This is an album that I go months and months without listening to, then throw it on, and I'm like, "Damn, forgot how good this is." While most of the music on this album is kind of poppy, it would never really be considered pop. The opening song, "The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead," was a minor hit for the band, but other than that nothing from this album made it onto the airwaves. There are a few very low key songs, namely "Rook," "Humble Daisy," "Wrapped In Grey" and "Bungalow," but they are spaced out nicely through the album so they don't bog it down or mess with the flow too much. Other than that... Nothing is overly spectacular about this album, yet as a whole, it's a pretty spectacular album. Other than "Peter Pumpkinhead" nothing really stands out that much because by this time XTC had pretty much figured out their sound and were just perfecting it instead of experimenting with it. This was their 10th album over 14 years, and while there was nothing as catchy as "Making Plans For Nigel" or "Mayor Of Simpleton," there was also nothing as controversial as "Dear God." "The Smartest Monkeys" and "War Dance" try to make statements but end up being a bit too preachy to be effective. Overall, it is just a really solid album, something to listen to when you just want to chill. Good stuff.
5 Best Songs:
5. "My Bird Performs"
4. "Books Are Burning"
3. "Then She Appeared"
2. "Dear Madam Barnum"
1. "The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead"
"Then She Appeared"
"Dear Madam Barnum"
"The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead"
107. UHF/Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff by Weird Al Yankovic (1989)
Even though I am a huge Weird Al fan, this is his only album on the list because it's really the only one I ever listen to all the way through, although Straight Outta Lynnwood is also pretty damn good, and probably could have been on here instead of one of the million Greatest Hits albums at the back end of the list. As usual, this album contains a fair balance of parodies and original material, as well as the obligatory polka medley. This time around it's the "Hot Rocks Polka" which instead of being a mish mash of random artists of the same style is devoted solely to Rolling Stones songs. And believe me, you haven't lived until you've heard polka versions of "Ruby Tuesday" and "Sympathy For the Devil." Classic. The parodies on this album are pretty good for the most part, except for "She Drives Like Crazy," a parody of "She Drives Me Crazy" by Fine Young Cannibals. It is just as annoying as the original. One of his most famous parodies ever is here, "Money For Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies," and it is still as entertaining now as it was then. "Spam" is a send up of R.E.M.'s "Stand" that is pretty good, and "Isle Thing" talks about Gilligan's Island to the tune of "Wild Thing" by Tone Loc. The originals on this album are also pretty good, except "Attack Of the Radioactive Hamster From a Planet Near Mars," which is just as bad as its title and is probably one of the worst songs he's ever written. "UHF" is a pretty rocking song, obviously the theme to the movie. "Fun Zone" is an infectious instrumental that is just shy of 2 minutes and has opened every Weird Al concert since this album came out. "Generic Blues" is hilarious, just the tedium of day to day life sung to the standard blues riff. "The Biggest Ball Of Twine In Minnesota" is one of the few Al songs that goes over 6 minutes, and it could easily have gotten boring and repetitive, but instead is very funny. There are also a couple commercials from the movie thrown in for shits and giggles, "Gandhi II" and "Spatula City" but without seeing the visuals they kind of lose effect. All in all, this is just a fun album. Nothing to write home about, sure, but also nothing you really have to think about or get emotionally involved with to enjoy. Just fun.
5 Best Songs:
5. "Spam"
4. "Generic Blues"
3. "Money For Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies"
2. "Hot Rocks Polka"
1. "The Biggest Ball Of Twine In Minnesota"
"Money For Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies"
"Hot Rocks Polka"
"The Biggest Ball Of Twine In Minnesota"
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