Listening to Andrew WK’s debut album brings to memory a scene from
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. After the boys have been whisked off to Rufus’ parallel world and told the truth about their future, they are getting ready to go back home. As they prepare to leave and salute the future dwellers, Bill goes with «Be excellent to each other», but the far more dimwitted Ted simply states «Party on, dudes!»
And that’s what we ourselves feel like saying when we listen to this album: PARTY ON, DUDES! Just like that, in capitals, and preferably with two fingers stuck high up in the air representing the Sign of The Devil. This is a party album, purely and simply. Not in the cheesy, trashy, summer-jam sense of, say,
Caribe Mix, but in the balls-to-the-wall, all-out-party sense of Turbonegro’s similarly inclined
Party Animals.
But who exactly is Andrew WK? He’s a young man (22 at the time of recording) from the USA, who was fed up with the drab, negative music scene and decided to take it back to its partying roots. That’s why all the songs on here are fast, simple, in-your-face, catchy, festive and loud.
Very loud. In fact, less aware listeners may be blown away when the opening blast of
It’s Time To Party roars into their speakers. The production is top-notch and it allows for this record to basically become one massive, relentless wall of sound.
Andrew’s backup band is no laughing matter, either. For someone who abhors negative music, it may seem a little strange to use Donald Tardy of Obituary as your drummer, but he is a clear asset for the band. Apart from him, Andrew uses no less than three permanent guitarists, three keyboard players and three programmers, as well as a plethora of guest musicians! Fortunately, the bass player is the same throughout the record, known simply as Gregg.
As for the songwriting, the subject matter leaves little to no space for imagination: girls, partying, drugs, and booze are the main aspects being focused here. However, strangely enough, most of the verse sections have absolutely nothing to do with the choruses,
Take It Off being the immediate example. As far as catchiness, most of these songs are immediately appealing, while others such as
I Love NYC or
Girls Own Love are more of an acquired taste. However, as a whole, this album is as straightforward as it is appealing.
But no album would be complete without its filler tracks. Mercifully,
I Get Wet has precious little in that department, apart from
Got To Do It,
Take It Off and the title track itself. All the other songs are excellent, and sure to deliver a good time.
Another thing you rockers out there may miss are guitar solos, but trust me: this album doesn’t need them. They would only cramp up the songs in most cases, therefore straying this endeavour away from its main target: catchiness. As it is, the album just grabs you by the nuts and very seldom lets go throughout.
All in all, the twelve songs on this album barely add up to 35 minutes of music. But that’s how it should be: all parties should end at the right moment? After all, who likes an overlong party? By the end of this one, you’ll be so worn out, hung over, nose-bleeding, high, horny and deaf that you’ll be
glad it ended. That’s how this record is: fast, wild and very pleasing. Like a drink-induced one-night-stand with the girl of your dreams.
Recommended Tracks:
Party Hard
Ready To Die
I Love NYC
She is Beautiful
