“The greatest band on earth,” better known as Tenacious D, is back to rocking its fans’ socks off with the release of its first album in six years, “Rize of the Fenix.”
The album further cements the idea that Tenacious D hasn’t lost its touch as a crowd pleaser. The duo of Kyle Gass and Jack Black embraces good comedic rock with clichés, jokes and tasteless humor.
Aside from being unquestionably hilarious, Black’s vocals are theatrical and impressive, resembling Dio, as always, and the instrumentation is spot on. Besides, it doesn’t hurt to have the greatest drummer and musician of all time, Dave Grohl of theFoo Fighters on nearly every track.
The album leads in with admission that its movie was a failure in its opening track, “Rize of the Fenix.” Black sings “When ‘The Pick of Destiny’ was released, it was a bomb / And all the critics said that The D was done / The sun had set and the chapter had closed / But one thing no one thought about was The D will rise again / Just like the phoenix / We’ll f—ing rise again.”
But, of course, the more offensive songs are the ones that truly make the album.
“Low Hangin’ Fruit,” is one of the best songs on the album, and one of the funniest I’ve heard. With lyrics like “We’re on a freaky pursuit / Don’t want no high-class model in designer f—ing bathing suit / We want the low hanging fruit.”
Ballad-like track, “39,” is an ode to a 39-year-old woman companion, and sort of resembles a past song, “F— her gently.”
“Roadie,” is a tribute song to the life of a roadie, and full of jokes about desperate female fans and the things they will do to get back stage.
The two skits on the album are equally as hilarious as the lyrical genius in the tracks. “Classical Teacher,” which is about Black hiring a “classical guitar teacher” for Gass, and “Flutes and Trombones,” which is about Black catching Gass in the studio laying down flute tracks.
“Rize of the Fenix,” continues the tradition of cheesy and obscene lyrical satire that is Tenacious D. As a true fan of its self-titled album and 2006 album and film “Pick of Destiny,” I wouldn’t say this is its best work, but it’s certainly a humorous listen.
Grade: B+
