Rating:
Genre:
Comedy
Release Date: 05/20/2003
It's been said that artists will truly know they've entered pop culture when
Weird Al Yankovic records a parody of their hit. But what does it mean when pop culture is ahead of
Weird Al? Take his parody of
the Backstreet Boys'
"I Want It That Way," which
Yankovic turns into
"Ebay," but his satire is not far removed from the auction website's own advertising campaign of 2003, where people rave about the junk they bought on eBay to the tune of
"My Way" ("I did it eBay"). What does this mean? Well, that
Weird Al Yankovic's sensibility has been so thoroughly assimilated by mass culture that it's tougher than ever for him to stay ahead of the game. For instance, there's his parody of
Eminem's
"Lose Yourself," for which
Marshall Mathers refused to let
Alfred Matthew Yankovic make a video -- an event that gave
Poodle Hat a lot of press upon its spring 2003 release. The album ends with
"Genius in France," a multi-part epic that's equal parts
Utopia-era
Todd Rundgren,
Frank Zappa, and
They Might Be Giants; it's the most ambitious and weirdest thing here, which counts for a lot, ending with a Grey Poupon joke. It works because, at his best,
Weird Al is a very good musician with some clever ideas and a skilled band, so music that showcases that is best for him -- it helps put his jokes across.
~Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
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