Straight Outta Lynwood Full Album Reviews

[Microfoot]

Don't know if this is the best place to report it, but the album's officially out on iTunes.

[Jigawatt]

About the Jersey line, . Only Jerseyites are allowed to poke fun at our state.

I'm willing to make an exception for Al.

Adrian

[Teh Dingo]

I've prepped a much more extensive review that I will be putting elsewhere, but I'll sum it up in a nice little recap for your convenience.

White & Nerdy- 9.5 This potentially could end up being my second favorite lead single after Smells Like Nirvana.

Pancreas- 8, Far exceeded any expectations. A little too cute, but fun and bouncy.

Canadian Idiot-7 I wasn't too excited for this one since it seemed to be Rabbi Redux. Good song, but it's been done.

I'll Sue Ya-9.5 The real stars of this song are TBITB. Amazing work guys.

Polkarama 9- Perfect collection of songs, and while there were a couple problems with the transitions and flow, they didn't stop me from enjoying this one.'

Virus Alert- 9.5 The winner for most surprising song on this album for me.

Confessions Pt III 10 My pick for dark horse had me laughing more than any song on SOL

Weasel Stomping Day 7.5 Music is fun and the lyrics are cute (In a sick kind of way of course). To me, this is just a longer version of Harvey. Just a harmless (Well...except for the weasels) song that's just there. Nothing more, nothing less.

Close But No Cigar 8 Musically perfect, lyrically could've been better.

Do I Creep You Out-6 Nothing wrong with the song overall, just Al's done this kind of song too many times. It's fine enough on it's own though.

Trapped in the Drive Thru 10 As genius/stupid as the original. Thank God R. Kelly stayed out of jail long enough to give us this masterpiece/trainwreck.

Don't Download This Song 8.5 Let's all have a moment of silence in honor of poor Tommy.




Overall view: The originals are mindblowing. There's some really great parodies, but hot damn, the originals are something. I don't know if I'm ready to climb on my roof and scream this is Al's finest album ever...though then again, I've never really had a favorite Al album. So maybe I will. Right now.

[gtrmu]

So since the album is out, think we should make this public now?

[Bruce the Duck]

I've prepped a much more extensive review that I will be putting elsewhere, but I'll sum it up in a nice little recap for your convenience.

Wait, is there going to be a separate thread outside the spoiler forum for reviews, or will this thread just be moved out to the regular forum today? Cause I want to post my review, but I don't want to have to post it twice. Ah, well, I'm posting it anyway.

Mind you, I haven't yet watched ANY of the special features, so this review is only for the songs and booklet.

1. White & Nerdy - Awesome parody, as I've said before. This is easily one of Al's best lead singles and also one of his best rap parodies. It's certainly better than "Couch Potato" and "You're Pitiful." The only thing that could have made this better is if it were another verse longer. But oh well. 9/10

2. Pancreas - I've listened three times already, and I just can't get into this song. Musically it's interesting, but not all that catchy. Lyrically, it's pretty bland as well. It's impressive when you look at the liner notes and see how many instruments Al performed on this, but overall, this is the only song that I was kinda disappointed with. definitely my least favorite second track, a spot usually reserved for one of the two best originals on an album. 5/10

3. Canadian Idiot - The obvious jokes aside, this song was still hilarious! The end was surprising, as it is the first time Al really comes close to tackling political issues in his music. I see the end as a bit of a subtle jab at President Bush's foreign policy. Although I'm a Bush supporter, I still found the way he did this in the song to be very well done. 8/10

4. I'll Sue Ya - Possibly my favorite original on the album. This was the first time during the initial listen that I literally laughed out loud. The ridiculous situations in the song are brilliant and inspired! And the music is awesome as well. I know it's a Rage Against the Machine style parody, but I also hear a bit of Kid Rock in there. I know their styles are similar, but the very beginning sounds just like a certain Kid Rock song. Can't think of the song at the moment. 10/10

5. Polkarama! - AWESOME POLKA! I don't know what everyone was complaining about! The "Gold Digger" part aside, this polka flows better than any of his previous polkas. More than any other, it really sounds like all one song instead of bits of other songs stuck together. I also loved the "Chicken Dance" part. Good to see Al give props to a contemporary polka hit. And it leads into "Let's Get it Started" really well. As for the "Gold Digger" part, well, I think he should have left off the first part of the song. It separates the song from the rest of the polka. But I can forgive that! This is easily one of my favorite polkas he's done so far. Of course, it probably helped that I learned all the songs that I didn't know ahead of time! 10/10

6. Virus Alert - Another great song! Lyrically similar to the pattern of "I'll Sue Ya," but at the same time completely different and original. The music is also great. A very obscure style, but it works great with the subject matter. 10/10

7. Confessions Part III - It's really ironic. I absolutely hated the original song for the longest time. And I can't stand Usher most of the time. In prep for the album, I listened to all the original versions repeatedly, and even after multiple times, I still hated "Confessions Part 2." Finally, last week it started to grow on me a little and I found myself singing the chorus in the shower. How ironic is it that this ends up being my favorite parody on the album? I LOVE this song. Hilarious! 10/10

8. Weasel Stomping Day - I agree with what's been said about this being kind of out of place on the album. But it couldn't have gone at the end, that spot NEEDED to be for DDTS. And this song is still really good on it's own. Yeah, it's very different, but it's fun! So, the subject matter isn't Christmas, but the tune certainly sounds Christmasy. Anyone else notice that it's ten years between each Christmas song? I'm looking forward to 2016! 7/10

9. Close, But No Cigar - I'm glad he chose to do this one as a story instead of a list like so many of the other songs on this album. It works better that way. Kinda reminds me of "Good Old Days," "Why Does This Always Happen to Me," and "Truck Drivin' Song," where it plays as a straight song for most of the verse, and then has a twist at the end of each verse. The music is really awesome in this one as well! This is the Cake style parody, right? I might have to check out some of their music. Hey, what's the name of that thing that makes the weird noise after the word "close" in the chorus? I've heard that noise in another Al song, but I can't put my finger on it right now. 10/10

10. Do I Creep You Out - Meh. Crappy original. Al's version doesn't improve it very much. There are some great lines, but it just doesn't go anywhere. It'd be better if it were longer, I think. He at least could have repeated the chorus a few more times at the end, like in the original. Eh, maybe it'll grow on me. 6/10

11. Trapped in the Drive-Thru - GREAT SONG! I loved the original version, and this is just as ridiculous. The Led Zepplin bit had me busting out laughing the second time through. It's just so random. I guess my only complaint about this song is that some of the rythms of the original were broken up by skipping certain lines of music. I don't know how to explain what I'm talking about, but those of you who know the original will know what I mean. BTW, I found it funny that Al used R. Kelly's rhyming of Bridget and midget in "Confessions Part III." Anyway, this song is still great! I wish that it continued. Just like the original, it leaves you wanting more at the end. Best line - "Did I mention the drive-thru?" 9/10

12. Don't Download This Song - Amazing! Even after having heard this song countless times already, it still holds up among the rest of the album. Now I really have no regrets about hearing it early! Awesome music and equally awesome lyrics. I agree with that one reviewer that said he should have impersonated different artists in the song, but it's okay.


Booklet

Picture #1 - That stare is scary and hilarious at the same time. I think I'd run if I saw him in public looking at me like that!

Picture #2 - The band really captured the "who the hell cares that we're on a album cover anyway" look that rappers and alternative rockers have on their group photos.

Picture #3 - I have a feeling this will be the subject of much drooling for the gals around here.

Picture #4 - Glad to see this was included, since it's the picture on the single. I love his pose in this picture.

Picture #5 - I'm glad Al chose to be a parody artist. Because if he became a pimp instead...he'd be flat broke. Those are some fugly looking hookers. Surprisingly, Steve looks even worse than Ruben! And actually, if you squint your eyes REALLY HARD, Jim doesn't look all that bad. REALLY HARD, though!

Picture #6 - Cool water tower.

Picture #7 - Awesome to get to see the other side of that wall. I'm thinking they probably had a tough time deciding which picture should be the front cover.

Picture #8 - Who's that dork?

Special Thanks Section - Cool to see Al thanked James Blunt. That was the right thing to do, I think. But why did he thank Nickelback? Did I miss something? And why didn't USA for Africa (or at least Richie and Jackson) get a nod in the special thanks? Also surprised there wasn't a thank you to Al's parents in there, but maybe using a picture taken by Nick (presumedly) for the special thanks page was his way of giving them a subtle nod. Lumping them together in with all those other folks might not have been appropriate.



Overall (not including special features): 9/10

This album is clearly one of Al's best albums, no doubt. However, I'd have to say that it's not quite as good as "Poodle Hat," which I'm proud to say has managed to keep it's spot on the top of my list of best Al albums. I think the album could have been better if some of the songs were in a different order. Switch "Pancreas" with "I'll Sue Ya" and switch "Close, But No Cigar with "Do I Creep You Out." But all together it's a great piece of work. I'm sure a lot of my opinions will change over time, as they always do.

And now, here are some rankings:

SOL Parodies & Polka

1. Confessions Part III
2. White and Nerdy
3. Polkarama!
4. Trapped in the Drive-Thru
5. Canadian Idiot
6. Do I Creep You Out

SOL Originals

1. Don't Download This Song
2. I'll Sue Ya
3. Close, But No Cigar
4. Virus Alert
5. Weasel Stomping Day
6. Pancreas

Lead Parodies

1. Fat
2. Smells Like Nirvana
3. White & Nerdy
4. Jurassic Park
5. Amish Paradise
6. The Saga Begins
7. Couch Potato
8. Like a Surgeon
9. Eat It
10. Living with a Hernia
11. Ricky
12. Money For Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies

Albums (this was really difficult to do)

1. Poodle Hat
2. Off the Deep End
3. Even Worse
4. UHF
5. Sraight Outta Lynwood
6. In 3-D
7. Running with Scissors
8. Dare to be Stupid
9. Bad Hair Day
10. Alapalooza
11. Polka Party
12. "Weird Al" Yankovic

[Genius in Maine]

I bought the ALbum earlier today... it plays just fine in my portable CD player.

My initial impression is that it's full of good solid songs (none of the songs make me reach for the skip button), but most of the songs are merely good; the standouts, IMO, are "White & Nerdy" and "Do I Creep You Out" (I don't know why everyone thinks this one is mediocre... I think it's the second best parody on the album). I'm not yet sure where I would rank it among the other ALbums.

[SirHaakon]

I think the album could have been better if some of the songs were in a different order. Switch "Pancreas" with "I'll Sue Ya" and switch "Close, But No Cigar with "Do I Creep You Out."

Cool review... thanks for taking the time to be complete. But I have to say... you seriously like the album less because track 2 is where you think track 4 should be? Eesh... it's the computer age - rearrange them in any order you like! The music is what (I feel) should be important; the order of the tracks is irrelevant.

[Kevbo1987]

Well, I've finally gotten a chance to listen to the album. Here's my song by song review:

1). White and Nerdy- As I've already said, this is one Al's strongest lead parodies ever. The lyrics are hysterical and Al just does an excellent job with it overall. Al really should send Atlantic Records some flowers, because this is a much better lead parody than "You're Pitiful" would have been.

2). Pancreas- I'm kind of with Jeremy on this one. While it's extremely impressive musically, the lyrics really don't do all that much for me. It's somewhat humorous, but definitely not Al's best. 6/10.

3). Canadian Idiot- I love this song! I was nervous about how funny Al could make this whole Canadian-bashing thing, but he knocked it out of the park. I laughed at loud several times, especially during the line about bringing guns to the mall. 9/10.

4). I'll Sue Ya- Fantastic original! I love all of the situations Al brings up that could result in lawsuits. The situations are completely hysterical, and I love this song musically as well. 10/10.

5). Polkarama- I actually think this one of Al's strongest polkas. I rarely have a good laugh during a polka, but this was an exception. I laughed several times, especially during "Don't Cha", "Candy Shop", "Drop It Like It's Hot", and "Gold Digger". I agree that it actually seemed to flow better than most polkas. 10/10.

6). Virus Alert- Another brilliant original. Again, Al had me ROTFLOL. I especially loved the part about translating everything to Swahili and forcing your TV to record "Gigli". I also really like musical style. 10/10.

7). Confessions Part III- Absolutely brilliant. Al sounds fantastic, and this song is simply hysterical. I love all of the crazy confessions, especially the bit about dressing up like Shirley Temple and spanking himself with a hockey stick! 10/10.

. Weasel Stomping Day- I agree that this song seems out-of-place on this album, but I actually like it. I love the fact that it sounds like one of those songs from some cheesy Claymation Christmas special. While it's not completely hilarious or anything, it's funny. 7/10.

9). Close But No Cigar- Again, Al knocks it out of the park. The fact that the song seems normal up until every refrain is hysterical. The little imperfections Al finds in every girl in the song reminds me of my friend. 10/10.

10). Do I Creep You Out- It's pretty obvious that this was a last minute addition to the album. It's too short for one thing. He skipped the entire middle verse. It's funny, but it just seems like it's missing something. Then again, this is based on the first listen, so my opinion might change. 7/10.

I haven't watched the videos or the Making of the Album featurette yet, but I did look at the pictures in the booklet. Let me just say that the one picture of the band (you know which one I mean) scared the hell out of me!

11). Trapped in the Drive-Thru- This was the song I was most looking forward to on the album, and it didn't disappoint. I just love the fact that Al turned something as mundane as going to the Drive-Thru into an 11 minute song. It captures the entire mood of the original perfectly. I love how he dragged things out about 1 minute longer than he should have. Fantastic parody. 10/10.

12). Don't Download This Song- As I've said before, this song is a brilliant satire. It definitely holds up in the album. 10/10.

I haven't watched the special features on the DualDisc yet, but I did look at the pictures in the booklet. Let me just say that the one picture of the band scared the hell out of me!

Overall, this is a great album! The originals are the strongest that Al has ever done and the parodies had me rolling on the floor. This is Al's best work in a long time.

[WeirdSolo]

1-White & Nerdy This replaces Dare to be Stupid as my theme song. This may be my favorite parody of Al's just because of how well it fits me. 10/10

2-Pancreas Very awesome music, I don't quite enjoy the lyrics as much yet, but I'm sure it will grow on me. 8/10

3-Canadian Idiot I was really hoping for a Holiday parody. Oh well. I know the idea has been done before, but Al did what could be done with it, great song. 8/10

4-I'll Sue Ya Very awesome. Lyrics are hilarious and the music is rockin. 9/10

5-Polkarama This is my 2nd favorite polka right behind Angry White Boy. AWBP flowed perfect and while this is a great medley, there are just a couple songs that don't mesh together quite as well. Still a winner though. 10/10

6-Virus Alert WIN. The music is flippin' sweet and the lyrics are great. Best original on the album and it is right on my all-time list. 10/10

7-Confessions Part III I like the song, it's a great parody, but I didn't find it quite as funny as I hoped I would. Still great though. 8/10

8-Weasel Stomping Day The video is great and the song is awesome too. The Stomping sounds are gross and I love them. 8/10

9-Close But No Cigar The music is a definate win and the lyrics are pretty good. 2nd favorite original on the disc. 9/10

10-Do I Creep You Out I have to agree, this has been done before. Not that Al doesn't do it great, but it's like Melanie Part II, just not quite as good. 6/10

11-Trapped in the Drive-Thru Wow. 10:50 of gold. This is hilarious. I'm not quite sure what else to say about it except WIN! 12/10

12-Don't Download This Song Still great after a month of listening. 9/10


Overall: Big win on Al's part, this is a great album. I think it's tied with PH as my favorite, they're both just awesome.

[Demented Dustin]

Here is my review. I got this at midnight at Wal-Mart so I gave it a listen right afterwards and another one right now.
General Overview
First of all this album is lyrically one of the strongest he has ever done. There are more laugh out loud moments on this album than his previous effort Poodle Hat(which I really like as well). To be honest at first when the tracklist was leaked I was disappointed that the more popular (as far as local radio play) Usher and Green Day songs were not parodied (Yeah! for Usher and Boulevard or Holiday for Green Day). In fact I only knew Ridin and Confessions part II very well. American Idiot was a minor hit here in IN and I have yet to hear the Taylor Hicks song. I would have been more excited if I had heard of more of the songs being parodied. Yet when I listened to the album I was extremely impressed and Al made the right choices. I am very satisfied with this album and it has even opened me up to some songs I usually would not listen to (take that Atlantic Records, Prince etc etc). There are some themes (animals, underwear and mayonnaise, odd personalities) which may not be intentional. I haven't counted the animal references but there are at least 3 underwear jokes. As much as I like You're Pitiful it may have been a bit much due to his Confessions and Do I Creep You Out parodies. White and Nerdy seems like a more traditional parody as does Canadian Idiot and Trapped in a Drive Thru. Just an odd thought I had.
Song Reviews:
1. White and Nerdy- This song had me laughing before I even heard it. It has some very strong lyrics and his rapid fire delivery is better than perfect. I really have yet to get a good look at the video but this song stands on its own very well. The line about writing his name on his underwear has got to be one of the funniest things I have ever heard. This is pure genius and should prove to be a huge hit for Al. 10/10
2. Pancreas- I have read some complaints that this song is not funny. Sure is not so much laugh out loud funny as it is quirky and outright weird. Let's see this is the "Weird Al" forum right? This song is weird just like his name would suggest. Sure many of Al's songs are hilarious but this song is so weird that it is a winner for me. It is absurd that he can sing an entire song about the pancreas. I never leave home without mine either. I thought this would have been more of a concept song like Albuquerque rather than a biology lesson. 10/10
3. Canadian Idiot- This could have been a big disappointment for me (see above general review) Again his lyrics are so good that even some of the cliches are still funny . I am not that familiar with the original and like the other hits Green Day had better than AI. It is also the oldest of the hits off of the Green Day album. A little too obvious of a parody as well and not quite up to par with some of his more creative works. This is certainly not a song I will skip because it still is a very cool parody. 8/10
4. I'll Sue Ya- Not that familiar with RATM but once again his lyrics and jokes are top notch. The Star Bucks part was genius that his was too cold. A very strong original. Many laugh out loud moments too. 9/10
5. Polkarama!- I like this polka quite a bit. I was in the mood for a non-themed polka this time around. The Chicken Dance bit was very funny and should play well live. I agree with about 80% of his song choices. Speed of Sound was hilarious as was Don't Cha. Regarding the ending I think it lost some momentum with Pon De Replay. The polka version of Pon was funny but seems like an odd choice to put between Snoop Dong and Kanye West. It just did not fit in that particular spot for me. Maybe earlier in the Polka? Candy Shop was actually a song I cannot play at the bowling alley I dj cosmic for due to the nature of the song. Yet it is hilarious as a polka song. I would have liked Milkshake or My Humps better because they are risque but have better lyrics for a polka. This polka gets a 9/10.
6. Virus Alert- Upon first play I did not care for this but quickly changed my mind after listening to the lyrics closer. It is hilarious. The ph balance line is hysterical. I like this song and another great original! 10/10
7. Confessions Part III- This concept was genius. I love the refrain about how why he needs do to a part three. Very clever and funny. His confessions are all very funny. The only minor thing I wondered about is the strength his spoken confessions. Returning a shirt is not that big of a deal nor is missing a party (even if he lied) the Rice Krispies joke was much better. I just thought these confessions as a highlight part of the song should have been stronger than the other ones. This is a wonderful parody and could have been in my book an alternate lead off song or at least a second "single"/ 10/10
8. Weasal Stomping Day- I do love animals and think people should be kind to animals. However this quircky song is in line with many of the Dr. Demento faves (Dead Puppies, Hamster Love, Rats, Roaches, Fish Heads, My Dead Dog Rover, Dead Skunk, Poisoning Pigeons, etc etc ) It also reminds me of an old Tom Lehrer song or even a Stan Freberg Christmas type song. Glad it is short though. 9/10
9. Close But No Cigar- This is a great original song. Again at first I was indifferent but now it is very catchy to me. It does remind me of something the Barenaked Ladies would sing because of the lyrics. Cake is a great group but did I miss any a reference to Cake in the liner notes? Love it! 10/10
10. Do I Creep You Out?- I love this parody. I know it has gotten some flack on here as being weak. The lyrics (once again) are right on. The line about feeling the warm spot on the chair had me laughing out loud. This song is creepy therefore Al did his job as far as I am concerned. 10/10
11. Trapped in the Drive-Thru- Enough said 10/10
12. Don't Download This Song- Love it. Very catchy and a great style parody. 10/10

The only extra I will rate (I do not have 5:1 at the moment) is the behind the scenes documentary. I thought this was outstanding and left me wanting to see a lot more. I have always hoped Al would do something like this. Very entertaining and interesting look at the life of Al and the band in the studio. I hope some more footage will surface showing Al playing the accordion for the polka, singing White and Nerdy etc. That would be awesome! Nice camera work Suzanne! 10/10
I will not rate the videos since it seems Al did not have much creative input on these from what I can tell. I did enjoy all of them though.
My only question is why were T-Pain and Nickelback credited (another Weezer story!!??) The packaging was all top notch as the photography. Is this Al's first album not to have him wearing a hawaiian shirt somewhere in the packaging? Also any easter eggs on the DVD?

Album score: second favorite to OTDE. A very satisfying and above average effort from Al and his band.