(Album Review) The Bob’s Burgers Music Album

When I was 13 I was introduced to a comedy duo called The Jerky Boys. The Jerky Boys consisted of two Queens, New York natives who took it upon themselves to record exceptionally raunchy prank phone calls. The routine started in 1989, but came to prominence in 1993, just in time to find its way into my adolescent psyche. Friends and I would listen to the tapes in secret, somewhere in the house far enough for parents not to hear, as we’d use hands, shirts, or whatever we could find to muffle the sounds of our laughter. However, the joy of the tapes didn’t last very long because the appeal of shock and schlock gave way to more sophisticated tastes. In other words, I kind of grew out of it.

I could somehow justify Beavis and Butthead as ironic and therefore intelligent comedy regardless of the stupidity inherent in the title of the show. I could not justify The Jerky Boys, so they became my only foray into audio recorded comedy. The comedy record basically lost its appeal to me. Though I had an immense appreciation for Richard Pryor records, they belonged to my parents, and for the most part, they collected dust in the storage room in the basement.

This is all to say that I may not be the best judge of what makes a great comedy record. Yet comedy records will remain relevant (millions are sold, and there’s a Grammy category) with or without me paying attention to them. I just not that into it. Similarly, adult themed cartoons like Bob’s Burger’s garnered success (and will continue to be successful) without me paying any attention. Ok, I am fully prepared to have my blerd card revoked: I have never watched the show. So, a Bob’s Burger’s record wasn’t on my radar.

But I can honestly say that the record could have worse. It also could have been shorter (it’s almost 2 hours long and has 112 tracks!), but it could have been worse. If you like the show, and you have hours of time in which you have no responsibilities, you will dig this record. But Bob’s Burgers Music Album is not a comedy record in the traditional sense. Seems like nothing was created specifically for this album. I assume that all of the material comes straight from the show, so inside jokes abound. However, even without the context, some of the songs had the 13-year-old in me cracking up.

Take “Groping for Glory” for example. The music in “Groping for Glory” is identical to Boogie Nights’ Dirk Diggler’s music outing “You got the Touch.” 80’s themed parody and other nostalgic pop culture references make up most of the tracks. I was also pleasantly surprised by the guest’s appearances. Aziz Ansari, Bill Hader, Jordan Peele, and Sarah Silverman all have multiple songs.

The album also offers a variety of musical guests, including St. Vincent, who sings (and water shot out of my nose when I heard this) “Bad girls don’t use pads just tampons” in the aptly named “Bad Girls.”
Bob’s Burger’s Music Album is a fans-only affair. I doubt new attention will be drawn to the show because of this record. Not that the show needs any new attention.

Bob’s Burgers will continue to be successful regardless of the success of this album. As for myself, The Bob’s Burgers Music Album is probably the farthest I’ll delve into the show. Though the 13-year-old Jerky Boys fan seems interested, the thirtysomething man can walk away satisfied with the few laughs he had.

Stand out track: “Bad Girls”: For the reasons stated above.