"Weird Al" Yankovic - Straight Outta Lynwood Review

The music world was abuzz. After 3 dreadfully long years, Weird Al was finally back with a brand new album, entitled "Straight Outta Lynwood." Businesses closed down, people clamored in the streets -

...okay, so maybe it wasn't that big of a deal, but still, hardcore fans and casual listeners alike were eagerly awaiting the newest comedy stylings of music's greatest parody artist. When Straight Outta Lynwood hit stores on September 26th, 2006, Weird Al had another smash hit on his hands.

Something he definitely earned, considering the countless hours of blood, sweat, and tears he put into his newest piece of work.

Al had originally planned to have the album out on June 27th (fun note - try to catch the number 27 somewhere on the majority of Al's albums!), with the lead single being a parody of James Blunt's "You're Beautiful" entitled, appropriately enough, "You're Pitiful." Unfortunately, near the release, James Blunt's label, Atlantic Records, denied Al permission to have the parody on his album. Now without a lead single, Al had to postpone his album until he could write another one. Of course, a lot of time and money had gone into the song, so while Al respected the label's wishes by not putting the song on the new album, he did make it available for public download. Word eventually got out of a brand new song, "White and Nerdy," a parody of Cha-Millionaire's "Ridin,'" that would be the new lead parody.

The good news quickly piled up. Not only did Al fans get a free "unreleased" Al song, they soon got to hear of all the goodies they would be getting on the new album, including animated music videos for all of his original songs from acclaimed animators, 5.1 surround mixes of all the songs, as well as karaoke versions, and a nine minute behind the scenes featurette. Yes, even with the untimely delay of the album, Al seemed to have more support than ever.

So, how exactly IS Straight Outta Lynwood? That's what we're here to find out, right? Let's get to it, starting with the first track:

1. White and Nerdy- With the popularity of rap nowadays, it's not hard to see why he's had rap songs on his last several albums, and close to the forefront. White and Nerdy is no exception, easily the fastest rap song he's ever done. And what could be funnier than rapping about something that's not generally rapped about: being a nerd? As with most Al songs, Al takes a concept and blows it WAY out of proportion. Al isn't just nerdy, he's SUPER nerdy. I mean "fluent in Javascript as well as Klingon" nerdy. Yes, Al covers many aspects of nerd-dom, from Star Trek to computer programming to having his name on his underwear. Being a nerd myself, I can definitely relate to many of them (not the...underwear, of course...), but some of the nerd references may go over the head of the average person. In any event, it's a fun, fast-paced song that's sure to be a hit for years to come.

2. Pancreas- Now if you want a song that goes over your head, this one definitely qualifies, at least if you're not familiar with pancreatic functions. Sung in a Beach Boys fashion, Al happily sings about how much he loves his organ...and why. The song is more scientific than straightforwardly funny, but just the fact that Al is singing a lighthearted, happy song about something most people don't even think (or likely even really care) about makes the concept funny. Still, you may feel rather odd singing along with it.

3. Canadian Idiot- A parody of Green Day's "American Idiot." Similar to "Genius in France" on his last album, this time Al takes a shot at our friends up north. Like White and Nerdy, much of the song may go over the heads of listeners who don't know much about Canada. Personally, I'm not familiar with Canada's overwhelming politeness, cheaper meds, or love for Kraft Macaroni, just to name a few. I can find myself rocking out to it and singing along, even if I have no idea what he's talking about. And if you understand what makes Canada so funny, all the better!

4. I'll Sue Ya!- A personal favorite of mine. Most of us are familiar with the silly things people and companies are sued over, from a hot coffee to the lap to getting fat from eating fast food. Al pokes fun of these things in a Rage Against the Machine-style original. Basically, this guy continually does completely stupid things and then proceeds to sue the company ("I sued Dell Computers, 'cuz I took a bath with my laptop, now it won't work!"). His reasons for suing are consistently funny, and it's easy to get into the rocking beat of the song.

5. Polkarama- From "Let's Get It Started" to "Gold Digger", no song is safe from Al's famous polka medleys. This one is really strong for the most part, but near the end, things slow down a little too much for my liking. Around "Candy Shop," Al takes the slow route, and it only picks up a little as it hits the end. As a fan of Al's medleys only having one slow part, I would have preferred it stay consistently fast just a little bit longer.

6. Virus Alert- Computer viruses can be dangerous, no doubt, but Al takes it to the next level in this original. Not only does the virus "make your computer screen freeze," but it also "translates your documents into Swahili" and "gives your laundry static cling." Basically, Al takes things out of proportion again, and with hilarious results. However, there are so many crazy things that can go wrong with computers, I think it would have been funnier had he stuck with computer problems as opposed to "real life" problems such as "leaving Twinkie wrappers all over the place."

7. Confessions, Part III- Parts I and II of Usher's "Confessions" obviously wasn't enough; Al felt it was important to give us part III. Unlike Usher, most of Al's confessions are relatively mild things, such as throwing up on his woman's dog or hoarding the last of the Rice Krispies. Of course, that's what makes it so funny.

8. Weasel Stomping Day
This song is demented. I don't know where Al came up with this one: a happy, lighthearted song about stomping on weasels. Why? "Who can say? But it's such a festive holiday." The thought of stomping on poor defenseless weasels doesn't exactly put a smile on my face, but for some odd reason, the sound of it makes me smile every time. Am I demented? Must be. It's one of those things that is just so demented, you can't help but laugh.

9. Close, But No Cigar- Basically, Al goes through several girlfriends. Things are going well at first; his girlfriend seems perfect in every way, someone a guy would do anything to find. However, she has ONE flaw that's not even really a flaw, something as silly as using the word "infer" instead of "imply." Yes, that simple "flaw" is enough to get Al searching again, but with his pickiness, there's no telling if he'll ever find the woman that's right for him. I have to admit I have trouble reviewing this fairly. After watching John K.'s HORRID animated video, I can't get the images out of my mind as I listen to this song. Even so, it's a cute song.

10. Do I Creep You Out?- This song has a few funny bits, but it's almost over before it begins. Most of the song is Al simply asking if he creeps a girl out. There are a few gems in the song, such as "Every time I shake your hand now, wanna stick your fingers in my mouth." For the most part, though, the lyrics are rather weak, and with such a small amount of time to work with, Al doesn't get the chance to really make the song shine.

11. Trapped in the Drive-Thru- A gem, plain and simple. I haven't heard the song it's based off of, R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet", but I've heard time and time again that you gain a whole new appreciation for this song if you have. If you're a regular at the drive-thru, you can probably relate to several of the things that happen. Not for those with a long attention span; this song is over ten minutes long. Oh, but what a good ten minutes it is...

12. Don't Download This Song- Please, think of the artists! If you download music, you'll be stealing money from Al, and then he won't be able to afford another solid gold humvee. Plus, eventually you'll graduate to higher crimes, such as selling crack, and then you'll burn in hell. This song definitely tugs at the ol' heartstrings. ...well, maybe not, but it's definitely another funny "Al blows things out of proportion" bit, sung in a "We Are the World" style. A nice, mellow way to end the CD, though I think I'd have preferred the epic Trapped in the Drive-Thru send the album off with a bigger bang.

The album is a dual disc, meaning that many CD players won't play it, so take that into consideration. Extras, as mentioned earlier, are decent. The six animated music videos are rather dull and lifeless, and at times downright unpleasant to watch (Close But No Cigar, anyone?). I'd definitely not let young children watch several of them; the animators took what liberties they could. On the other hand, we have nice 5.1 surround sound mixes of all the songs, as well as karaoke versions to sing along with. The last bit is a nine minute video showing Al and the band working on the album. Some parts drag on, but for the most part, it's entertaining enough.

It looks like Al has another hit on his hands; Straight Outta Lynwood landed on the Billboard Charts at #10, and "White & Nerdy" is the Hot Shot Debut (the highest charting debut single of the week) on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. With all of the press Al has received so far on his new album, there's obviously no stopping him from having yet another success on his hands. And he certainly deserves it. Well, see you at the tour!