Flight of the Conchords

For many stateside fans, it may seem as if Jemaine Clement and Brett McKenzie materialized out of thin air—it was New Zealand— but the Comedy-lounge-folk-rap duo known as Flight of the Conchords actually started filling the mantle with awards in 2003 before they scored a BBC Radio 2 series and, ultimately, their own HBO series, which made them familiars to millions onscreen (including one particularly persistent superfan, on the show itself). Here, on their self-titled Sub Pop release, the duo re-hash live and series favorites, such as "Robots" and "The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)." Fan-favorite "Business Time" is another highlight, which famously employs a funky, acoustic shuffle to serenade the protagonist's significant other on that special Wednesday night when "there's nothing good on TV" and she isn’t tired from her "after-work, social sports team practice." Of course, the mood is electric, the results comic.

On most of the album, Brett and Jemaine stick to their acoustic, live-show roots, but utilize their studio time to crystallize and gloss-up their overestimated-self-worth-shtick in a move previously made by Tenacious D. Also paralleling the fortunes of Kyle Gas and Jack Black, the album showcases de-facto musical talent, a seeming preternatural knack for melody and rhythm so strong it sometimes distracts from the fact that this is essentially a comedy album. They shift from uncanny tribute rock ("Bowie") to light acoustic-love-funk ("Ladies of the World") to showcasing their pearly-white flow on "Hiphopopotamous vs. Rymenocerous," which feature lyrics that sum up the duo's adorable losers/Lothario complex: "Yes, sometimes my lyrics are sexist / but you lovely bitches and hoes should know I'm trying to correct this." Sadly, for fans who have already gotten their fill of the band's material featured on the series, there isn't much in the way of unreleased material. But fans and new listeners can be pleased to now find it all in one place.

—Bill Morris
05.21.08

Taking the torch from Tenacious D and then taking 14 songs from the first season of their HBO series (plus a 15-second outro), Flight of the Conchords' first full-length release for Sub Pop is a strong serving of songs from the dynamic deadpan duo. Unfortunately, since the show included a few songs per episode, 11 of the songs didn't make it past the cutting-room floor, and gems like "If You're Into It," "I'm Not Crying," and "Sello Tape" got the axe, along with the character dedications and motivations "Cheer Up, Murray," "Song for Sally," and "Bret, You Got It Going On." It's forgivable, though; a double-disc set of every song would have been overkill, and most of the favorites make the cut on the CD. Fans still get the neo-soul ballad "The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)," the hip-hop attempt "Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymnocerous," the psychedelic acid trip "Prince of Parties," the dancehall anthem "Boom," and the French pop lullaby "Foux du Fafa." While New Zealander dry humor and matter-of-fact delivery are huge parts of the duo's allure, their adherence to their own style within a variety of genres is the icing on the cake, and to quote Bret's reaction to the stranger who is denied while trying to sell a cake at a pawn shop, "It's a beautiful cake." With each song, they expand their range, paying homage with the strictest attention to details only music geeks will appreciate, be it the Marvin Gaye "What's Going On" instrumentation in "Think About It," the Radiohead "Fitter Happier" vocal impersonations in "Robot," the Pet Shop Boys "West End Girls" similarities in "Inner City Pressure," or the many, many faces of David Bowie in "Bowie." Versatility is their strength, and they show it off well. If they weren't great songwriters, lines like "Sometimes my lyrics are sexist/But you lovely bitches and hoes should know I'm trying to correct this" and "The manager Bevin tries to abuse me/Hey man, I just want some Muesli" might provide short-term laughs, but the music is clever and catchy enough to give it merit for repeated listens. Buy the DVD first to get the full story and then pick this up for road trip singalongs. ~ Jason Lymangrover, All Music Guide