Weird Al Yankovic - Poodle Hat
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Free Music Notes for Poodle Hat
Free Music Review: Poodle Hat grows on you.
Hit: 5 Stars
At first, I thought most of the parodies were kind of lacking, but I think that was due to my not being all that familiar with the originals; I recognized less than half the rock songs in "Angry White Boy Polka" for instance. After a couple listens, however, the whole album really grew on me, and I can't say I think a single song on the album is "lackluster"; I listen to and appreciate some tracks a WHOLE lot more than others, but I like them all!A lot of these reviewers seem to be missing the jokes. People in general seem to get this idea that if you parody something, you're mocking it and hate it, and that the writer IS the *character* singing the song. I parody stuff I *like* more than *dislike,* and Al has said similar stuff about the topics and tunes he spoofs; plus, poetry and comedic songs alike tend to NOT be very autobiographical--just because Al sings about stabbing his boss in the face, that doesn't mean Al himself is having a bad day (or is homicidal)...after all, since when does Al Yankovic work 9-to-5 in an office building?
Anyway, the originals are much deeper on this album than usual (thus even MORE people seem to be missing the jokes).
"Hardware Store" is just incredible, simply put; the joke is the sheer amount of energy put into such a mundane topic as a hardware store opening -- kind of like "Couch Potato" expending such intensity over TV shows that the character singing likes and dislikes.
I thought the humor in "Party At The Leper Colony" and "Why Does This Always Happen To Me?" was only mildly morbid, so imagine my shock reading reviewers who said they were too gross to even enjoy. To each one's own; just judge them for yourselves, but don't miss the ridiculous light-hearted puns in "Party" or the irony of New-York-jazz-rock cheeriness in "Why?"
I read way too many Amazon reviews complaining about the cheesiness of "Wanna B Ur Lovr" *withOUT* mentioning its dead-on hot-steamy-Prince-sound and "subtle bluntness"-ironies PLUS the mixed metaphors and chorus come-ons that just *scream* "I'll jump on anything that even *looks* like a girl." The fact that The Symbol Guy has turned down Al consistently all these years for a parody adds to this style-spoof's charm in *my* opinion. I only HOPE Al makes this a video and/or a concert performance song.
"Bob" and "Genius In France" seem to *me* to be about homage and *NOT* mockery. Society's joke is that normal people can't understand what Bob Dylan sings unless they have a lyric sheet, and Al delivers; he sings confusing phrases with bad enunciation that only portray their genius after the palindromic joke is realized. Also, I *like* French culture, and I was *not* offended by "Genius In France"; before I even knew it was a nod to Frank Zappa, I thought it was great social commentary on 1.the French calling some things "artistic genius" or "comedic genius" that don't always fly well in America (think Jerry Lewis and mimes), AND 2.Americans and their own hypocritical haughtiness towards other cultures, especially the French for some odd reason; plus, it was just a really fun, goofy song!
Last mention: the enhanced portions rock!! Apparently, you must have QuickTime 6 Pro to unlock one certain little secret...
Free Music Review: a true talent of our day
Hit: 5 Stars
I gotta tell ya, like most people, I don't think Weird Al can revolutionize the music scene in any way. He can copy it, he can joke about it... but is he a true musical talent that should be taken seriously?? YES! When you can objectively listen to his music and not think about the joke that may be involved, and just LISTEN to what this guy can do - specifically his original stuff, kinda pretend that it isn't weird al but some new band you just found... you must admit the guy is REALLY TALENTED!!
Hardware Store has to be one the best songs I've heard in a while. Honestly, sure the lyrics are corny, the topic fails in substance, but when you realize that everything else that is on the radio is no different.... you may realize I'm not far from wrong here. Great lyrical set-up, visual is painted well, music composition is right on, his musicians are NO slouches by any means, follows the traditional verse chorus verse chorus breakdown formula... just like so many songs out there.... but this breakdown.... HOLY GOD!!!! You have to listen to this about 10 times to REALLY appreciate what al is doing here. I listen to it now, and all I can say is "GDAMN!!!!!"
I love the way Weird pays tribute to certain musical icons by totally making fun of their style. Genius in France is a GREAT song that even Frank Zappa would say "eh... not bad kid". I never expected Weird Al to know who Frank Zappa is, but when he can write a song very similiar to his worshipfulness, musicians must admit... "the man is good". AL deserves some true props here.
"BOB - although a bit overembellished, is quite cute and clever.
One of the things that has kept me from listening to bob dylan is the way he sings, Weird Al hits it right on... cause what you hear from Weird Al is EXACTLY what I hear from Bob Dylan. The lyrics albeit stolen and not original, are arranged in clever format. Good song.
And for me, Couch Potato has copied Eminem's style to a T!!!! This song is a perfect redition of lose yourself. the lyrics have obviously had some true work put into them. More so than Shady himself on the original the first time around. And when you listen to the content of the words and the inflection that is copied, you realize exactly how retarded Eminem sounds when he's serious. Weird AL honors, and disses Eminem all in one shot, and he does it by BECOMING eminem.
Angry White boy Polka? Every head banger needs to hear this. Too funny.
Trash Day had me in stitches!!! I CAN't STAND the original. This is the kind of mindless drivel that is polluting our airwaves, and Al makes a terrible song tolerable, by making the topic funny.
This is a good CD. Weird Al worked hard on this and his efforts show. If you know music, you'll walk away with a new respect for this man. Yeah, he's childish, and corney, and goofey, and predictable sometimes... but you realize that the people he emulates are no different and you've given THEM respect???
You can respect Average Levigne and not Weird Al. You just can't.
4/5 8.5/10 VERY GOOD
Free Music Review: YES! Al has surpassed his RWS album!
Hit: 5 Stars
It has been almost 4 years fellow al-oholics. His latest album has been released (not in Australia yet though) and I'm sure you're all wanting to know if it's worth it. Well the short answer is 'Yes'. It is definitely one of his best works so far and is a little less out-of-date compared to RWS's subject matter when it was released. Here it is song-by-song:Track 1: Couch Potato (4.5/5)
I never thought Weird Al would manage to get the permission for making a parody of one of Eminem's songs let alone the hit Lose Yourself. This song is great and pokes fun at cable TV.
Track 2: Hardware Store (3.5/5)
A fast-paced song, which becomes almost impossible to decipher at one point - it's a guy who is basically rambling about the new hardware store. Not great, but quite a good original song.
Track 3: Trash Day (4/5)
Although Al doesn't quite get Nelly's voice right this song is hilarious for the lyrics alone. There's garbage all over the place and he's too lazy to get rid of it.
Track 4: Party at the Leper Colony (4/5)
This song has grown on me and is really funny with all the wordplay.
Track 5: Angry White Boy Polka (5/5)
A medley in his classic polka style. All the songs featured are also favs of mine. Includes (but not limited to) POD, Papa Roach, The Vines, The Strokes, SoaD, Eminem and Limp Bizkit.
Track 6: Wanna B Ur Lovr (4/5)
Don't play this too often but I think it's clever and damn funny. Like a guy rattling off really bad cliched pick-up lines.
Track 7: A Complicated Song (5/5)
One of my favorites on the CD. Avril Lavigne is shredded to pieces by Weird Al's pizza party, consequent constipation, blood-related girlfriend and roller-coaster decapitation.
Track 8: Why Does This Always Happen to Me? (4/5)
Some abbreviated lyrics "...devastating earthquake in Peru, 30,000 people were crushed to death, even more were buried alive... God answer me one question, why'd they have to interrupt the Simpsons just for this? - Enough said.
Track 9: Ode to a Superhero (5/5)
This would be the "Saga Begins" type song for the album. A classic song (Billy Joel's Piano Man) is reworded to pay homage to a classic sci-fi movie. This time it's the spiderman movie, it even mentions the upside down kiss in the rain.
Track 10: Bob (3/5)
I don't know who this Bob guy is and thus the song holds no significance there. It's still pretty funny but I'll see who the guy is and then make a final judgment.
Track 11: eBay (5/5)
The old Backstreet Boys' "I Want it That Way" has been dusted off and rebranded. I'm an ebay power-seller myself and the way he's done the song is true to life.
Track 12: Genius in France (3.5/5)
Still funny even though I do not know Frank Zappa. It might make more sense if I did but everything by Al is always funny.
Overall I'd give the album a 4.5/5. It is the best one in awhile and only just beats RWS because the songs are based on recent matter and are fresh. A highly recommended CD and I urge you to go and buy it right now.
Free Music Review: Classic "Weird Al", a must-have for fans...
Hit: 5 Stars
All Weird Al fans would do well to purchase this album, which contains 5 song parodies, 6 original songs, and the obligatory Polka medley. I was lucky enough to get a copy of the album shortly after its release. Here's a brief synopsis of the tracks:1. "Couch Potato", parody of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" -- a great opening track, think of it as "You can't Watch This" updated for the new decade of reality shows and other inane stuff on TV. [9/10]
2. "Hardware Store", original music -- guy is bored, and lives for the arrival of a new hardware store. A bit of an odd topic, but good lyrics, and catchy beat. [7/10]
3. "Trash Day", parody of Nelly's "Hot in Herre" -- story of someone who just doesn't know when to throw away the garbage, and lets it pile up. Very well parodied. [9/10]
4. "Party at the Leper Colony", original music -- exactly what the title implies. This song was Al's way of including "body part" metaphors in almost every line. [8/10]
5. "Angry White Boy Polka", song medley. All songs sung by Al, originally written by, who else, angry white guys. Features lyrics by Papa Roach, Limp Bizkit, and Eminem, among others. [8/10]
6. "Wanna B Your Lover", original music -- another one of Al's classic demented love songs. Guy wants to meet a girl, and uses all sorts of bizarre pick-up lines. [8/10]
7. "A Complicated Song", parody of Avril Lavigne's "Complicated" -- hilarious song, which contains 3 "mini-stories", one for each verse. Excellent lyrics, parodied perfectly. IMO, tied with "E-Bay" (see below) for best track. [10/10]
8. "Why Does This Always Happen to Me?", original music -- Guy rants and raves about his hardly serious problems, while ignoring real problems happening elsewhere. Decent song. [7/10]
9. "Ode to a Superhero", parody of Billy Joel's "Piano Man". Remember the "American Pie" parody synopsis of the Star Wars movie on Al's previous album? This is virtually the same thing, substituting "Spiderman" rather than Star Wars. It's actually pretty funny if you've seen the movie, or are familiar with the comic in general. [9/10]
10. "Bob", original music -- strange song consisting of nothing but Al putting various palindromes ("Go hang a salami, I'm a lasagna hog!") to music. As a big fan of wordplay like this, I liked this song, although there is no real theme or story. [8/10]
11. "E-Bay", parody of Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" -- hilarious spoof about an E-Bay addict who buys useless stuff he doesn't even need. As a certified E-Bay user, I thought this was the best song on the album. Plenty of examples of [...] items, including the almost obligatory Doctor Dre reference. :-) [10/10]
12. "Genius in France", original music -- a long track at just under 9 minutes. Similar style with "Albuquerque" on Al's previous album. About a man who's considered a dimwit in America, but who's considered a genius in France. Plenty of stinging French stereotypes (wonder if this was written after France's shenanigans at the United Nations). [9/10]
[...]
Free Music Review: Well worth the wait, Weird Al's newest CD is great!
Hit: 5 Stars
This CD is a great balance of Al's original songs (always entertaining), style parodies and of course the popular artist parodies that keep his royalty checks rolling in.First, my review of the parodies.
The first track (the very contraversial parody of Eminem's "Lose Yourself") is good and upbeat. Why Mr. Mathers decided to decline permission for Al to do a video parody for this song is beyond me. In 10 years, Eminem will be on VH1's "Where are they Now" right after Vanilla Ice, while Al will still be around, so I'm not sure why he gave up this golden opportunity to be parodied by the "Great one".
Trash Day (a Nelly Parody) is good, but I'm not really a fan of the original Nelly song. Al keeps the running joke about a dirty apartment funny, but the song itself is pretty slow. Not my favorite parody track on the album.
The Angry White Boy Polka is a great polka, covering at least 10 popular "alternative" arists from Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit, to the Hives, Vines, Strokes, plus tons of the other headbanging headliners. Papa Roach, P.O.D, and yes...Eminem again. These crazy polka medleys are usually my favorite tracks on the album, but this time...there are so many good tracks, it's hard to choose it as my favorite.
The Complicated song is presently getting some Airplay in Seattle. It's an Avril Lavigne parody, comprised of not one, but THREE different premises. Pizza, Incest, and Decapitation. It's a winner for sure....and was definitely one of my favorites right away.
Ode to a Superhero is a parody of Piano Man by Billy Joel about the recent Spiderman movie. I believe this is the first time Al has put a song this old on a newer album, but I loved it. Plus, if you didn't see that stupid Spiderman movie last summer, it's a great way to find out what it was about without actually having to watch it. A definite plus in my book.
Finally, the Ebay song. I hate the Backstreet boys, but I LOVE this song. The premise never runs thin....and it's actually a catchy tune when it's not being sung by five 29 year old "boys" in pastel shirts.
His style parodies include songs in the style of Frank Zappa, Bob Dylan and Prince. They are all alright, but my FAVORITE song on the album has got to be "Hardware Store". It's a very up tempo track about a guy camping out in front of his local hardware store. Plus there's a verse so fast, you'll have to play it dozens of times before you catch all the tools he's talking about.
Finally, don't forget the extras. Instrumental tracks, alternate mixes (including more Ben Folds stuff), lyrics that scroll along with the songs...and Al's home videos. You won't get these if you download the album....so BUY a CD now!
Over-all, this is one of his better albums. It's not in my top 3, but it's right up there in the top 5 with Running with Scissors. I recommend casual fans and CPOA's alike pick this one up today.