Weird Al Yankovic - Poodle Hat
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Free Music Notes for Poodle Hat
Free Music Review: Al continues to kick some polka posterior
Hit: 5 Stars
So, the long waiting period is over, and Yankovic fans all over the globe have been graced with another CD by the Weird one himself. But is the CD any good? What are its highlights and lowlights if that's a word?Al sticks firmly to his "six original songs, five parodies and one polka" format of the last few years, and as always, with the parodies, it really depends on which song(s) you liked/hated the most to begin with.
So let's begin with the parodies.
"Trash Day" a parody of Nelly's "Hot In Herre", is standard great Al, very well done, about a guy who simply refuses to take the trash out: ("There's something rotten here // you better hold your nose". Great stuff.
"Ode To A Superhero", however, a parody of "Piano Man" by Billy Joel, is less great. Al's line of "film synopsis in a song" songs started with "The Saga Begins" on "Running With Scissors", and it's been done again, this time about the Spider-Man movie. The jokes are sparse, and while it's quite fun to watch Al give us the plot of the movie in a parody format, it's been done before, and it's not that funny.
For me, the highlight of the parodies is "A Complicated Song", turning Avril Lavigne's "Complicated". Each verse and chorus now tells a rather bizarre story, one about the effects of eating pizza for weeks, one about a girlfriend who's a little *too* similar to him, and one... well, you'll just have to experience that yourself. This really is Al getting back to his cheeky, impish roots, and reminds me of the good old days of "Like A Surgeon" and "Eat It". It's nicely low-brow, and it works.
"Couch Potato" sees Eminem's "Lose Yourself" turned into a song about TV shows. The parodying of Mr. Mathers' lyrics is very well done, but again it's been done. Twice. "Cable TV" (from "Dare To Be Stupid") and "I Can't Watch This" (from "Off The Deep End") were both, in their own ways, about how awful and/or addictive TV shows can be, and that's exactly what this is about. It's good, though, just so long as you haven't heard either or those aforementioned two other songs before.
"Ebay" parodies "I Want It That Way" by the Backstreet Boys, and is about all the useless junk you can buy on Ebay and in particular, a guy who delights in doing so. Again, it works well, and is very funny in places, particular if you're familiar with the world of Ebay. "Tell me why I bid on Shatner's old toupee//
They had it on eBay".
As is often the case on Al's CDs, it's the original songs which are the often-overlooked greatness of the album.
"Party At The Leper Colony" is a fun little song with lots of leprosy-related jokes along the lines of "I said, "Girl, now don't fall to pieces on me//But she cried her eyes out literally". The tune is simple and the whole song really sounds like it's off Al's first ever album, which is no bad thing at all.
"Wanna B UR Lovr", full of cheesy charm, is a Barry White/Isaac Hayes/Prince type innuendo-laden masterpiece. With great lines like "My love for you's like diarrhea // I just can't hold it in" and "You'd look like Venus de Milo // If I just cut off your arms" I found myself laughing hysterically. The tune's also great, sounding a little bit like a slowed-down "Waffle King" (from "Alapalooza"), and it's very, very funny.
A lot of people don't get "Bob". At first listen, it sounds like a Bob Dylan style song with seemingly random lyrics. However, all the lines are actually palindromes (sentences which read the same backwards and forwards) such as "Nurse I spy gypsies, run!" and "Rise to vote sir". And if you don't get it, feel free to consider yourself a muppet. It's great, and Al does sound a lot like Bob.
"Hardware Store" also seems to be splitting the fans, some dislike it because it's not funny, some love it because the tune is so brilliant. I'm of the latter ilk, the tune is probably the best original tune Al's ever come up with, I'd never heard anything like it before. Fantastic. True, it's not very funny (a guy who can't wait a new hardware store to open in town), but it's entertaining nonetheless. Bravo, Al.
"Genius In France" is very Frank Zappa, and I'm reliably informed that it's great if you like Mr. Zappa. I don't, sadly, and that means it really took me a while to get into the song. But I think it's fair to say that if you like Frank Zappa, you'll like this.
"Why Does This Always Happen To Me", with Ben Folds on piano, is a song from the great old tradition of Al songs which start off normal and get more and more weird as the song goes on, until by the last verse he's having a hole drilled in his head, burning down grocery stores, or, in this case, stabbing people in the face. It's great.
The polka ("Angry White Boy Polka") is, as Al's polkas always are, great when you know the original, okay when you don't. Among the polka-fied songs are Limp Bizkit's "My Way", Eminem's "The Real Slim Shady", Papa Roach's "Last Resort" and many more.
As usual, Al's pulled a pretty darn good album out of his massively insane hat. And while some songs on the album won't please some fans, there'll be something for everyone, I think. Hooray for Al and his albums, may he produce twenty-seven more.
Free Music Review: Poodle Hat!
Hit: 5 Stars
It may not be everyone's opinion, but it's the way I feel personally. Weird Al Yankovic has long been a fascination for me. The man is truly a genius and he puts on one heck of a show in concert. To constantly have the ability to write (for over two decades) some of the best parodies ever, and spread his talent among so many genres is simply amazing.
Poodle Hat runs the gambit as far as variety. Every song is worthy of multiple listens and suitable for sing-along.
1. Couch Potato:
A well-deserved direct parody of everything Eminem writes. Poking fun at "Lose Yourself," (the agonizing Oscar winning song) the song is based upon literally letting your television run your entire life. Everything from game shows to dramas from around the TV Guide is mentioned.
2. Hardware Store:
A whimsical song about a guy whose has one purpose in life. He wants to be the first in line and through the door when the newest hardware store in town opens. He's so excited to perhaps be one of the lucky consumers to receive a free ball peen hammer. This one will be a bit difficult to sing along with. Part of the song involves an enormously long list of everything possibly found in a hardware store. How Al got through the list in one breath, I will never know.
3. Trash Day:
If any song in the history of music deserved to be parodied, it was Nelly's "Hot in Here." Yankovic takes his turn at it by serenading the listener with the tale of how his house is a horrible, utter catastrophe. Disgusting things are happening in his abode, and he leaves no detail left unsaid.
4. Party at the Leper Colony:
Every so often, (four times on this album alone) Al takes certain jargon and turns them into comedic song. In this particular song, any and every quote you can think of containing a body part is hilariously packed into an upbeat, jazzy, toe tapping tune about (what else?) a Party at the Leper Colony! From "cat got your tongue" to "everyone cut footloose" and including "won't cost you an arm and a leg" are put to good use.
5. Angry White Boy Polka:
A few years ago, it was apparent on radio stations around the country, there are a lot of ticked off young men. In a tradition on his albums, he takes popular songs and sings them to a polka beat. Not only does it break down the fact that these singers should really stop whining and yelling so much, it also packs in a lot of decent songs and makes most of them listenable.
6. Wanna B Ur Lovr
Imagine every god awful pickup line you've either have used or heard. Now hear them with the beloved and twisted Weird Al comedic spin. With lines such as: "You must've fallen from heaven, that would explain how you messed up your face," the hilarity keeps coming nonstop.
7. A Complicated Song
A rich parody of the deservingly ludicrous song by Avril Lavigne. Weird Al takes the listener from a failed pizza party to an unfortunate accident at a local theme park. All the while, he has fun singing different and constantly hilarious rhymes to "complicated."
8. Why Does This Always Happen To Me.
Just when you think Al is going to grace us with a beautifully written and touching song about world events, he turns it around. This song is basically from the mind of one of the most selfish humans on the face of the earth. Everything that could go wrong in his life does. It's a brilliantly funny song.
9. Ode to a Superhero
One of the best parodies Al has ever done, in my eyes. This song almost beat for beat and lyric for lyric tells the story of the first Spider-Man movie to the tune of Billy Joel's Piano Man. The last few albums have had some pretty good parodies of classic songs, and this is simply the best. Lines such as: "Peter Parker was pitiful/couldn't be any shier/Mary Jane wouldn't notice him/even if his hair was on fire, makes this a song to definitely listen to over and over.
10. Bob
To me, and I feel I'm alone; this is one of Weird Al's most brilliant songs. With the first listen, it sounds just like a bunch of non-sensical lyrics. But when you listen to the style in which he's singing (like a world famous and constantly misunderstood folk singer.) Then put that Bob Dylan attitude together with the words (all palindromes,) it becomes more and more catchy.
11. EBay
If there was ever a deserving song to be made fun of, it's pretty much anyone by The Backstreet Boys. The fad boy band got what they richly deserved by Weird Al singing a tune bragging about what odd and totally useless items he's found on everyone's favorite internet auction site.
12. Genius in France
This is certainly one of Yankovic's meanest songs to date. Basically, the entire (and long) song is one big put down on all things French. According to Al, even if you're the dumbest schmuck in the world, you're still considered a genius in gay Parie!
Free Music Review: Al is back and he hasn't missed a beat!
Hit: 5 Stars
Having seen Al in concert twice (the showmanship alone is worth the price of admission), I practically bounced off the walls when I heard about Poodle Hat's upcoming release. And boy oh boy was I ever rewarded for my anticipation...For the reader's convienience, a track by track review follows:
1. Couch Potato (parody of Eminem's "Lose Yourself")
- I'm kind of torn. I'm very impressed with Al's use of the music, yet at the same time I think he said all he needed to say with previous songs like Headline News and I Can't Watch This. A fun tune nonetheless.
2. Hardware Store (original Al)
- This song is great! I can say with all honesty I am addicted to this tune now. From the catchy music to the deftly edited chorus to the downright brilliant bridge (with a machine-gun speed listing of the wares of the store), this is one of Al's best.
3. Trash Day (parody of Nelly's "Hot in Herre")
- This shows how truly amazing Al is. I had a severe dislike for the original, but Al's version made me appreciate it again. Solid stuff with some great female backing vocals.
4. Party at the Leper Colony (original Al)
- I'll say this for Al: He knows he's not perfect and he won't hit one out of the park every time. The cute leper puns don't always work in the song, but the music is just so darned catchy that it more than makes up for it. Just don't think too hard about what the song is saying and you'll have a great time hearing this track.
5. Angry White Boy Polka (Al's polka medley of, well, angry white boys from Staind to Disturbed and everything in between)
- I heard this track for the first time in a Borders and almost knocked over a display laughing. Al has got the modern polka medley down to a science and does not let up here either. You've got to hear it to believe it.
6. Wanna B UR Lovr (original Al)
- This is the only song on the record that faltered a bit for me. I just never found the constant stream of bad pickup lines that funny. Maybe I just need to listen to it some more...
7. A Complicated Song (parody of Avril Lavigne's "Complicated")
- Another of my favorite songs on the album. It starts off as a simple parody, and just gets better and better as the song goes on. One of the things that has impressed me most about Al through the years is that his voice is so incredibly versatile. He puts those pipes to great use here. Even if you hated the original, you'll find yourself loving this one.
8. Why Does This Always Happen To Me? (original Al)
- Ben Folds tickles the ivories on this track to great effect on a nice piece of musicianship by Al and the band. Al doesn't try too hard, and he doesn't have to. Solid lyrics with some good music make for a good song to listen to.
9. Ode to a Superhero (parody of Billy Joel's "Piano Man")
- It worked when Al used the Phantom Menace for fodder, and it works again with Spider-Man. This is another of my favorites on this album, as Al does a perfect job of using Joel's music for his own purposes. It's not necessarily funny all the way through, but it doesn't need to be. This is one parody that stands on its own. You won't be able to help yourself singing along (I sure can't).
10. Bob (original Al, with a nod to Mr. Dylan)
- Sheer lyrical brilliance from Al! Not only does the delivery of the words and the music capture the folk legend perfectly, but the words...wow. Every phrase of the lyrics a palindrome? Unreal.
11. EBay (parody of the Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way")
- Another great example of Al making a hated song great. This is another of my favorites on this album. Excellent lyrics plus dead-on impressions of the boy-band style which he has always done well (see also "The White Stuff"). Quality stuff.
12. Genius In France (original Al, with a nod to Frank Zappa)
- Dweezil Zappa guest plays guitar on this hilarious homage to his father. Absolutely brutal towards the French in ways to numerous to count, the song is this album's "Albuquerque" (see Running with Scissors for that gem). Granted it runs over 9 minutes, but you hardly notice the time flying by. What a way to end the album!
When you buy the album, put it in your computer for 8 bonus remixes (the vocal mix of Hardware Store is my personal favorite), photos, song synchronized lyrics, and a hysterical group of Al's home movies narrated by none other than Al himself. All in all, this is one of Al's best albums to date and even if you are not a die-hard CPFOA (Close Personal Friend of Al), the amazing work comes through which makes for a highly enjoyable time! Do I smell a Grammy?
Free Music Review: One of my personal favorites from "Weird Al" Yankovic
Hit: 5 Stars
I was listening to mainstream music more than any other time, so I actually knew the original songs. I feel that this was also when his live shows were at their best. I saw him in the forth row on the day before my birthday on the first show he did after his parents died. It was sad hearing about how they died in the news, the next day, but he did such a great job that night.
For the album. I'll give you a track by track review that other people have been giving on this album because that's just what a "Weird Al" album deserves.
1. "Couch Potato" is a parody of Eminem's tune "Lose Yourself," which is one of the deepest tunes by Eminem. "Weird Al" took a tune as emotional as that and made it funny. It's about a person who watches TV a lot, something that just about any true American can relate to.
2. "Hardware Store" shows Al's true talent as a musician and a composer. He sings at the speed of light, clearly annunciating every single word, with a lot of vocal harmonies perfectly in sync with each other. The song itself is about going to a hardware store and being really excited about a hardware store.
3. "Trash Day" was a great parody of Nelly's big hit "Hot in Here." The obvious parody would be, "it's getting cold in here, so put on all your clothes," but Al surprises us with other ideas. He stays away from the common ideas like, "Oops! I Farted Again," and would have probably used an idea like "Oops! I Bit it Again." However, Al never used an idea like that.
4. "Party At The Leper Colony" makes fun of that Bo Diddley/Buddy Holly sort of idea, but has a twist on it. It is basically a lot of beliefs on what leprosy is, mixed with a lot of figurative terms.
5. "The Angry White Boy Polka" is yet another polka medley of the latest tunes on the chart that Al didn't have enough room to parody on an album. He has still forgotten to parody some of the biggest names in music, including Christina Aguilera, *NSYNC, and Britney Spears. However, while releasing albums less frequently than he used to, he can miss a huge era in music. I guess the saying you haven't made it until you've been parodied by "Weird Al" isn't as true as it could be.
6. "Wanna B Ur Lovr" is a collection of old lame pick up lines, done as one of those "Mr. Cool" sort of tunes. Just remember, this is no way to really get laid.
7. "A Complicated Song" is a complicated song. Three verses, each one about something else. He uses a lot of different rhymes for complicated. This shows how clever a lyricist "Weird Al" is. I guess Eminem isn't the only one who comes up with genius comedic lyrics, but Eminem has lost his way, and didn't have specific rhythms to do.
8. "Why Does This Always Happen to Me?" is a song that every selfish person, like I was at the time, can relate to. However, he's really making fun of it. I don't want to give away any surprises, but I can tell you, you'll want to listen to it again.
9. "Ode to a Superhero" is yet another parody of an old classic where Al summarizes a movie. Again, I don't want to give anything away. You probably should see Spider-Man first. The song he's parodying is "Piano Man" by Billy Joel.
10. "Bob" is what everyone thinks that Bob Dylan is like, but it's a collection of palindromes. The title itself also is one.
11. "EBay" is the only parody of a teen pop song from that era that "Weird Al" actually has done. I guess it's worth it. He basically talks about every [...] he's bought on the website itself.
12. "Genius in France" is a tune that most people don't understand the reference to. IT'S A TRIBUTE TO FRANK ZAPPA IDIOTS!!! If you don't know who Frank Zappa was, he was a genius, but Americans labeled him as a treacherous cretin. The French understood his work, and wouldn't tell me that he wasn't academic enough to do a research paper on. He imitates Frank Zappa's style really well, and also, Dweezil Zappa does a guitar solo on this track. Frank Zappa would be very proud.
In general I have to say... I just wasted a lot of time writing this review when all I had to say was BUY IT AFTER YOU SEE SPIDER-MAN!!!
Free Music Review: Solid and very funny
Hit: 5 Stars
As a long time "Weird Al" fan, I was obviously hoping for the best, and I was certainly not disappointed by his latest effort, "Poodle Hat." While it may not be as good as "Off the Deep End" or "Alapalloza", it continues in the tradition of "Running With Scissors" and a new sound for the master of the parody.Couch Potato (Parody of "Lose Yourself")- A good choice for his main song from the album, especially given Eminem's insane (and well deserved) popularity and Oscar for Best Song (be sure to keep an eye out on Em's next disc; it's sure to have several "Al" disses). And there's even a line talking about how TiVO thinks he's gay since he once watched "Will and Grace," which simultaneously pokes fun at Eminem and defends him, saying "Hey, you don't take ME seriously when I make fun of being gay, why should we get mad at Eminem? We're both just joking." Funny song, but Al just can't flow as well as Em. I know, I suppose I should be wishing for a pink pony, as long as I'm at it.
Hardware Store- Maybe he can't flow, but he can talk faster than anyone that I've heard. The song even has a nice bounce and a descent melody line as well, in a song that could be really, really boring, since the song is mostly about all of the items that one could find in a hardware store. One of the albums best.
Trash Day (Parody of "Hot in Herre")- I think that this song is weakened by the fact that it's the second rap song parodied on the disc. But if you take it by itself, it's quite amusing to hear Al rap about trash.
Party at the Leper Colony- Once of my favorites. People have slammed this song for being to foul for talking about dismembered body parts, but everything he says is a metaphor like "She was quite a talker till the cat got her tongue...but she cried her eyes out, literally." But it has a nice 50's groove/rock feel to it, so the lyrics don't matter a while lot.
Angry White Boy Polka- Pretty much like what it sounds like. Al's recent victims of Polkaitis are the rock groups of today. Very funny, but Al, why did you need to send up our good buddy Eminem twice?
Wanna B Ur Lover- The constant stream of terrible pickup lines make up for the wannabe funk beat that Al's going for. The lyrics are funny, but the song itself is worth skipping.
A Complicated Song (Parody of "Complicated")- This song doesn't really have any focus. He has three totally unrelated anecdotes, whose outcome makes it possible to make a bunch of words rhyme with "Complicated." But once again, the lyrics are funny enough to make up for that.
Why does this always happen to me?- One of my favorites. A really nice melody line AND really clever lyrics about a man who is completely self centered.
Ode to a Superhero (Parody of "Piano Man")- With Billy Joel as a foundation, how can you go wrong? Fans of "The Saga Begins" (the Parody of American Pie) will be thrilled.
Bob- Definitely the most clever original song that Al's come up with. The whole song's just a bunch of Palindromes (sentences that read the same forward and backwards like "No lemons, no melon"). But it's an obvious send-up of Dylan, and Al sounds just like him, and the lyrics are something Dylan could have written.
Ebay (Parody of "I want it that way")- Al is talking about all the ridiculous things he bought on Ebay. I think I'm one of the only people who still like the original song (at least one of the few males), and Al's voice singing to the tune is absolutely hysterical, and I'm not even talking about the lyrics (which are great too).
Genius on France- Similar to "Albuquerque," though not as clever, this near 9:00 minute song recounts the not-so-swashbuckling tale of a doofus who is regarded as a genius in the land of the $60 Frog Legs. A fine finisher.
Overall, I'm happy with what Al has cranked out. One of his better ones, but I don't think we'll ever again see the era of "Smells Like Nirvana" and "One More Minute," two fine examples which shows what Al can parody and create on his own. "Poodle Hat" is of equal caliber to "Running with Scissors" and I look forward to hearing who Al's next victim is a few years from now on his next disc. Way to go, Al!