's kind of funny, I bet it's funnier if you've heard the original. 7/10
Creep You Out: Weakest parody on the album. Never hit with me I suppose. 6/10
Weasel Stomping Day: Effing brilliant! Can't wait to see it animated. 8/10
Close But No Cigar: My favorite original on the album. As with WSD, can't wait to see how John K handles the song. 8/10
Trapped: GREATEST WEIRD AL PARODY EVER WRITTEN. I've never laughed as hard as I did when I first listened to this.
I don't even like liver! 100,000,000 / 10
Download: Already heard it, it's okay. 8/10
Overall? I don't know yet. On average it should be 7.41/10. This, however, in my opinion is going to be Al's best album.
Not bad, but it'll probably rise with the 5.1 recordings and stuff.
5.1 for Polkarama? Awesome.
Review for stuff!
THE ALBUM IN 5.1
You notice a lot more in super-detailed sound. Indeed, the "cheap bastard" comes in clear as a whistle. THE VIDEOS
DDTS and Weasel Stomping Day: LOL Opinions Given
Close But No Cigar: My favorite video on the album. Better, ironically, than every Ren and Stimpy: Adult Party Cartoon episode ever made.
Pancreas: Well, this is bizzare.
Virus Alert: RAB guy FTW! Great cameos by 2 of the characters.
"Does He Work Here?"
I'll Sue Ya: Video was pretty funny, a little better than the song.
Al In The Studio: This is gold, especially the DDTS bit.
All: 10/10. Best album yet.
The Office: NBC, Thursdays at 9.
If you're not watching, you're doing yourself great injustice.
If you're not watching, you're doing yourself great injustice.
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LethalCheddar
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Whatinthe27
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LethalCheddar
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SmileyGirl87
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Kevbo1987
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It obviously had something to do with the record label. It's pretty clear from the "Don't ask" that Al was pretty aggravated with whatever the mix-up was. He probably just didn't feel like going into it in detail.LethalCheddar @ Oct 3 2006, 07:46 AM wrote: As far as I am concerned "(Don't ask)" really is not much of a explanation.
Oh by the way, I've cracked the code.