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Comedic duo’s album soars

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Also by Lee Crickman:

B-52s' first release in 16 years still fun, not complex (March 27, 2008)
Gillis' mashups awe Union fans (February 25, 2008)
Beach House: Quiet, cozy, soothing (February 26, 2008)

by Lee Crickman

Thursday, April 24, 2008

The phrase so humorously adorning the many New Zealand travel posters hanging in Murray’s office — which reads “New Zealand… Don’t expect too much… You will love it” — should be applied to the latest album from Flight of the Conchords.

This self-titled release is a long-awaited compilation of tracks that have been heard multiple times over the past few years. Comprised entirely from songs featured in the hit HBO show of the same name, any fan of the show will find no surprises in this album.

The band is described as a comedy folk duo hailing from — where else — New Zealand. Made up of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement, Flight of the Conchords began performing their witty and intelligent songs in 2002, gradually gaining popularity until finally starring in a radio show on BBC Radio 2 in 2005, then in the HBO comedy series “One Night Stand.” They collaborated with HBO again in 2007 for their own aforementioned series, which chronicles the duo’s attempts at stardom in New York City.

McKenzie and Clement could easily be called geniuses of parody, and they have repeatedly proven themselves capable of mastering a multitude of musical genres. The faux-’60s French pop song “Foux du Fafa” is funny if only due to their butchery of the French language. “Business Time,” contrastingly, is groovy, get-down baby-making music with a twist. They sing, “You know when I’m down to my socks what time it is/ It’s business time.” They even attempt, with side-splitting success, a caricature of David Bowie — with repeated references to Bowie’s nipples.

Fans will enjoy hearing definitive versions of songs featured in the HBO show, but the majority of the duo’s charm comes from their spontaneity. Several songs appear, in various forms, on their debut album Folk the World (2002), their HBO special, and on the show. After having heard these songs three or four times, the comedic side of Flight of the Conchords tends to lose its zing and tongue-in-cheek humor.

Most tracks are musically strong enough to hold their own and incite a chuckle or two. Full of clever puns and plays on words, “Robots” and “Boom” shine. On the latter, they sing, “She so flippin’ hot she’s like a curry/ I want to tell her how hot she is but she’ll think I’m being sexist/ She’s so hot she’s making me sexist.”

The band also proves they are able to conquer multiple genres while keeping their awkward charm, such as with “Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros,” which offers an endearing take on hip-hop. The standout track, however, is “The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room).” It’s a challenge not to laugh as they croon, “And when you’re on the street/ Depending on the street/ I bet you are definitely in the top three/ You’re so beautiful/ You could be a waitress/ You’re so beautiful/ You could be a part-time model/ But you’d probably have to keep your normal job.”

Fortunately, it will be hard to get tired of Flight of the Conchords. At the very least, this album brings back reminders of their foreign allure and adorable hipster-ness, generating excitement for the upcoming second season of the show and a whole crop of new songs and misadventures.

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Anonymous (April 24, 2008 @ 8:48am):

"Fortunately, it will be hard to get tired of Flight of the Conchords."

False. It's quite easy, actually.

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