RiffDraft

This weekend, I picked up a copy of the Flight of the Conchords brand new CD.  It’s basically music from their HBO show.   It’s been a long time since I’ve bought a novelty CD like this and I highly recommend it.  As usual, I’ve tried to intellectually dissect what makes it all work so well.  These guys unflinchingly cover a broad range of musical styles: Prince, “Bowie”, Pet Shop Boys, turn-the-lights-down-low soul, hip-hop, etc.One thing I think is unique about what Bret (pronounced, as far as I can tell, “Brit”) and Germaine, is that they are genuine fans of each of these styles and use it as a vehicle for their comedy.  When they tackle a soulful “Ladies of the World” the joke is not on modern soul music, the joke is on them.  It wasn’t always like this.  Comics have been mocking modern music for years.  Think about Spinal Tap.  The joke is on all the hard rock bands of the late 70’s–their empty-headed shallowness.  Remember Dana Carvey’s “Choppin’ broccoli” song?  The joke uncovers the meaninglessness of words in pop songs.  You get the feeling, listening to Flight of the Conchords, that they sincerely admire all of the styles they cover.  In doing so, they have chosen to imitate, instead of mock.  That, as they say, is the “sincerest form of flattery.”