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I Told You I Was Freaky (by Flight of the Conchords, Alternative Rock)

common sense media says

Silly songs' bawdy humor veers into explicit territory.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that although this album's humor is good-natured and mainly self-effacing, the language and sexual themes make the songs only appropriate for older audiences. The album covers adult themes like prostitution, the male anatomy, and cannibalism. Even though the songs are silly, they're not anything you'd want the kids repeating.

Positive messages: There are some songs that offer up comical, but positive messages, like "Friends," which shows how to treat a good buddy, "Hurt Feelings," which discusses how not to treat a buddy ("I make a meal for my friends, try to make it delicious, try to keep it nutritious...not one of them thinks about the way I feel, nobody compliments the meal.") and "You Don't Have to Be a Prostitute," which speaks for itself.
Positive role models: Talk of passing out drunk, kinky sex and being a bad boyfriend make this duo anything but role models.
Violence: "Petrov, Yelyena and Me" plays around with the premise of cannibalism on a ship lost at sea:  "When I awoke they were chewing on bones, Yelyena was sopping blood from a cup, that's when I knew something was up...hacked off the elbow last night."
Sex: From singing about angels getting frisky ("There are angels in the clouds doin' it...pushin' and puffin' and huffin' and heavin' in heaven") to discussions of women getting the singers excited ("turn my bone into stone") sex is definitely a major theme of these bawdy songs. A certain part of the male anatomy gets extra attention on this album on songs like the title track, "I'll go outside and get some leaves, and pretend to be a tree, you can be a squirrel and store my nuts for me." and "Sugalumps," "I see you girls checkin' out the front of my trunks...they want a taste of my sugalumps."
Language: "B--ch" and "ho" are used a few times, but the worst language offense comes from the song "Too Many D--ks on the Dance Floor" where the offending word is sung a whooping 35 times!
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: A few songs mention alcohol: wine, kegs, and passing out from too much drinking. "Friends" includes the lines "If you get drunk and vomit on me, I'll make sure you get home safely." "Rambling Through the Avenues of Time" mentions a girl smoking a lavender cigarette.
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More on I Told You I Was Freaky

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about humor and why sex, body parts and gross topics are popular subjects for comedians. Do you understand when a performer is using sarcasm to be funny? Do you know when not to take a performer seriously or is it hard sometimes to figure out what's a joke and what's sincere?
  • Several of the songs on this album sexualize men and their bodies in a humorous way. Are men seen as sex objects as frequently as women? Do you think boys and men feel pressure to have good looks and an attractive body?
  • Families can talk about responsible behavior with their teens. Does the media sometimes promote risky sexual behavior or promiscuity?

What's the story?

What's the story?

As the sixth album for the New Zealand comedy duo Flight of the Conchords, I TOLD YOU I WAS FREAKY gives fair warning to the humor that awaits. Similar in comedy style to the SNL-inspired,  Lonely Island, this comedy pair poke fun at themselves and their pseudo-playboy image. You might recognize the band's name from its HBO/Comedy Central series of the same name. This album follows the same path as the television series, with reality mixing with fictionalized humor to create comical tales, usually of failed romantic pursuits. 

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
The comedy team of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement are a truly likeable pair whose comedy might be bawdy and brash at times, but whose good-naturedness always seems to shine through. There are some very inspired moments on this album, like the ghosts of girlfriends past-inspired "Carol Brown" and the heart-warmingly sincere "Hurt Feelings." These and a few other tracks demonstrate the pair's courage to be irreverent and honest. The more sexually-charged tracks aren't as funny (although "Too Many D--ks on the Dance Floor" should inspire a giggle) because they usually rely on one punchline to see the songs through. As a whole, the album is made stronger by a quality music foundation that makes the jokes something that's actually worth listening to, even when you aren't looking for a belly laugh.

Music themes & details

Music Details
Released on: October 20, 2009
Label: Sub Pop
Genre: Alternative Rock
This review was written by Jacqueline Rupp
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

godawgs56
teen, 16 years old
13
 
The disc is increadible funny but has some iffy stuff.
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was this review useful?
helped me decide (2) | had useful details (1) | read my mind (5)
Cpt. Jack Harkness
adult
11
 
Really Funny, for older-ish kids
Full of LOL's, but I will admit it is inappropriate, but nothing worse that what any kid from middle school up hasn't heard.
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was this review useful?
helped me decide (1) | had useful details (4) | read my mind (2)
keegop
teen, 15 years old
2
 
yea
hell ya love those songs.
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was this review useful?
helped me decide (1) | had useful details (1) | read my mind (3)

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