Review Summary: It may not live up to the standards set by "In 3D", "Bad Hair Day", "Running with Scissors" or "Alpocalypse", but Al's 5th album does pretty well for itself
When you think of a classic "Weird Al" album, you think "Bad Hair Day", or "Running with Scissors". You're unlikely to think of "Even Worse", because, yes, the album is, admittedly, not his best work. but it still has some really good songs and balances out to be a pretty good comedy album. I also have to note that it has my favourite cover of all his albums, with "Running with Scissors" in a close second.
Track-By-Track Review:
Track 1- Fat:
This parody song of "Bad" is among Al's best work, especially when you consider that it's really just a bunch of fat jokes. As fat jokes go, these are some of the funniest. It's a great way to kick off the album and ranks high on his all-time chart. 5/5
Best Lyrics:
When you see me coming your way, better give me plenty space
If I tell you that I'm hungry, then won't you feed my face?
Simple but effective
Track 2- Stuck in a Closet with Vanna White:
A very strange song, this one ranks right up there with "Everything you know is Wrong" and "Dare to be Stupid" for the most absurd he's ever done. While it doesn't reach the heights of those two songs, it does pretty well for itself. It's about a man with strange recurring dreams. Some of them are pretty funny, but it goes all over the place and doesn't make much sense. Still, quite a funny song. 3.5/5
Best Lyrics:
See, I'm being followed by these Russian spies
They give me some Velcro and an order of fries
Suddenly I'm bowling on the Starship Enterprise
Track 3- (This Song's Just) Six Words Long:
This one reminds me a little of one of my favourite parodies, "Achy Breaky Song" off "Alapalooza". They're both about mocking the song it's parodying, but this one differs in that it's told from the perspective of the singer rather than a disgruntled listener. I'm not a big fan of this song, partially because I've never heard the original, but mostly because it's repetitive and kind of boring. It has it's moments, though. 3/5
Due to the lack of words in the song, I will not list the best lyrics
Track 4- You Make Me:
An improvement over the last the last two songs. "You make me" is a great little comedy love song about the odd things the singer's girlfriend makes him do. It has some really funny stuff in there, from building a model of the Eiffel Tower out of waffles to watching the care bears movie (Guess which is stranger!). A funny listen, with some hilarious lyrics. 4/5
Best Lyrics:
You make me wanna break the laws of time and space
You make me wanna eat pork
You make me wanna staple bagels to my face
Then remove 'em with a pitchfork
Track 5- I Think I'm a Clone Now:
Finally, a track that truly lives up to the standards of Al's best work! The best song on the album, there are virtually no missteps on this one. It's about a clone singing about his life, from growth to celebrity status due to his unique condition. It's extremely funny and cracks my top 5 forso his best parodies ever. A true classic, this is very worthy of a 5/5 grade, and there are no Star Wars references whatsoever! 5/5
Best Lyrics:
Part of some geneticist's plan
Born to be a carbon copy man
Track 6- Lasagna:
Unfortunately, after the brilliant "Clone", we get a fairly weak parody of "La Bamba" with "Lasagna". It's a song about Italian food, but he'd done a lot of food songs already so it loses most of it's appeal. The only food song outside of his first two albums that I hold in high regard is "The White Stuff", so I don't really care for this one. 3/5
Best Lyrics:
Ay, you-a pass the lasagna
A-don't you get any on ya, you sloppy pig
Have-a more ravioli
You-a get roly poly, a-nice and-a big
Track 7- Melanie:
The best original on the album, "Melanie" is a very dark, yet very funny song about a stalker and his love. He watches her in the shower, tattoos her name on his forehead, and eventually commits suicide because she doesn't want him, and yet he can't tell why she won't go out with him. This very nearly tops the best comedy romance song list, but "You don't love me any more" just beats it out. 5/5
Best Lyrics:
I couldn't take it so I jumped out of the 16th storey window
Right above you
Now I may be dead but I still love you
Track 8- Alimony:
I could seriously imagine Jon Cryer having covered this on an early episode of "Two and a Half Men", as this song perfectly fits the problem Alan Harper is stuck in. A great little song about being bled dry due to alimony, this is one of the cleverest songs he's ever done. I can't write any more, because that's all there is to it, but it's really funny. 4.5/5
Best Lyrics:
Lawyer's callin' me on the telephony
Tryin' to squeeze some blood from a stonee-stony
Track 9- Velvet Elvis:
A dull style parody of the police, this has very little going for it. 2.5/5
Best Lyrics:
Although he may not be worth much dough
He means much more to me than some old Rembrandt or Van Gogh
Track 10- Twister:
Even worse (Ha ha) than the previous song is this awful style parody of the beastie boys. It's just over a minute long, which is good because that means you don't have to listen to it for long, and that's the one good thing about it. Don't bother. 1/5
Best Lyric:
From MB!
Track 11- Good Old Days:
There are 3 things that Al will end his albums with:
*A really long song
*A really dark song
*A polka medley
This definitely falls into the dark category. One of the most dark and violent songs Al has ever made, this is the story of a man fondly remembering his childhood. He thinks back to the first time he murdered a shop owner, and his time with his homecoming date, which went well until he abandoned her in the desert. He doesn't regret it, he just sees those horrible acts at part of growing up. It can be very funny, however it may be too dark for some. 4.5/5
Best Lyrics:
Well sometimes in my dreams
I can still hear the screams
No, this isn't Al's best album. There are a few bad songs, but the great songs outnumber them. If you are trying to complete an Al collection, the I would recommend this one. You would be better off to just download the good songs though.
Album Picks:
Fat
I Think I'm a Clone Now
Melanie
Alimony
