Customer Reviews

I Still Have a Pony

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you've heard and liked the first (only other) Steven Wright CD "I Have a Pony," which was released in 1985, you should be excited about this one, as it holds another ton of new unique deadpan one-liners.
What I must mention, though, is something that I was a little disappointed by--and it has nothing to with the quality of Wright's act, but--a lot of the material on this CD is excerpted from the 2006 Steven Wright DVD "When the Leaves Blow Away" - it actually holds big chunks of that same Elgin Theatre performance of May 2006, though also parts of a performance/performances (?) from The Winter Garden Theatre Centre where he did the same act that same month.
Because of this I'm also disappointed in how this CD has been advertised; as it has been over 20 years since Wright recorded his previous disc it has been suggested that the material of "I Still Have a Pony" would hold material from what he's done since. Ok, it's true in a sense, but no material of the 20 years following his debut is included here - genius acts of his past have never been officially released for purchase. To high extent there's mainly (if not only) material from Wright's act of the last year or two.
...so, be warned: if you own "When the Leaves Blow Away" you will get an almost duplicated performance without the visual feature - sure, there are small variations and adlibs (from the Winter Garden gig,) but aside from less than a handful of one-liners they're entirely the same jokes.
Much praise must go to the man behind the material however, and if you're not familiar with Wright's most recent act you can decide between getting this 42 minute CD and the DVD "When the Leaves Blow Away" (which is 78 minutes long counting the featured short film "One Soldier" from 1999 and a short stand-up gig from 1988.) It's your call, but you'll get quality either way.

I was a big fan of Steven Wright's humor when he was starting out. I own his first CD (I Have A Pony).

Steven appeared on Conan O'Brien the Thursday before this CD was released. When asked why he waited 20 years to make another CD, Steven's response was, "I didn't want to be overexposed".

Steven's style hasn't changed much, and I was glad that the CD doesn't have any repeated jokes from the first CD. I busted a gut at some of his guitar songs (there aren't that many), and there were plenty laugh out loud moments, but it has less zing than his earlier work.

I continue to have respect for Steven's work, but if I had to choose between this one and the first CD, I would choose the first one. Still, this CD is certainly good for a first time listen.

Ah, the godfather of modern understated comedy is back with a new CD with an apt title given that Wright hasn't changed his style since his first. This isn't to say that it's a dry recasting of what's come before. No, the material here is all new, with his usual wry observations that typically leave me wondering why I never noticed it before.

I will quibble about one detail: This is the same set that was released on the DVD "When The Leaves Fall", which is a slight disappointment, but it's still a delight to hear him again.

This audio CD is the audio portion of the DVD "When the leaves blow away" which is his new DVD.

If you would like and audio version of his DVD to listen to in the car or rip for your mp3 collection, then get this.

Otherwise I would recommend his DVD.

The strengths in Wright's early work were that his humor was much smarter and much cleaner than most comics, while being fall-off-the-chair funny.

This work is that funny--Wright's genius for wit is still working. But he relies much more than he used to on vulgarity.

Play this disc right after 'I have a Pony' and you wont even know you changed years. Still funny as ever!!!

From my blog review: [...]

"I Still Have a Pony," one should know, is the exact same material performed by Steven Wright in his recent DVD, Steven Wright: When the Leaves Blow Away. My brother and I caught "Leaves" on Comedy Central a few weeks before I purchased this and I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed when I realized what I was hearing.

Still, Steven Wright has always been one of my favorite stand-up comedians, and his representation in my library has been disappointingly thin until now. The material is not quite as outlandish as it had been on the classic I Have a Pony; there is no equivalent to the "Jiggs Casey" routine. In many ways, it feels as though the two volumes should have been one full-fledged performance, and that it had been distilled for the first release. Consequently, this second volume is noticeably thinner, though this is not to say it doesn't deliver. Lying in bed, listening to the album on my iPod, I know I interrupted my wife's reading of Anne Frank - The Diary of a Young Girl with laughter several times, and likely at very inappropriate moments for her.

For those looking to incorporate Steven Wright into their libraries, I Have a Pony is still the strongest, most rewarding release to date and an essential comedy album. For those who already have "I Have a Pony," it's not necessary to supplement with both the "Still Have" CD and "Leaves" DVD; go with the DVD, if only to actually see Wright perform his material.

I have always loved this comedian. This c.d. well worth buying. Very good choice for a road trip or just to lighten your mood.

Wherever he goes and often saying the same thing,steven wright scores and this is another one for your collection.

I hadn't heard of Steven Wright until I stumbled upon this cd. After listening to it the first time, I immediately listened to it again. Yes it was that good. I found myself catching some jokes the second time through, that I hadn't caught the first time.

Such a comic treat! (Reminds me of Mitch Hedberg's style)

Wright's flat voice, and his dry approach only add to his jokes. Some of the jokes you don't get off hand, but then they hit you a few seconds later. He had me busting a gut. This cd is filled with great one liners.

I'm very glad I stumbled upon this comic, and plan to listen to his other work.

Definitely give this person a listen. Comedy gold!