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CD Reviews: Review of The Craig Machine by Stephen Lynch
 
Thompson Home / CD Reviews Home / Entertainment Channel / Entertainment Web Guide


Click here to buy yourself a copy from Amazon.com Stephen Lynch: The Craig Machine (What Are Records 2005)

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Back in my school days, people were constantly trying to tell me what I should do with my life career-wise. The top three things my friends and acquaintances chose for my future profession were a game show host, a DJ, and a stand up comedian. People I’d never generally speak to in high school would come up and say things like, “Man, you so funny! What are you smokin’?” Yours truly was on nothing, just high on life. And they couldn’t believe it. Oh, but it was true! Did I happen to mention that there’s an embarrassing picture of me in a junior high yearbook holding up a retarded “Just Say No” t-shirt with two other dorks? Apparently my name was drawn randomly out of the proverbial hat for that one.

Anyway, yes I’ve always loved comedy from when I was just a wee lad. I’ve also always appreciated the great comedy recording that can stand the test of time. This isn’t an easy achievement, mind you. Inevitably, for every comedian making an LP there are going to be things in the routine that will date them. However, the truly great comics generally have material that will remain funny for years afterward. For example, my first taste of the comedy recording was by this guy called Brother Dave Gardner, who recorded a string of hilarious albums in the early ‘60s. That’s right, these were my parents’ albums, but for some reason they cracked me up even at five years old or so. Hey, I was a sharp tack, what can I say? Anyway, Gardner was just a really funny dude and it’s a shame more people don’t know of him.

Other faves of mine include Emo Philips’ terrific E=MO2, Steve Martin’s Let’s Get Small, and the Firesign Theater’s Don’t Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me The Pliers. All of these are great examples of comedy albums that still remain funny long after their initial presence is felt. So you might be saying, “Hey J., you seem to know a bit about the comedy recording and what’s good. How can I get into this as well?” Well, one of my favorite current outlets is the Opie and Anthony show on XM satellite radio. Two very funny dudes who often have great comedians on their broadcast, one of whom is Stephen Lynch, a musical comic.

Lynch’s latest recording is called The Craig Machine, in reference to a hilarious tune on the album about Jesus Christ’s little-known brother, Craig. Stephen’s been working the comedy circuit for a number of years now, and this album is his third release, a nice little live disc jam-packed with 15 tracks of comedy goodness. Not since the great Tenacious D released their rockin’ self-titled disc have I laughed and listened to a musical comic’s album over and over. Lynch rocks it out on his acoustic guitar with a little help from friends on bass and piano on a couple tracks. But of course, it’s the yuks that count, and there are plenty to be heard here.

But I don’t wanna give everything away here because you truly need to hear this disc for yourself with fresh ears without some critic writing all the punchlines down. So let me just point the way to some of my fave tracks instead. There’s the aforementioned “Craig,” which is a great one, and there’s also “Halloween,” about a creepy psycho predator. The perils of dating a Nazi litter “Little Tiny Moustache,” while “Mixer in Delta Chi” will hit close to home for any of those who slept with the professor and got away with it. And if all that wasn’t good enough, there’s also “Classic Rock Song,” which is everything its title promises.

There are a couple tunes here that are so-so, such as “Pierre” and “Whittlin’ Man,” but for the most part The Craig Machine is a top-notch comedy disc that anyone with a taste for the perverse and good rockin’ tunes should enjoy. Yes, that means it’s actually better than ¾ of Prince’s output. Ha! See…Prince stopped releasing truly great albums a long time ago, and…well, you get the idea…ahem. Just get this album already.  


~Jason Thompson 
jthompson@bullz-eye.com





 

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