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ALBUM: Awesome Record, Great Songs
LABEL: Williams Street Records
‘ve realized that I can entertain almost any guest by sitting them down with a drink and the DVD of “The Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” (Although that may indicate that I’m not the most gracious hostess Ö ). If you’ve never seen it on Adult Swim, it’s a parody of the worst channel ever, full of ads for things no one needs (a toy that is a bat mixed with an owl), shows about faux-fab beach parties, and a news show featuring the “first-ever married news team!” Although it’s geared toward stoners, I’ve tested it on many subjects and concluded that its humor appeals to even those who haven’t had a toke or two.
One day I was idly playing the show while cleaning my room, and I realized that what makes “Tim & Eric” so addicting is the music. Despite being about rotten meat and needing to pee sitting down, the songs feel familiar, scamming on the type of folksy and skanky dance songs we can’t escape in this loud nation. Thankfully, the songs have been captured and expanded on in “Tim & Eric’s Awesome Record, Great Songs.”
The soundtrack is for college kids what “Weird Al’s” albums were for 11 year olds: crap-culture stretched to its most ridiculous extremes until it becomes as hilarious as it should be. Alas, I can’t say “It’s Weird Al without the hair,” because even he makes an appearance in this mixed bag of tracks.
A few other famous acts make their way onto the compilation, including the Shins, who add a shuffling, slightly Spanish edge to the track “Wipe My Butt,” which talks about the environmental problems of bathroom sanitation. Built to Spill play a rocking song about a desperate housewife and Flying Lotus mix an epic remix of “One for Pep Pep.” Aimee Mann’s “Heartbreak” track actually sounds like something she may have nicked from her album.
Hardcore fans of the show (I know you’re out there, eating frozen pizza right now!) will enjoy lengthened versions of many songs, my favorite being the classic “Rolo Tony” ad pitch, where Tim and Eric decided that they were going to make up a jingle about Rolos that illustrated the experience of licking the foil “with your tongue.” The uncut version tells the whole story of Rolo Tony, who, despite their efforts, would never come to be Rolo’s next mascot. Somehow Tim and Eric seem to exude an abundance of spare time.
Like the show, the record has already spawned an odd cult following. Since its release, several viewer-made music videos for the track “Sports!” have shown up on YouTube. In the Tim & Eric version, the song narrates people playing sports with alternative names; hockey is subtitled “iced canes,” and pool is “felted holes.” YouTube filmmakers have now added “food reverse” to the new lingo.
The two comedians have perfected the art of mimicking us in a way that is altogether too weird to resemble “Saturday Night Live” or “Mad TV.” At least now we can dance to it.
