CD Odyssey Disc 364: Arrogant Worms

I'm not feeling terribly hot today; a stomach ache and a sore neck. The neck is probably from sitting still for so long on Saturday (see the previous entry as to why - it was worth it). I have no idea about the stomach ache. I'm waiting to hear back from the doctor, and doubt it is anything terribly significant. He'll probably eventually call me back to tell me that my problem is that I'm 41.

Speaking of things that are not terribly significant, the next record is a comedy album - the third one I've reviewed, and I think the last one I own. Comedy just doesn't lend itself to repeat listening.

Disc 364 is...Self-Titled

Artist: Arrogant Worms

Year of Release: 1992

What’s Up With The Cover?: A very ordinary drawing, which the liner notes indicate is done by "Bovis Threads." I use the term 'liner notes' very losely here, as this is a very cheaply produced CD. The cover is just a single slip of paper (not even folded in half) with credits on the reverse side.

How I Came To Know It: I was a big fan of Captain Tractor's version of "The Last Saskatchewan Pirate" (on "East of Edson" reviewed back at Disc 148). When I found out the Arrogant Worms did the original, I sought them out.

How It Stacks Up: Amazingly, the Arrogant Worms have seven studio albums. This is their first, and the only one I have, so it is hard to know how it compares.

Rating: 2 stars.

The Arrogant Worms are a college novelty band, so it is ironic I found out about them more than four years after I was out of college. They've carved out a modest career for themselves over the years writing catchy little songs that poke humorous fun at ordinary life, but particularly Canadian life.

Their most famous song is the aforementioned "The Last Saskatchewan Pirate," but principally because it was remade by the aforementioned Captain Tractor. The original Worms version is passable, but it doesn't have nearly the energy of Captain Tractor's version. Still, they wrote it, so that counts for something.

Musically, the Arrogant Worms are not the greatest. They can carry a tune, they can play their instruments competently enough, and they have a knack for comedic timing, but that's the extent of it. The arrangements are very basic. The sound is sparse and the production amateurish.

Of course, that's not the reason I listen to comedy. I want some funny songs that are quotable and not so challenging that I can't sing along. At this level, the Worms deliver. Their debut album is full of all kinds of whimsy and fun. Among the topics they cover: going into debt, bowling, cross-border shopping, and bickering over Christmas dinner.

Not all these songs are equal, "The Credit Song," "Car Full of Pain" and "Let's Go Bowling" are all examples of songs that not only aren't catchy, but are about obvious comedic topics, and frankly, not all that funny.

When they hit though, they hit well. "The Christmas Song" is particularly funny, as the dinner progresses from the typical family spats:

"Everyone is wearing big smiles
They all try to act nice for a while
Then George calls his in-laws vile
Christmas! Christmas is here!"

And quickly degenerates:

"George picks up the carving knife
Wields it around and starts to slice
Henry cocks his shotgun twice
Christmas! Christmas is here!"

Before the grisly ending:

"Police arrive just after eight
Responding to a noise complaint
Open the door - what a grisly fate
Christmas! Christmas is here!"

Throughout the song has a merry penny whistle between verses and each "Christmas! Christmas is here!" is more gleeful than the last. It is bloody good fun.

This is dark as the album gets (not very). That's because the Arrogant Worms are pretty light-hearted with their humour. Even when poking fun they aren't particularly nasty - they just want to have fun.

That said, once you've had a laugh at the two or three best songs you're done with the record. The music isn't good enough to hold your attention, and there are just too many comedic moments that fall flat. This one is best to pull out after a few drinks to share with someone who hasn't heard it, or if you need a 2-3 minute humour break in the middle of a playlist or mixed CD.

Best tracks: The Last Saskatchewan Pirate, The Christmas Song

CD Odyssey Disc 213: The Bloodhound Gang

I am starting to write this before heading out to see Leonard Cohen, and I’ll likely finish after I’m back. That will be a strange experience, given what the next review is.

Let’s just say that it isn’t exactly Leonard Cohen.

Disc 213 is...Hooray For Boobies
Artist: The Bloodhound Gang

Year of Release: 2000

What’s Up With The Cover?: Apparently a celebration of ‘boobies’ of various sorts, with photos of the Bloodhound Gang interspersed. This cover is silly, but could have been so much more clever at being silly – much like this album.

How I Came To Know It: I saw the video for the song, “The Bad Touch” – you know, the one where the band runs around an urban environment dressed in monkey suits? Anyway, the video is pretty funny, but the song is funnier, so I bought this album based on one song, and over the subtle objections of the good folks at Lyle’s Place, who definitely warned me off.

How It Stacks Up: This is my only Bloodhound Gang album, and is likely to be my only one in future as well. It can’t really stack up on that basis.

Rating: 2 stars

I wasn’t sure how to file Bloodhound Gang after giving it a couple listens in the car. Their music is the punk/pop sound of Green Day mixed with the empty-headed hip hop of the early oughts. However, a lot of their songs shamelessly steal the licks of other songs, including everything from “Rock Me Amadeus” to “Another Brick in the Wall”.

They do all of these things in an effort to make you laugh, since the songs are all some kind of crude humour, so I tagged them as comedy.

Musically, they don’t do anything special, except maybe demonstrate how easy it is to write a catchy hip hop beat. The lyrics aren’t the greatest – most of the songs relate in some way to sex or bodily function, which I have to admit is a legitimate source of a lot of adult humour. The biggest problem with this version is they have too many contemporary pop culture references (Tool Time, X Files, etc.) that haven’t aged well ten years later.

The record has eighteen tracks (a heinous CD Odyssey crime right there) and it is mostly filler, but there are two clear winners.

The first is “The Bad Touch” which represents the Bloodhound Gang’s fifteen minutes of fame. In addition to the video I mentioned earlier, this song is damned funny. Yes, it suffers from the same faults as all other Bloodhound Gang songs (dated references, obvious hip hop beat and shock lyrics about sex acts). It is just that it does all these things better than any other track. The beat may be obvious, but it is also infectious, and gets your head bobbing. As for the lyrics and outdated allusions to popular culture – let’s just say they manage to turn Siskel and Ebert’s signature expression into a sex act.

The second is “The Ballad of Chasey Lain” which is a song that details a series of letters from a demented fan to porn star Chasey Lain that is the comedy album’s response to Eminem’s “Stan”. The Bloodhound Gang song is rude to the extreme, but unlike “Stan” at least no one dies, and after it is over, there is a bonus track of Chasey Lain giving an exposition of just how uninterested she is in the fan's advances.

In the end, this is a pretty weak album, and often the Bloodhound Gang come off as nothing more than smart but slacker losers sitting around their parent's basement making fun of the rest of the world. I suspect this is an act, since you don’t get a record made just sitting around watching cartoons and eating Zesty Mordant chips.

Listen to this for a couple chuckles, but don’t expect it to stand up to a lot of repeat plays.

Oh and on the other side of the musical spectrum, Leonard Cohen's show tonight was awesome as always. Thank you Mr. Cohen, for all you do.

Best tracks: The Bad Touch, The Ballad of Chasey Lain

CD Odyssey Disc 3: Jerky Boys

The third roll goes from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Disc 3 is...The Jerky Boys

Artist: The Jerky Boys

Year of Release: 1993

How I Came To Know It: This album was introduced to me by my buddy Jeff O. I lost touch with Jeff years ago, and I often wonder how he's doing. He was one of the happiest people I've ever met, so it is fitting that he put me on to a pretty funny comedy album.

How It Stacks Up: This is the only Jerky Boys album I own. I think there are at least 4, but this one is the famous one.

Rating: 3 stars

The Jerky Boys were basically a couple of New York guys who would record the prank calls they made around the city and then distribute them on underground, wholly illegal tapes. That is how I first heard them (some of that stuff never made it to legitimacy).

The CD was a result of them getting so famous doing these tapes, they eventually got a record deal. At least that's how I remember it - and since it is a Creative Maelstom, and not a Historic Maelstrom, I'm sticking with that.

Anyway - it is damned funny stuff, although it is even more embarrassing to listen to in the car than gangsta rap. I actually turned it off at stop lights. With the gangsta rap, I just turn it down.

I don't think we need to spend a lot of time here - if you want to hear it, then buy your own, jerky!

Best tracks: Irate Tile Man, Car Salesman, Super Across the Way, Auto Mechanic, Punitive Damages.