These days, there is an apparent absence of lounge singers remaking rap and rock songs.

Richard Cheese is a breath of fresh-like air. After putting out four albums, Cheese has done what any respectable musician would do: release a compilation.

The compilation is called The Sunny Side of the Moon: The Best of Richard Cheese, a not-so-subtle parody of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. The album cover alone is amusing, substituting a martini glass for Pink Floyd's trademark prism.

Though the album title and cover are standard parodies, the songs are not. All of the songs retain their essential lyrics. The most obvious difference is that Cheese sings them as though they were written for a lounge singer. With a voice that could melt the hearts of ladies like a 30-second spin in the microwave melts his moniker, Cheese brings unique and euphonious life to these memorable songs.

The first track is a cover of Nirvana's "Rape Me." The song originally appeared on Cheese's debut album Lounge Against the Machine, but here appears as one of six all-new big band versions. Cheese gives the big band treatment to all of his Lounge Against the Machine classics, and it livens up the earlier, primitive instrumentals.

It is clear why "Rape Me" was chosen to go first, as it sets the mood for the entire album. He manages to make a song that repeatedly refers to the word "rape" light-hearted.

Cheese introduces the song by cheerfully stating, "Here's one for the ladies." His voice continues to convey a sarcastic glee throughout the entire track, even as he concludes the song by shouting "rape" about a dozen times rapid-fire, followed of course by "me." It feels as though he is smiling the entire time, a smile that consequently transfers to the listener.

The standout song is "Baby Got Back," which is just as it appeared on Cheese's Tuxicity. Out of all the songs, it is the smoothest and funniest transition to lounge music. Since the song already possesses tongue-in-cheek lyrics, Cheese is free to focus on how to differentiate his version from the original.

He sings with a slower, more casual pace while still preserving its irreverent sense of humor. Thanks to the laid-back delivery of each lyric, every word is able to resonate with the listener, which in this sense makes the song even more ingenious than the original (sorry, Sir Mix-A-Lot).

Cheese is far from infallible though. The low point of the album occurs when he attempts to cover Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall," one of four all-new recordings on the compilation. Being the song from which the album title was most likely derived (despite it being from another Pink Floyd album), this failed attempt is even more disappointing.

Cheese's version is much too slow and unimaginative, making it nothing more than a boring remake. It is not a far enough departure from the original song to create any sort of humor.

Cheese's specialty is doing the opposite of what one would guess, and here he does not defy expectations at all. Plus, it is strange that he decided to totally ignore the eerie vocals of those British children, an area that would seem ripe for satire.

Another new recording, a cover of Young MC's "Bust a Move" is much more satisfying. The musical style harks back to the short-lived, but endearingly energetic, swing movement of the late '90s. Like "Baby Got Back," this cover is aided by the preexisting camp value that the original song has gathered through time.

Again, the more relaxed approach to the song allows for an entertaining emphasis on each ridiculous lyric. Cheese's greatest successes involve a radical change in tempo, the most logical and humorous way to distinguish itself from the original.

After a while, the novelty of listening to popular rock and rap songs in the style of lounge becomes a tad stale. Fortunately, all but one song last no more than three minutes, which helps to keep the album interesting.

Either way, the music and singing is consistently impressive and the songs' origins become less important. Looking past the rampant swearing, a fan of traditional lounge music would even get a kick out of the compilation.

The Sunny Side of the Moon: The Best of Richard Cheese has its ups and downs, but overall it is an enjoyable lounge music trip through 18 familiar songs. For an even more enjoyable trip, sip back a few martinis, play the CD and pop in "The Wizard of Oz."

Rating: 3 out of 5