51.7 F
Davis

Davis, California

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

CD review

Incredibad

Universal Republic Records

 

Rating: 4

 

Made famous by their music videos on Saturday Night Live, The Lonely Island is a musical comedy trio made up of Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone and Andy Samberg. Incredibad, the group’s debut album, includes all the hits from SNL and adds a bunch of new songs to the mix. Even though TLI have yet to release a dud on SNL, the album’s 18 tracks are, quite frankly, hit or miss.

TLI are at their best when parodying popular rap. Songs likeLazy Sunday” – a perfect Beastie Boys impersonationandI’m On A Boat (ft. T-Pain)” work not just because the lyrics are funny, but also because TLI understand the structure of pop music. In the same way a joke is funnier when it’s true, TLI’s parodies draw laughs by recreating the specific atmosphere that chart-topping pop hits work so hard to create. SinceI’m On A Boatcould be a legitimate T-Pain song, it’s near impossible not to laugh when T-Pain croonsBelieve me when I say / I fucked a mermaid.

“Like a Boss” – a Rick Ross parodyin which Samberg lists all the things absurd things he’ll dolike a bossworks wonders as well. The best lines are the most ridiculous:Suck a dude’s dick / like a boss / chop my balls off / like a boss / meet a giant fish / like a boss / fuck his brains out / like a boss.If Rick Ross had any swagger left, I’m pretty sureLike a Bossdestroyed it.

It’s surprising, butDick In A Box (ft. Justin Timberlake),suffers without the popular SNL video. It’s just not that funny. The reggae parodyDub Trentfalls flat on its face as the joke wears thin too early.We Like Sportznever moves beyond its inane description of sports. The worst song isSpace Olympics,an Aerosmith-inspired track drenched in reverb that never even tries to be funnyit’s heinous.

But what comedy band has ever released the perfect album? Even Weird Al isn’t perfect all the time. It’s hard to be overly critical of Incredibad just because there are a few bad tracks. Besides, the duds can never overshadow the comedic magic ofJizz In My Pantsor the vulgar Natalie Portman rapNatalie’s Rap.I think TLI knew what they were up to when they named the album. A few of the tracks are incredible. Some are good. A couple are just bad. The end result: Incredibad.

 

Zack Frederick

 

For Fans Of

Flight of the Conchords

Weird Al

 

Give these tracks a listen:

I’m On A Boat (ft. T-Pain)”

“Jizz In My Pants

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here