Customer Reviews

The Un & Only

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Some bits are better than others. A lot of the pieces would have been stronger had they not been ripped from the context of the performers' full appearance. One annoyance is that some of the people in the audience are so close to the mic that their laughing overpowers the voice of the performer. Andy Dick does a very funny song and Julia Sweeny is very winning in her performace.

this may have been an interesting concept album - and more fun in person - but
for my taste it was poorly recorded, too loud, and not very funny.

What's the first thing you think of at the words, comedy album? Okay, now travel to the far opposite end of the spectrum, and you'll find The Un & Only, Beth Lapides' outstanding new CD that assembles highlights from her long-running Sunday night L.A. comedy show, Un-Cabaret. In an era where recorded comedy usually stoops to lowest-common-denominator antics, The Un & Only is a refreshing change of pace featuring some of the best comic minds working today.

Structured as an open forum where performers are encouraged to share personal stories, the Un-Cabaret plays to each artist's strengths as comic storytellers, avoiding altogether the standard "jokeyness" rampant in comedy today. The comics assembled here do not have -- or need -- a hook or a gag to express their humor. They're just genuinely funny people sharing personal anecdotes as if among friends. Among the highlights of this album are Patton Oswalt's "The End of an Era," Mike McDonald's "Faye Dunaway's Comedy Coach," Dana Gould's "The Money Truck" and Andy Kindler's "Hey, Mistah!"

Choosing tracks to single out is a little pointless, however, because all of the talent here is outstanding. Other performers include Bob Odenkirk (HBO's Mr. Show with Bob & David), Scott Thompson (Kids in the Hall), Julia Sweeney (Saturday Night Live), Jeff Garlin (HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm), Andy Dick (Ben Stiller Show, NewsRadio, The Andy Dick Show), Laura Kightlinger and more. Beth periodically chimes in with her own comments, delivering the intimate, Un-Cabaret experience to a worldwide audience, in what is hopefully the first of many Un-Cabaret CDs to come.

I can't believe some of the things these people say. It is so cool to hear from some of my favorite comics what they really think instead of their "act." I've listened to this five times sonce I got it and like it better each time. My friends that I played it for all ask where the hell I found it.

Not only do you get to hear some of the coolest and funniest people around share their private thoughts, this is the best produced "comedy" cd I've ever heard. In fact, this calling just a comedy cd doesn't do it justice because I can listen to the cd repeatedly (and have) and find fresh new things with each listen. I'm not sure if there are any other Un-Cabaret cds available but I am looking forward to the next one.

Not only do you get to hear some of the coolest and funniest people around share their private thoughts, this is the best produced "comedy" cd I've ever heard. In fact, this calling just a comedy cd doesn't do it justice because I can listen to the cd repeatedly (and have) and find fresh new things with each listen. I'm not sure if there are any other Un-Cabaret cds available but I am looking forward to the next one.