(Music) Weird Al: "Straight Outta Lynwood"

Maybe I don't get out enough, or maybe I'm just naive, but I don't know of anyone who has actually listened to Weird Al from the very beginning of his career to the very end. Don't get me wrong, the guy has fans, hardcore fans, but has anyone actually been purchasing this guy's albums for 25 years? I'm sure there are a few, and in reality, they are completely justified in their actions. Weird Al's career has been one of ups and downs, but it has never really stalled. Every couple of years, Al spits out an album full of great parodies of today's best (worst) music and it still manages to be funny! You gotta hand it to the guy.

"Straight Outta Lynwood" is Al's latest album, the title of which is an obvious jab at "Straight Outta Compton," the classic N.W.A. album. As it turns out, perhaps there's good reason for the name, as Weird Al focuses a lot of his attention on the rap and r&b genres this time out. There's "White and Nerdy," a parody of Chamillionaire's "Ridin'" (and possibly one of Yankovic's bests!), a brief take on 50 Cent and the Black Eyed Peas, "Confessions Pt. 3," the all-too obvious parody of Usher's "Confessions Pt. 2," and the song that was just begging for it, R Kelly's "Trapped In the Closet," now has a parody of its own...clocking it at about 11 minutes! In addition to that, there's also some quality parodies of Green Day and James Blunt, both of which are okay in their own right.

As is the case with any Weird Al album, the true value in the CD lies in the parodies. That being said, "Straight Outta Lynwood" also contains some of Al's best original songs in years. Sure, while "Pancreas" may not be anything special, it's still quirky enough to warrant multiple listens. Aut let's not forget "I'll Sue Ya," a nice bit of social commentary (Weird Al style) in the form of a Kid Rock-esque jam. For me though, the biggest laugh-out-loud moment of the album was "Weasel Stomping Day," a song that is completely ludicrous and bears a few similarities to "Harvey the Wonder Hampster." Laughter is almost guaranteed on this one.

Overall, "Straight Outta Lynwood" is a pretty decent album, and one of Weird Al's bests. It's really the first album of his I've listened to in a decade, and I'm glad I did. There's definitely enough humor on here to hold you over for until the next Weird Al album. With a career that has lasted longer than most "legitimate" artists, Yankovic has clearly made a name for himself. As long as he keeps in touch with pop culture, I doubt the spotlight will ever leave him.

Key Tracks:
1. "Whit and Nerdy"
2. "I'll Sue Ya"
3. "Confessions, Pt.3"
4. "Weasel Stomping Day"
5. "Trapped In the Drive-Thru"

3 out of 5 Stars