jackiechad's Full Review: Poodle Hat by Weird Al Yankovic
As a long-time Al fan there was no doubt that I would enjoy this album, it was more of a matter of how much compared to the others would I like it. Though I like Running With Scissors better overall, Poodle Hat has been well worth my money. It has some great songs, however it also has some of my least favorite Al songs ever. And I have to admit I don't really get the poodle joke (if there IS something to get, if it's just meant to be zany-funny it missed the mark with me). Here’s what you get in the package, 12 songs ranging from 2+ minutes to over 7, some comedic artwork on the sleeve and CD, and a handful of CD-ROM features. Hmmm, CD-ROM? There’s something I bet you won’t find on Kazaa. It’s nice to see somebody putting together a package worth $17 instead of just pitching a fit like a spoiled child because consumers are sick of shelling out more money to record companies who have let the quality of many of their products slip.
Ahem, anyway… Here’s what you get from the CD-ROM: some home-video clips with humorous narration (no music related video unfortunately), a lyrics feature that displays the words in time with the music similar to karaoke, a jukebox of several instrumental and alternate mixes of Al’s original songs from this album, and an interactive picture gallery. All in all it’s nothing to lose your head over, but it’s certainly a fun bonus and may very well be the decisive factor in someone wanting to download the music or actually buy the album. If I have a disappointment it's that no karaoke version of the parodies are supplied, though I'm sure that was because of legal reasons.
With someone like Al you can’t just generalize the songs. There is far too much variety to even consider it a particular genre (other than comedy, of course). This could be a blessing or a curse depending on your musical tastes. If you listen to a wide range of styles you’ll welcome the jump from rap to rock to old and modern pop, and of course the obligatory polka. If you’re more particular about your tunes you’ll probably like 1 or 2 songs and hate the rest. I’ll give you a rundown of all the songs to give you a more precise idea of what to expect.
1) Couch Potato: An Eminem parody (Lose Yourself) about watching TV, this is my favorite cut on the album. The music is catchy, the beat exciting, the vocals fast, and the lyrics clever. Hear his comments on American Idol, The Osborne’s, Will & Grace, and all actors named Corey.
2) Hardware Store: An original about guys that love hardware stores. It’s pop on the borderline of rock. Musically it’s weak, but the vocals are intricate and impressive. I didn’t like it much at first, but it’s grown on me.
3) Trash Day: A Nelly parody (Hot In Herre) about waiting too long to take out the trash. A close second when ranking my favorites of the album. It’s got a good, up-tempo beat and decent vocals. The lyrics really make the song here with clever rhymes and hysterical lines. The part about throwing up may turn off some listeners, though.
4) Party At The Leper Colony: An original with a sound akin to old Elvis rock songs. Musically it’s OK though I’m sure bigger fans of that style might like it more than I do. There are a number of clever plays on words that crack me up (common phrases that take on new meanings when applied to a leper colony - very irreverent), but the vocals feel too slow. I think a slightly different style and/or tempo might have improved this song.
5) Angry White Boy Polka: The obligatory polka taken from the guitar-driven, bass-laden, heavy rock that has been so popular over the past couple of years. I thought I would like this one more than I do. I think I just already dislike some of the original songs so much that I don’t care for them even in a Weird Al polka. I would like to have seen some Linkin Park, Creed, and 3 Doors Down, and there are better POD lines than the ones used. On top of that some of the polka fill-ins just aren’t as catchy as in past songs (the wu-ah-ah-ah yells get on my nerves). Some of the artists included are Papa Roach, Kid Rock, and another visit from Eminem, + several more.
6) Wanna B Ur Lovr: An original song about bad pick-up lines. It has a slower, driving electronic pop/rock feel. There are a few lines that struck me as funny, but mostly the song bores me. I hate to be that critical, but it’s the truth.
7) A Complicated Song: An Avril Lavigne light rock parody (Complicated). It covers a variety of topics including the hazards of eating too much cheese, marriage, and decapitation. It sounds really odd, and it is. I love it, though. The lyrics are well written and the harmonizations are good. It's insanely fun to sing along to.
8) Why Does This Always Happen To Me: A light pop original reminiscent of many of his older pop tunes. It’s comedic but has a bit of social commentary thrown in. It’s basically about people that focus on their own petty problems even in the face of true suffering of others in the world. It gets a little too silly at the end and doesn’t have lyrics as clever as other songs on the album or I would probably rank the song higher just based on the message.
9) Ode To A Superhero: A Billy Joel parody (Piano Man). It’s got a light-rock/pop feel and basically describes the characters and touches on the plot of Spider-Man. It’s not really as funny as some others, but the music is pleasant and the lyrics singable.
10) Bob: An original in classic Bob Dylan style. In fact, Al imitates every aspect of Bob: music style, voice, and writing style. I don’t care for the nonsensical lyrics, but I do think it neat that every line is a palindrome. The music is OK, but Dylan fans will probably have a more positive bias than I do.
11) Ebay: A Backstreet Boys parody (I Want It That Way). I don’t like the music much, I’ve never cared for that boy-band pop style, but the lyrics are hysterical. The words make the song worth listening to for me and probably will for anyone that knows someone that loves Ebay.
12) Genius In France: An original in the odd rock-opera stylings of Frank Zappa. I really don’t know what the point of this song is unless it’s just an insult to the French because of the bad relations between them and the U.S. during the Iraq conflict. It may have been written long before that, I haven't paid much attention to the dates. The song might be tolerable if it didn’t drag on as long as it does. It’s one of my least favorite Al songs ever. I’ve only listened to it once all the way through and I zoned out during part of it.
The bottom line is if you've ever liked an Al album there is something on this one for you. Yeah, you can get all the music off the Net, but Al's not a millionaire, you know. If too many people go that route Al won't have the resources to keep making music. So as someone who will be greatly disappointed without future Al parodies I implore you, Puh-leez go buy it!
After nearly four years, the new album by Weird Al Yankovic, Poodle Hat, is finally here! It features parodies of hits by Eminem, Nelly, Avril Lavigne...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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