Filed by M. Trevor Higgins
With a deep stable of rerun-ready sitcoms and the rights to show dated comedy films night after night after night, TBS is trying to cast itself as, to quote a news release, "television's very funny network."
The PR arm of the station runs regular house ads about TBS knowing funny. That sort of promotion is understandable. What is confusing, no, baffling, is the release of "TBS Tunes: Fun Tracks Wisecracks," 16 tracks "that highlight uproarious tunes from a diverse group of hit-makers."
The 16 tracks aren't cuts from comedy albums of the 20 years. These songs were released, with varying degrees of sincerity, as real songs on real albums. To label them as humor gives the listener a certain level of expectation. The tracks range from classic tunes to unbearable ear pain, but none of them make me laugh.
Mostly, this album confuses me. It starts off with Bowling for Soup's "1985." It's a novelty hit, for sure, but not funny, not funny like a clown. The song does not amuse me.
Devo's "Whip It," found in the third slot, is a little weird. The video is very weird and campy, but it's also a new wave classic. And what about "Peaches," by Presidents of the United States of America? That bandOs definitely goofy, and this extended sexual metaphor is, too. But sandwiched between Cake's cover of "I Will Survive" and Wall of Voodoo's "Mexican Radio," the quirky appeal of all three is lost in a haze of "huh?"
Supersuckers' cover of "Hey Ya!" will melt any gray matter left in your brain after listening to the Was (Was Not) dance tune "Walk the Dinosaur" in its entirety.
If not for the heavy dose of emo, contributions from American Hi-Fi and Nerf Herder, and the truly left-field contributions from Ween and Squirrel Nut Zippers, someone could make a losing case for this as a party album. If the songs shared anything, absolutely anything, in common then maybe this would make for a nice mix tape for a long road trip.
But a collection this scattershot leaves me constantly jumping around the track list and scratching my head.
Three question marks out of five stars.
E-mail M. Trevor Higginsthiggins@timesfreepress.com
With a deep stable of rerun-ready sitcoms and the rights to show dated comedy films night after night after night, TBS is trying to cast itself as, to quote a news release, "television's very funny network."
The PR arm of the station runs regular house ads about TBS knowing funny. That sort of promotion is understandable. What is confusing, no, baffling, is the release of "TBS Tunes: Fun Tracks Wisecracks," 16 tracks "that highlight uproarious tunes from a diverse group of hit-makers."
The 16 tracks aren't cuts from comedy albums of the 20 years. These songs were released, with varying degrees of sincerity, as real songs on real albums. To label them as humor gives the listener a certain level of expectation. The tracks range from classic tunes to unbearable ear pain, but none of them make me laugh.
Mostly, this album confuses me. It starts off with Bowling for Soup's "1985." It's a novelty hit, for sure, but not funny, not funny like a clown. The song does not amuse me.
Devo's "Whip It," found in the third slot, is a little weird. The video is very weird and campy, but it's also a new wave classic. And what about "Peaches," by Presidents of the United States of America? That bandOs definitely goofy, and this extended sexual metaphor is, too. But sandwiched between Cake's cover of "I Will Survive" and Wall of Voodoo's "Mexican Radio," the quirky appeal of all three is lost in a haze of "huh?"
Supersuckers' cover of "Hey Ya!" will melt any gray matter left in your brain after listening to the Was (Was Not) dance tune "Walk the Dinosaur" in its entirety.
If not for the heavy dose of emo, contributions from American Hi-Fi and Nerf Herder, and the truly left-field contributions from Ween and Squirrel Nut Zippers, someone could make a losing case for this as a party album. If the songs shared anything, absolutely anything, in common then maybe this would make for a nice mix tape for a long road trip.
But a collection this scattershot leaves me constantly jumping around the track list and scratching my head.
Three question marks out of five stars.
E-mail M. Trevor Higginsthiggins@timesfreepress.com
