Music review: Flight of the Conchords – ‘Flight of the Chonchords’
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Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords
Sub Pop Records
Rating: 4
Comedic music doesn’t ever stay fresh for very long – nobody regularly listens to Tenacious D or Weird Al anymore, and few probably ever did anyway. The comedic folk duo of HBO’s “Flight of the Conchords,“ on the other hand, is set to last for quite a while.
Starring New Zealand natives Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, Flight of the Conchords is as much of a show as it is a full-fledged two-man band, whose songs serve as a centerpiece for the show’s subtle, awkward humor. Their second release and first feature-length album brings most of the show’s diverse array of songs together into a 42-minute compilation that’s both entertaining and impressive from start to finish.
Though the music of FOTC is most often described as acoustic/electronic folk, their songs incorporate a surprisingly wide range of styles, as most are parodies of similar genres and artists. Clement’s deep and often breathy vocal style compliments McKenzie’s softer melodic touch in songs that travel from narrative ‘70s soul to guitar-based rap in “Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros.“
Clement and McKenzie’s lyrics are what truly constitute the subtle hilarity of the band’s songs. “Think About It” is a satirical and hilarious version of a MTV-saturated world critique. “Foux De Fa Fa” comes across as a very convincing French-Brazilian number yet is entirely composed of intro-level French vocabulary, such as “soup du jour” and “baguette.“
Despite the comedic nature of the show, the album is extremely impressive and elevates FOTC’s music to a higher level than other artists of the “genre.“ Clement and McKenzie showcase their astounding musical ability in every song, typically through the simplicity of acoustic guitars, synthesizers and a basic drum rhythm. It is hardly a cut-from-the-film soundtrack, as each song has been carefully recorded and produced at professional studio quality specifically for the album. And though FOTC still discusses things like robots and David Bowie in space, they’ve achieved a level of musical sophistication that’s unmatched even by many serious bands.
However, the full effect of FOTC’s subtle humor isn’t all quite there on the album alone and is slightly dependent on the physical picture. The lack of McKenzie’s flowery mannerisms and Jemaine’s massive face slightly dilutes the lyrical comprehension. Anyone unfamiliar with the show most likely won’t get it, especially since the music is so well done.
Those who haven’t experienced Flight of the Conchords by now are in for some serious enjoyment. Rent the DVD first, though, and get the album once you’re hooked.
–Justin Ho
For fans of: Tenacious D, Birdstrike Theatre, Adam Sandler
Give these tracks a listen:
“Think About It“
“Mutha’uckas“
An excerpt from “Think About It“
There’s children on the streets using guns and knives
They’re taking drugs and each other’s lives
Killing each other with knives and forks
And calling each other names like dork
There’s people on the street getting diseases from monkeys
Yeah that’s what I said, their getting diseases from monkeys
Now there’s junkies with monkey disease
Who’s touching these monkeys please
Leave these poor sick monkeys alone
They’ve got problems enough as it is
A man is lying on the street, some punk’s chopped off his head
I’m the only one who stops to see if he’s dead,
Turns out he’s dead
And that’s why I’m singing, what, what is wrong with the world today?
What’s wrong with the world today
What, what is wrong with the world today?
You gotta think about it, think, think about it