Artist: Andrew W.K.
Album: I Get Wet
Label: Island
Release Date: November 13, 2001
all music and lyrics written by Andrew W.K.
Andrew W.K.- Vocals
Jimmy Coup- guitar
E. Pain- guitar
Sgt Frank- guitar
Gregg- bass
D.T.- drums
Sam Revelli- piano/keys
Frank Vierti- piano/keys
Mario Dane- piano/keys
Nate Young- programming
Anthong Miller- programming
Derron D.- programming
various additional guitar, bass, drums, piano, and programming by dozens of other people
well, i don't hear much of this guy on these forums, but truth the be told its understandable- Andrew W.K. is really one of those guys who you either love or hate with a passion. though he's kinda faded into obscurity with his last album
The Wolf being a flop, this album still lives on in frat houses, house parties, and crappy ford mustangs from the late 80s everywhere. this is a guy who doesn't provide deep and intrinsic socio-political commentary or pulls at your heartstrings with whimsful poetry. nor does he intend to blow you away killer time signature changes or pro tools-influenced production.
so what is his vision of music? simple, loud, fun, and not a hint of seriousness. this is party music, quite simply put and does he ever nail the mark. he is not the messiah of rock or metal, he is just simply a guy who loves his music loud and raw and loves making just like that. this is a beer-soaked album full of loud and heavy guitars, primal drum beats, thundering pianos, cheesy programming, and shout-along lyrics and deliciously poppy melodies that get stuck in your head for days. W.K. wrote all the songs here, and you can tell right away that he is not merely aping the genre in question (unlike say, the Darkness). this songs were written with commitment and dedication to the power of the riff and chorus. if your an indie elitist or a hardline metalhead you'll probably hate this stuff, but this quite frankly is a **** good guilty pleasure. but anyways here's the song-by-song review:
1) It's time to party- the first song on the track opens with a tiny guitar riff that gets blown up with blazing keyboards and thunderous drums. andrew w.k. comes roaring in with his wonderful yelling and doubled vocals. this is an awesome song that is short and very fun to sing a long to at a party. the keyboards in this song absolutely own. you've probably heard this song from the movie "old school" (and if your a fan of that movie, then chances are, you like this album) 4.5/5
2) Party hard- W.K.'s big single. once again "party" is the key word here and the song is chockfull of catchy, poppy and heavy guitar riffs, an awesome shout along chorus and not much else. quite simply, an awesome song. 4/5
3) Girls own love- if your a big fan of jackass you would know that W.K.'s music was used (appropriately) as a soundtrack to their stupid antics. this track was one of them- used in the ice barrel jumping bit (which was hilarious). anyways this song has cool intro with a simple piano riff that sets the momentum. as the drums beat in, that big guitar attack comes in. Andrew W.K. for the most part displays a bit more melody in his vocals as opposed to the first two songs, but still manages to make it rock. however, after listening to the first two songs, this one doesn't seem to be as heavy. 3.5/5
4) Ready to die- this song is centred around a killer little neoclassical riff, first played on the piano.....and then again on the guitars with full distortion and volume. the vocals just get stuck in your head for days and is capable of getting one extremely riled up. the ascending chord patterns in the verses also adds to grandiose feel of the song. 4/5
5) Take it off- more catchy vocals and melodies and has more of a melody, especially with the female vocals in the chorus. though this adds to the "cheese factor" it is also is responsible for making sound more fun. the second verse with just W.K. yelling over the piano and drums is really cool. 3.5/
6) I love NYC- this isn't one of the better songs on the cd, almost too simple. the vocals in the verses are cool, so is the main riff, but the chorus, which just consists of W.K. yelling "i love new york city/ oh yeah new york city" is a little too redundant. however the harmonies in the bridge make up for it. 3/5
7) She is beautiful- another one of W.K.'s big singles and this song certainly deserves to be. though the intro appregiated riff on guitar is very similar to the one in "ready to die", this song is just wonderful in the way it builds up with plenty of heavy guitar riffs, pounding drums and bass, and Andrew W.K. yelling "she is beautiful/ she is beautiful" is very **** catchy. the vocals in the second chorus are also very cool. ultimately this is a perfect combination of heavy and melodic. 4.5/5
8) Party til you puke- the third song with "party" in the title. this is just a simple heavy rock song for well...partying. there's a minimum amount of melody in this song and plenty of shouting with a heavy-*** chorus. the part after each chorus where W.K. and the rest of the band perform call-and-answer vocals is pretty cool. 4/5
9) Fun night- this is sorta of the weakest song on on the album, even though it was also featured in "Old School". the main guitar riff and chorus is very redundant. in fact the only thing that is kinda cool, is the distorted bass in the verse. (2/5)
10) Got to do it- this is the big power ballad on the album. though the lyrics are pretty lame, the overall mood of the song manages to stay true to the simple and light-hearted formula. the main keyboard riff in the beginning is catchy as hell and the chorus is pretty standard W.K. fare. 4/5
11) I get wet- this is definately the best song on the album. with the horns in the intro, the grandiose vibe is set, only to have wiped clean with a huge and pummeling guitar riff, complimented by an equally huge drum beat. W.K. is yelling at the top of his lungs here, and uses the call-and-answer technique in the chorus with wonderfully catchy results. in fact the whole song is a constant assault on the listeners' ears, only letting up a bit in the bridge, where the programming and drumming keeps the momentum going. the female vocals in the end is a perfect touch. 5/5 (and i don't like giving perfect scores to anything usually)
12) Don't stop living in the red- a simple short song in the end with plenty of harmonized guitars and vocals. its not as heavy or melodics as the other songs on the album, but with the ascending strings its an appropriate an album closer. 4/5
so there it is. if your ever feeling rowdy or aggressive or drunk or even if you just need something to help you ease your problems, just pop in this album and sing (or yell) along whether your headbanging in your car or if your with all your friends drinking the night away. just don't take it seriously. and awesome cover work.
final rating 3.5/5
