jack's soul & rock corner

Richard Cheese
Lounge Against the Machine (2000)
320

On Lounge Against the Machine, alt-rock hits get the Vegas treatment way before their time. Vocalist Richard Cheese and his piano trio really know how to warp a song. Rage Against the Machine's "Guerilla Radio" sounds smooth as silk, if incredibly schmaltzy, in the hands of this wayward lounge act. The Dead Kennedys' "Holiday in Cambodia" gets completely defanged in Cheese's rendition. And it's definitely strange to hear the rage drained out of Nirvana's "Rape Me" and replaced with bland, mindless enthusiasm. The tone of these covers is so far removed from the originals that at times you forget what you're really listening to. At moments like these, Cheese and the boys sound like some anonymous combo going through the motions. But then you'll hear the singer let loose with some foul language or croon a harsh line and it sounds downright strange and funny. Lounge Against the Machine can be tiresome at times, but it certainly takes the piss out of these songs.

1. Nookie/Break Stuff (originally by Limp Bizkit)
2. Guerilla Radio (originally by Rage Against The Machine)
3. Come Out And Play (originally by Offspring)
4. Closer (originally by Nine Inch Nails)
5. Wrong Way (originally by Sublime)
6. Bullet The Blue Sky (originally by U2)
7. Creep (originally by Radiohead)
8. Last Resort (originally by Papa Roach)
9. Rape Me (originally by Nirvana)
10. What's My Age Again (originally by Blink 182)
11. Smack My Bitch Up (originally by Prodigy)
12. Fight For Your Right (originally by Beastie Boys)
13. Only Happy When It Rains (originally by Garbage)
14. Suck My Kiss (originally by Red Hot Chili Peppers)
15. Holiday In Cambodia (originally by Dead Kennedys)
16. The Rockafeller Skank (originally by Fat Boy Slim)




Pat Boone
In A Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy (1997)
256

Monty Python have got nothing on Pat Boone. You want absurd, this is the pinnacle. No comedy writer in his/her dreams could have dreamt up anything even half as stupid. The mere idea of Pat Boone, Mr. Squeaky Clean himself, (ahem) crooning heavy metal tunes is bad enough, but it gets so much worse. Big name arrangers were brought in to take crunchy power chords and squealing guitar solos and turn them into jazzy riffs and big band horn blasts. Even a few of the artists whose material is covered make guest appearances. Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore plugs in on "Smoke on the Water," while vocalist Ronnie James Dio gives a shout out on his band's "Holy Diver." This musical "idiodyssey" actually works a few times. I'm not immune to the kitsch value that the swingin' versions of AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)," Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary," or Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train" provide. These songs almost sound like they were written for this kind of overblown, slick swing. Very scary. As for the rest, well, let's just say that aside from the fact that they don't really work too well in this format, Boone just ends up sort of speaking the lyrics and sounding completely goofy. If that's not comedy enough for you, surely the extensive liner notes explaining (rationalizing?) why Boone felt the need to make this record are the topper. I liked this guy a lot better when he was pals with the Parents' Music Resource Center. Can't wait for In a Grunge Mood--sometime in the 21st century.

1. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
2. Smoke On The Water
3. It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'N Roll)
4. Panama
5. No More Mr. Nice Guy
6. Love Hurts
7. Enter Sandman
8. Holy Diver
9. Paradise City
10. The Wind Cries Mary
11. Crazy Train
12. Stairway To Heaven




The Mike Flowers Pops
A Groovy Place (1996)
320

The most wonderful one hit wonder of the 90's. The album is mostly parodic Burt Bacharach kind of versions of different artists' songs. But unlike most humor music, this is both funny and good music. The hit, "Wonderwall" by Oasis sounds better than the original version. "1999" by Prince is another hilarious song, the liner notes say it's recorded at the end of the millenium party. Flowers also wrote a few songs himself. One of them, "A Groovy Place" is one of the best songs on the album. I'd love to hear another Mike Flowers Pops album but I doubt there will be one. This kind of thing couldn't have done more than once.

1. A Groovy Place
2. Wonderwall
3. "In" Crowd
4. Light My Fire
5. Please Release Me
6. Venus as a Boy
7. Crusty Girl
8. The Velvet Underground Medley: All Tomorrow's Parties/Venus in ...
9. Freebase
10. 1999

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