Flight of the Conchords
Sub Pop
April 22, 2008

The question I constantly ask myself while listening to Flight of the Conchords is if I'm listening to a comedy album or a music album, and does it really matter? While I don't enjoy every song I listen to on their self titled debut full length (I could do without "Foux du Fafa" and "The Prince of Parties"), I tip my hat to their songwriting abilities and how they are able to add nearly every type of genre to their music. There are plenty of styles to choose from, whether it be hip hop, soul, ballads, rock, folk, etc., and they pull them all off flawlessly. Their humorous lyrics, delivered with a dry wit (even while they're singing), are what gives them that comedy feel (the fact that they have their own comedy show on HBO confirms that feeling). They are able to take the simplest things and make a good joke about them. Even talking about the horrors of living in the dregs of society ("Inner City Pressure") make me laugh.

Flight of the Conchords are a comedy group that have good songwriting chops. There are plenty of different sounds and styles glittered throughout this album, showing their depth unlike other comedy musicians. The only worrying thing about their style is that they soon may join the reigns of so many other goofy groups, eventually losing their appeal and becoming irrevalent. But, for the moment, Flight of the Conchords are at the top of their game, and the majority of these 15 tracks prove that.

Written by: RF
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