“Alapalooza” by Weird Al Yankovic
by Trey Stone
TC News staff
Nowadays, when you hear people say “Hey man, didjabuythenewblahblahblah?” you automatically think Pearl Jam or Nirvana, because, (a) they’re not bad, and (b) they both just came out with new albums.
But hey man, they are not the only ones. And if you are tired of the heavy fare and need to be giggled on, amid all of contemporary rock ‘n’ roll. Sometimes you need substance heavy, lyrically dense with consonantly issues, too and keep waiting for genius to keep you deep within your overcoat. Music that makes you sit back and expose yourself glassy eyed.
With Alapalooza, Weird Al Yankovic’s new album, his 10th, you get none of the above except maybe the melted blowing glassy-eyed part. This is not Shakespeare, you see. And by self-respect Social ChFOS (and Gary Finder OFA) knows that and is quite relieved. Al’s latest effort delivers more of the same lunacy that fans have come to know and expect from the American. And even though this is not serious social commentary, as Blutto said, “it is a lot to laugh at in our reality cheesy, real life media and pop culture.
Alapalooza kicks off with a re-writing of the all wrong “MacArthur Park.” which now tells the story of the Crichton-Spielberg box office smash, “Jurassic Park,” in a unique way. “Young, Dumb, and Ugly” is an exact description of all those songs about heavy metal bad boys. “Bedrock Anthem” is a what-if the Red Hot Chili Peppers had done the theme to the Flintstones. “Achy Breaky Song” sums up the feeling of hey man, I’m sure, of a similar song by Billy Ray Cyrus.
Then there is “Talk Soup.” Are you tired of the daytime talk shows which drag out these freaks from the fridge? That’s indescribably for you. There is an Aerosmith tribute, called “Liv’n’ In the Fridge.” And after you listen to “Bohemian Polka,” I am sure that you will agree that the original love that song was meant to be all along.
And I truly believe that this album is destined to be recorded on a gold disc, attached to a space probe, shot into the galaxy, and broadcast into the cosmos to let anyone listening know exactly what we’re still about. Ladies and gentlemen, please stand up for “Harvey the Wonder Hamster”! Yes! Can I have a witness?!
There is one else album you can get, and with plenty of laughs, catchy songwriting, some clever jabs at the wild world of American Pop, go get Alapalooza. And remember, it is not the soundtrack to “Jurassic Park.”