Review Summary: Weebl's weird-as-hell lyrics hide a shocking spike in production, evolving these internet ditties into fully realized comedy songs.
There’s a good chance you don’t know who Jonathan Picking is. There’s also a good chance you don’t know who his stage persona Weebl is. But there’s a
very good chance that you know Weebl’s work. Jonathan Picking donned his stage name Weebl in England in 2002 and became a famed internet animator and musician under the title Weebl’s Stuff. His flash animations range from his running series
Weebl and Bob, “Kenya” (a promotional short about Kenya that ended up appearing on Nickelodeon), and quite possibly his claim to fame, the “Badger Badger Badger” cartoon, which became a viral phenomenon in 2003 for its dancing badgers, catchy lyrics, and for the fact that it looped indefinitely until you closed the browser window. But Weebl didn’t just animate: his music has become legend on the internet and a key component to many of his animations. Aside from working with
Queen’s Brian May and even the “too sexy” guys in
Right Said Fred, Weebl’s music has adopted the same humor and style that his animations have become famous for. 2011’s
Shabby Bacon Hut will confuse many with its lyrics and electro-pop weird factor, but it continues Weebl’s remarkable trend of adding texture to a brand of comedy music that, long ago, seemed to be completely incompatible with it.
Weebl built his reputation on making goofy internet cartoons on Newgrounds.com, but interestingly enough, these cartoons featured original music composed by Weebl himself. The music was based around ridiculously random concepts like narwhals, Russian dancing men, and owls that are trying to kill Simon Cowell. As bizarre and goofy as these songs’ topics are, Weebl has demonstrated time and time again with them that he can make catchy and clever electro-pop jams that seem to be perfect for the webtoon medium in which he debuted them. There are many infectious hooks on
Shabby Bacon Hut, like the tribute to the conspiracy theorist “Donkeys” and the sneering intro to “Moustaches.” Weebl’s humor isn’t as blatantly non-sequitur on
Shabby Bacon Hut, but it’s clear that he still has a strong grip on his trademark brand of random, let’s-make-it-rhyme humor, a kind of funny that many have failed at, but Weebl manages to make very appealing.
But unlike Weebl’s earlier records like
Yesterday’s Lemon and
Hands Over Pastry,
Shabby Bacon Hut marks another big shift beyond those little purely viral pieces, demonstrating Weebl’s steadily evolving production skills. While many of his earlier songs were simple jingles that capitalized on sheer catchiness, the songs later tracks steadily became extremely competent electronic songs, strong production and all.
Shabby Bacon Hut once again increases the production values behind his songs; comparing them to the works on
Hands Over Pastry is near impossible. The autotune used in “Babies” (a song narrated by a man who thinks he can give birth to a child simply by eating its weight in food) is shockingly groovy, while the much more subdued keyboard serenities of “Cute Explosion” expand into a kind of mood that can only be classified as dangerously feel-goody. Weebl even breaks out the grubby wubs in “Guess I Got My Badger Back” a very heavy dubstep tribute to his viral breakout hit “Badger Badger Badger.”
But some songs don’t hold up as well as others. “Late Night Shopping 3” doesn’t have a good hook, nor is its humor as ready or apparent as, say, “Donkeys.” There’s certainly a fine demonstration of Weebl’s production, but as far as songwriting, it’s not his strongest by any stretch. “Waffles” is extremely layered for a Weebl song, with lots of beep-bloop harmonies and great uses of electronic rhythms. However, aside of the line “Waffles / Invented by Gandhi “ it’s not a well-written song. It’s goofy, but not in a witty, Weebl-esque way.
The real oddball (well, the most different, because let’s be honest, these are all pretty odd songs) on the album is the closer “Wandering Eye”, accredited to the group Savlonic. Savlonic is actually a fictional band who represents the collaboration between Weebl and his wife Sarah Darling. Savlonic remains Weebl’s most unique project; the production is even more intricate and complex, the tone much less laid-back, and despite some goofy lyrics, it’s easily one of the most serious endeavors Weebl has ever pushed. Weebl’s nasally call remains in full effect as lead singer Roscoe Thunderpants, but it’s the serene vocals from Sarah Darling as Evangeline D’isco that really make the strongest impression. Her voice is so drastically different from the sharpness of Weebl’s that the dynamic complements itself; it’s a fantastic synergy. The keyboard and electronic effects are melodic throughout, with many of the verses emitting a much darker aesthetic than the other songs on the album. “Wandering Eye” is easily the best song on the album. Weebl is said to be working on a full-length Savlonic LP and “Wandering Eye” demonstrates a much more constructed vision that eclipses all of the more lighthearted tracks on the record.
But saying that is doing Weebl a disservice. Whether he’s being a goofball talking about waffles or owls, or diving into a kind of indie electronica producer fever dream, he manages to make this stripped-down approach to electro-pop something more interesting than it should be. But let’s face it: Weebl’s humor is not the same as Weird Al’s. It’s not the same as Ninja Sex Party’s. It’s so unique in its context, and that’s why not everyone will dig his random tributes to celery in Wonderbras. But as a musician, Weebl has been able to evolve the production and texture behind his sound, while still making the songwriting fit his clearly identifiable vibe.
Shabby Bacon Hut isn’t likely to make new Weebl fans due to its completely nonsensical aesthetic, but for a guy who made his mark by singing over flash animations, Weebl shows a progression that’s just as welcome as it is unexpected.
