You can sum up Flight of the Conchords with “Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros,” based off of the band’s self-titled studio debut.
After Bret McKenzie, a.k.a. the Rhymenoceros, raps, “I’m not just wild, I’m trained/ Domesticated/ I was raised by a rapper and a rhino that dated/ And subsequently procreated,” he introduces his partner, Jemaine Clement, the Hiphopopotamus.
“They call me the hiphopopotamus/ My lyrics are bottomless,” Clement says. And then, there’s a pause. Clement clears his throat, and McKenzie returns to the mic as if nothing had happened.
The joke there is obvious, but it’s the way FOTC, the folk comedy duo from New Zealand, pulls it off – with no hesitation and a total deadpan delivery – that makes the band what it is. They specialize in off-beat, subtle and awkward humor, often leaving you wondering if – and when – you’re supposed to laugh. Flight of the Conchords, the first full-length recording from the band, is a new reference for the duo for fans of the HBO series and, just maybe, for those who missed the buzz the first time.
The album rounds up 14 FOTC staples – 13 of which appeared on the show and one that didn’t, the 16-second album closer, “Au Revoir” – into one neat package. The songs are spruced up a little here, due to the band recording in a studio and working with producer Mickey Petralia.
By including only songs from the series (in this sense, “Au Revoir” doesn’t count), the band put itself into a box. Fans of the show don’t get anything new from the album, instead getting re-worked, high-quality versions of some favorites from the series. But new listeners are treated to the songs in a new way, without proper context. And without that, several of FOTC’s songs miss the mark.
For example, on the album, “Motha’uckas” doesn’t make as much sense without the proper prior knowledge. McKenzie starts rapping about a “motha ucka [who] won’t sell an apple to a Kiwi,” and then spits about the fruit. Fans of the show know the song stems from a confrontation McKenzie and Clement have with a fruit vendor (played by Human Giant’s Aziz Anzari) who won’t sell fruit to them because he thinks they’re Australian. By contrast, first-time listeners probably wouldn’t have a clue.
This is what makes the album such a tough one to judge. For fans, it’s nice to finally have recordings of some of the band’s best songs, but where is the new material? For people just turned on to the FOTC phenomenon, it’s a precarious situation – will the band be able to draw new fans on just the strength of these songs? Can they still make you laugh when you have no clue what you’re laughing at?
Simply put, it’s really not clear. Some songs have little enough relation to plot that they work, others not so much. But one thing is certain: These songs are best heard, first, as part of the show. You need to see Clement’s face when he can’t think of a lyric in “Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros,” just like “Leggy Blonde” isn’t as funny without the accompanying visuals.
The album forces you to dive into the songs without any warning – something the show eases you into. Without seeing McKenzie and Clement interact in their apartment or go to weekly band meetings with manager Murray Hewitt (Rhys Darby), the album is just a collection of ridiculous songs, some of which may not resonate as well as the band expects.
That’s not to say there aren’t songs everyone can enjoy. “Business Time,” the only song to appear on both this and the band’s Distant Future EP, is arguably the band’s signature song, giving new meaning to the term “business socks.” “Bowie,” the band’s tribute (or a glorified parody, depending on how you look at it) to David Bowie is equally excellent. It’s ridiculous and funny and manages to rip on “Space Oddity,” “Ziggy Stardust” and “Let’s Dance” without seeming pretentious.
Flight of the Conchords is great if you’re a fan; just don’t expect anything you haven’t seen or heard before. But for non-fans, go pick up the first season of Flight of the Conchords on DVD before you take a listen. After 12 episodes of the series, you’ll know whether or not you want this album in your collection.
rudi.greenberg@gmail.com
RATING: 3.5 STARS OUT OF 5
