The Tale of the Giant Rat of Sumatra

Firesign Theatre | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 21, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Laugh.com
• ASIN: B00006BNDR
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #231,871 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Not Quite the Solution He Expected

2. An Outrageously Disgusting Disguise

3. Where There's Smoke There's Work

4. Where Did Jonas Go When the Lights Went Out?

5. Pickles Down the Rat Hole

6. The Electrician Exposes Himself

Editorial Reviews

Full title - Tale Of The Giant Rat of Sumatra. Reckoned byFire aficionados to be one of their best, as Rarebus Cannebus attempts to put out the sun, aliens attack and the lights go out all over the world. Collector's Choice. 2001.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fine Firesign title, though a hair below their best., July 24, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Tale of the Giant Rat of Sumatra (Audio CD)

"Giant Rat" is the Firesign's Sherlock Holmes parody, originally relased in 1974. At the time, it was viewed as a sort of a "comeback" album as it came shortly after the group had disbanded briefly to pursue solo projects. It didn't make the splash it could've (the following release, "Everything You Know Is Wrong" would fare better) but is still a very funny title. If you know what the Firesign Theatre is all about, then grab without hesitation. For you neophytes, the Firesign Theatre dragged the comedy album into the '60s psychedelic era and beyond, peppering their albums with lofty literary references, drug jokes, bad puns, and a tip of the hat to classic radio. They took full advantage of studio capabilities and multi-tracking, creating a surreal comic landscape that could take you anywhere (from the Academy Awards to War to Indian Reservations to Eastern Europe...). "Rat" is one of their fastest paced entries and owes a lot to the Goon Show. The theme here is power and corruption as famed detective and cokehead Hemlock Stones (Philip Proctor) and his trusty companion Dr. John Flotsam (David Ossman) help filthy rich magnate Jonas Acme (Peter Bergman) recover the stolen "Zeppo Tube" (a powerful invention) from the hands of the maniacal Electrician (Phil Austin). Like a Python film or Kids in the Hall episode, the four members of the troupe essay dozens of roles each, all unique and hilarious. It may be a hair below their greatest work ("How Can You Be In Two Places...," "Don't Crush That Dwarf..."), as it is somewhat less surreal and ambitious, but even their weakest material (and this is NOT their weakest) is better than most everything else that passes for comedy today. Long live the Firesign Theatre!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keep rolling Stones it's just a shot away!, June 18, 2005

By 

John Tabacco (Stony Brook, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Tale of the Giant Rat of Sumatra (Audio CD)

This is not the most complex FST piece. It's not the most surrealistic or sociological. It is however one of their funniest efforts. What really makes it work is the timing and unique intonations between all four members. The performances are flawless. So smooth and confident - it's like listening to a great jazz quartet trading off each other. This is the first FST album I heard as kid back in 1974 and I was instantly hooked on their brand of radio theater. It still sounds fresh today and like most FST pieces with each listen there is always a new esoteric reference you'll pick up or discover some interesting dialog going on underneath the forefront. You'll be quoting this one for years to come.
"Where there's smoke - there's work!"

This CD smokes. Great work. Worth every penny.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some of the FST's best work, July 25, 2002

By 

steampunk1881 (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tale of the Giant Rat of Sumatra (Audio CD)

Usually this album is omitted in FST discussions, but it ranks with their best. As usual, listen over and over again through headphones; you won't be disappointed. So follow Hemlock Stones the Great Defective as he chases after the Electrician from Ampere Watt, through early 20th century America as it might have been.