What's More Unbelievable?

Saturday, January 31, 2009

I Think I Like the Jaw Disorder Better

Tomorrow night is band theme song night on the Battle. While searching for tunes that fit the bill this week I've been surprised to find how many there are out there. Gwar has one, which makes sense, but so do the Pipettes. Mothra and I are culling the best of the best for the show so tune in if you can. One song which I was sure I'd play is "Theme Song" by Too Much Joy but after revisiting it 10 years or so after my last listen, I can't bring myself to inflict such misery on the audience. I used to love this band, or at least I loved their third album Cereal Killers. It came out when I was 14 and seems perfectly suited to the juvenile concerns and sense of humor of a 14 year old. Their songs about pirates, Frankenstein and The King of Beers were just a hair cooler than "Weird Al" Yankovic and equally silly so I loved them instantly. Plus their jangly college rock sound went down smooth and easy. I sold all my TMJ cds long ago and never looked back although I've always had a special place for them in my heart. After listening to most of the album again, I'm slightly embarrassed for my teenage self and the guys in the group. It's way overproduced, there's some popping funklite basslines that haven't aged well and most mysteriously, there's a lot of growling in the vocals. A lot. It's pretty weird. Anyhow, here's the song that won't make the cut tomorrow night. I'm sure you'll agree that it's subpar at best and uncomfortably similar to Barenaked Ladies "If I Had $1,000,000" at worst.

Theme Song - Too Much Joy

3 comments:

Flapdoodle said...

Your show is always a blast. We tuned in late, so I'll have to replay it while I'm catalogin' books or something.
Thanks!
Eileen Parks

Listmaker said...

I listened to this album on a baseball trip a few years back and was horrified by how bad it was.

Crispin H. Glover said...

The nostalgia is warm and inviting but the actual music is embarrassing. i remember thinking they were the coolest but rewatching the "donna everywhere video shows you just how wrong we were.