I Told You I was Freaky, the latest album from everyone's favorite kiwi anti-folk duo, Flight of the Conchords, is the appropriate soundtrack follow-up to the stellar second season of their self-titled HBO show. Freaky is a compilation of the best of the songs presented in the latest season, and while the album exhibits a wider satirical scope than its predecessor, it fails to stand on its own, independent of the show.
Each song, though often catchy and always funny, requires a backstory in order to be fully understood. For example, ""We're Both in Love with a Sexy Lady,"" a parody of R. Kelly & Usher's ""Same Girl,"" features some of the best quirky banter the pair is known for. However, this song also makes the assumption that the listener is aware of the fact that the lady in question, a lazy-eyed Kristen Wiig, has an epileptic dog and is actually named Brahbrah, rather than Barbara. Without having seen this particular episode, the jokes of the song are almost entirely lost.
However, despite the album's limitations, Bret and Jemaine show greater diversity in their parodies than in previous efforts. From the opening song, ""Hurt Feelings,"" a list of grievances by a couple of sad, sensitive rappers, to the dance track ""Too Many Dicks (On The Dance Floor),"" to the Police-inspired ""You Don't Have To Be a Prostitute,"" no genre escapes parody. The boys even dabble in the accordion-riddled, cannibalistic world of the Soviet sea shanty with ""Petrov, Yelyena and Me.""
Although Freaky mostly concerns itself with forging new comedic paths, it does not neglect the Conchords' folk roots. From Bret's solo track, ""Rambling Through the Avenues of Time,"" to the a capella ""Friends,"" to the Paul Simon tribute ""Carol Brown,"" folk remains the common thread in this wonderfully diverse new album.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Flight of the Conchords album without the ever-pervasive influence of David Bowie. Although it is doubtful that Bret and Jemaine will ever reach the satirical heights of ""Bowie"" from their self-titled studio debut, ""Fashion is Danger"" is a respectful poke at the aging glam-rock star that comes pretty close.
All in all, I Told You I Was Freaky is an album for the fans. If you are already acquainted with Bret and Jemaine, know of their heartaches and hijinks and hatred for Australians, then you will be thoroughly pleased with this follow-up album. However, newcomers may get a little lost.
