Re: Rank the songs on Mandatory Fun
Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 2:39 pm
Okay, I'm going to give this a try after spending a lot more time with the album. I want to preface this list by saying that I genuinely like every track. Unlike other albums, where there has almost invariably been at least one dud, MF is nearly perfect and there's not a single song that I skip unless I just don't have nine minutes and five seconds of listening time available.
1. Word Crimes - At first, I liked Tacky better, but now that I'm more familiar with it and have caught all the lyrics, it's the best song on the album and one of Al's best ever.
2. Jackson Park Express - Incredibly clever, full of great twists. Love the concept and never feels like nine minutes. Another instant classic.
3. First World Problems - Love the Pixies style and the topic, while a familiar internet meme, is still funny and Al does a great job with it.
4. My Own Eyes - As accurate as style parodies get, and a welcome rock track that we haven't had in a while. Hilarious lyrics.
5. Tacky - Still great. Lots of funny jokes on the topic and benefits from the catchiness of the target. Are there people who don't dance to this song? How do they manage that?
6. Lame Claim to Fame - Catchy as hell and I love the concept. Some subtle, clever jokes and never wears thin.
7. Mission Statement - So subtle. So brilliant. It's hard for me to put it this low, but that's just how good this album is.
8. Foil - The video put this song in perspective for me, and now that I see what it's actually doing, I love it. Sort of a new concept for a parody, which is nice to see.
9. Sports Song - As a college football junkie, this song hits the sweet spot. A nice jab at the irrationality of sports fans.
10. Now That's What I Call Polka - Suffers a little from the smaller-than-usual number of targets. There's some good stuff in here, but there are enough targets that weren't ingrained in my skull that it isn't as satisfying as a "Polka Power" or "Polka Your Eyes Out." But still quite good. Could do without the fart noise.
11. Inactive - Not much material to work with to craft jokes, but I do like what's here. I feel like Al could've done more to alleviate the repetition in the chorus, but it's still a solid song. It doesn't bother me that he's gone down this road before, because this is the superior attempt.
12. Handy - I enjoy it, and it's still growing on me, but it's the weakest parody. I don't feel like it will have as much staying power as the rest of the album and will probably end up being the lone skipper of the batch. That said, it's certainly the best "dud" of any album.
I know recency bias is an issue, but I've been listening to this album since it leaked and it's only gotten better. It's still too early to say, but this really feels like his best album ever.
1. Word Crimes - At first, I liked Tacky better, but now that I'm more familiar with it and have caught all the lyrics, it's the best song on the album and one of Al's best ever.
2. Jackson Park Express - Incredibly clever, full of great twists. Love the concept and never feels like nine minutes. Another instant classic.
3. First World Problems - Love the Pixies style and the topic, while a familiar internet meme, is still funny and Al does a great job with it.
4. My Own Eyes - As accurate as style parodies get, and a welcome rock track that we haven't had in a while. Hilarious lyrics.
5. Tacky - Still great. Lots of funny jokes on the topic and benefits from the catchiness of the target. Are there people who don't dance to this song? How do they manage that?
6. Lame Claim to Fame - Catchy as hell and I love the concept. Some subtle, clever jokes and never wears thin.
7. Mission Statement - So subtle. So brilliant. It's hard for me to put it this low, but that's just how good this album is.
8. Foil - The video put this song in perspective for me, and now that I see what it's actually doing, I love it. Sort of a new concept for a parody, which is nice to see.
9. Sports Song - As a college football junkie, this song hits the sweet spot. A nice jab at the irrationality of sports fans.
10. Now That's What I Call Polka - Suffers a little from the smaller-than-usual number of targets. There's some good stuff in here, but there are enough targets that weren't ingrained in my skull that it isn't as satisfying as a "Polka Power" or "Polka Your Eyes Out." But still quite good. Could do without the fart noise.
11. Inactive - Not much material to work with to craft jokes, but I do like what's here. I feel like Al could've done more to alleviate the repetition in the chorus, but it's still a solid song. It doesn't bother me that he's gone down this road before, because this is the superior attempt.
12. Handy - I enjoy it, and it's still growing on me, but it's the weakest parody. I don't feel like it will have as much staying power as the rest of the album and will probably end up being the lone skipper of the batch. That said, it's certainly the best "dud" of any album.
I know recency bias is an issue, but I've been listening to this album since it leaked and it's only gotten better. It's still too early to say, but this really feels like his best album ever.