2008 Woodie Awards
On TV or CD, 'Flight of the Conchords' makes statement
Jonathan Gardner
Issue date: 4/22/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment
The line between funny and musical comedy is a thin one.
Bands too close to the line on either side risk ending up becoming perceived as novelty acts with each album.
However, like Tenacious D before them, "Flight of the Conchords" have wisely incorporated their music into a TV show, giving a context to their goofy music and a clearer personality to their act.
That being said, many "Flight of the Conchords" songs feature can't-miss comic premises that are hilarious even when divorced from their context.
"Robots," for example, is set in "the distant future/the year 2000" and pictures a robotic revolution that has killed all the humans.
"The Hiphopapotamus vs. the Rhymenoceros" features an epic rap battle between Bret and Jermaine's hip hop alter egos.
Add to this the fact that the songs are surprisingly catchy, and you've got a formula that works quite well for the duo.
That being said, not every song is up to par.
"Inner City Pressure" tries to satirize songs about "the city" but it swings a little too broadly.
And "Boom" and "The Prince of Parties" don't really stand up without the TV show.
Ultimately, the best "Flight of the Conchords" songs are the ones where the protagonists are too deluded to notice how ridiculous they sound.
On "The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room," Jermaine tries to impress a girl by telling her that she's beautiful enough to be "a high-class prostitute" or "a part-time model."
That song is followed by "Business Time," which features an equally doofy attempt at setting the mood for a romantic encounter ("Next thing you know we're in the bathroom brushing our teeth. / That's all part of it - that's foreplay").
Meanwhile, on "Ladies of the World," they suggest that all the world's problems would be solved "if every soldier put down his weapon and picked up a woman."
These songs work both as top-notch folk parody and as a joke on the singers, who play them deadpan enough to seem unaware of their ridiculousness.
Flight of the Conchords fans will be disappointed by the exclusion of some of the show's best songs.
The lack of "Frodo" and "Albie" is especially frustrating, but nonetheless their self-titled debut should satisfy both fans and newcomers with the right combination of absurd lyrics and catchy melodies.
Grade: B
Bands too close to the line on either side risk ending up becoming perceived as novelty acts with each album.
However, like Tenacious D before them, "Flight of the Conchords" have wisely incorporated their music into a TV show, giving a context to their goofy music and a clearer personality to their act.
That being said, many "Flight of the Conchords" songs feature can't-miss comic premises that are hilarious even when divorced from their context.
"Robots," for example, is set in "the distant future/the year 2000" and pictures a robotic revolution that has killed all the humans.
"The Hiphopapotamus vs. the Rhymenoceros" features an epic rap battle between Bret and Jermaine's hip hop alter egos.
Add to this the fact that the songs are surprisingly catchy, and you've got a formula that works quite well for the duo.
That being said, not every song is up to par.
"Inner City Pressure" tries to satirize songs about "the city" but it swings a little too broadly.
And "Boom" and "The Prince of Parties" don't really stand up without the TV show.
Ultimately, the best "Flight of the Conchords" songs are the ones where the protagonists are too deluded to notice how ridiculous they sound.
On "The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room," Jermaine tries to impress a girl by telling her that she's beautiful enough to be "a high-class prostitute" or "a part-time model."
That song is followed by "Business Time," which features an equally doofy attempt at setting the mood for a romantic encounter ("Next thing you know we're in the bathroom brushing our teeth. / That's all part of it - that's foreplay").
Meanwhile, on "Ladies of the World," they suggest that all the world's problems would be solved "if every soldier put down his weapon and picked up a woman."
These songs work both as top-notch folk parody and as a joke on the singers, who play them deadpan enough to seem unaware of their ridiculousness.
Flight of the Conchords fans will be disappointed by the exclusion of some of the show's best songs.
The lack of "Frodo" and "Albie" is especially frustrating, but nonetheless their self-titled debut should satisfy both fans and newcomers with the right combination of absurd lyrics and catchy melodies.
Grade: B
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