Editorial Reviews Music Review:
Music Review
Organ Music Sacred and Profane
Messiaen: Turangalīla - Symphonie / Nagano, Aimard, Kim
Off the Bone/Songs the Lord Taught Us [Import]
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Amazon.com
With Laugh Out Lord, stand-up unfunnyman Neil Hamburger takes yet another stab at producing a thematic comedy record (longtime fans will remember his troubled Raw Hamburger and 50 States, 50 Laughs concepts from years past). This time around, Hamburger once again finds himself plagued by a distracted audience (he blames it on the venue's "free popcorn night"), memories of bad motels across the country, and sluggish record sales. His ex-wife's infidelity is still fresh in his mind, and his political jokes (at least those that are left uncensored) need a little refinement. Though his heart doesn't seem to be with the religious material this record is supposed to showcase (he tags it all onto the album's last track), Hamburger's legion of fans will still find plenty to laugh at. After you accept the fact that his jokes are intentionally lousy, ponder why his audience sounds so artificial, and hear the words "zipper lips" enough, you realize that Hamburger's shtick is just as effective as those of more established (and funnier) comedians. And Laugh Out Lord is one of his most admirable efforts yet. --Jason Verlinde