"Weird Al" Yankovic to Release Internet Leaks, an EP of New Material

On Tuesday, August 25, veteran pop parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic will release Internet Leaks, a collection of five new recordings, via iTunes, Amazon, and other digital media outlets, according to a post on Yankovic's MySpace blog.

As the title suggests, four of the tracks on Internet Leaks have already popped up online. "Whatever You Like" is a parody of the T.I. rap hit of the same name. Yankovic's version deals with the struggling economy - "We can clip coupons all night/ Baby you can have whatever you like."

"Craigslist" is an original song written by Weird Al in the style of the Doors. In fact, Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek even plays on the track. The psychedelic music video, in which Al deftly channels Jim Morrison, has been a hit on YouTube since its release in June.

"CNR," an up-tempo rock song written in the style of the White Stripes, is an over-the-top homage to the late comedian Charles Nelson Reilly in which Yankovic sings, "Charles Nelson Reilly won the Tour de France with two flat tires and a missing chain."

"Skipper Dan" is one of the sadder songs Yankovic has ever recorded. The original song tells the story of a man who had great hopes for his life but disappointingly ends up being a tour guide on a jungle cruise ride.

The final track on Internet Leaks is "Ringtone," done in the style of classic rockers Queen. The song is a humorous tale about a guy whose cell phone ringtone annoys everyone who hears it. Like Queen's classic "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Ringtone" opens with a slow piano intro, followed by a livelier rock section, with operatic vocals throughout.

The five songs on Internet Leaks are expected to appear on Yankovic's next full-length album, due in 2010. Internet Leaks is Yankovic's first official release since 2006's Straight Outta Lynwood, which became the first album of his career to reach the top ten on The Billboard 200 and produced his first top ten hit, "White & Nerdy."

Sources:

"Weird Al" Yankovic, http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=90827837&blogId=506146078

Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22Weird_Al%22_Yankovic_discography

"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Craigslist," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZqciuoiikw