Lora's Album Review - 1/19

[lora]

I ordered this CD on a whim, having heard SO much about this girl. I saw her perform on Conan O'Brien's show, and that was it - the deal-breaker.

A 19-year-old college dropout, Nellie McKay writes all of her own music and plays multiple instruments. She's been called a combination between Doris Day and Eminem. She looks like a blonde, teenage Mary Tyler Moore on the album cover, until you look down and see the parental advisory warning at the bottom of the cover.

For some reason, this was done in two-disc format, so I'll review the discs separately.

Nellie McKay
Get Away From Me
2004

Disc 1
1. David
I'm not sure exactly what you would call this style. It's sort of jazzy, for sure. Very unique.

2. Manhattan Avenue
Straight-on jazz. This girl proves herself to be an excellent piano player in addition to her other talents. The lyrics are very sardonic. One of my favorite lines has to be "How wild it is...what a strange vice...that a mugger and child should share the same paradise..."

3. Sari
This became an immediate favorite. It's a very nicely done rap song with lyrics about everything from Phen-Phen to Janet Reno.

"But oh the onus of lyin' all the time...I don't wanna say...die mother f***er...but I wouldn't mind if you did."

And the song ends with "I'm sorry...aw shit," and a fart noise. It's great.

4. Ding Dong
Style-wise this sounds like something Doris Day would have done. This one is basically about how her cat died and she drowned her sorrow in gin.

5. Baby Watch Your Back
This sounds like an early '70s disco track that someone made in their garage. The chorus is very catchy.

6. The Dog Song
Also very catchy. I believe this one may have been released as a single. It's so kitschy. She does this...dog noise. You know, it sounds like a dog wagging his tongue. It even sounds like a chain leash jingling in the background.

7. Waiter
Oh my gosh, I love this song. This one's disco through and through. The content of the song is just as the title would imply - she's at a diner, waiting for the waiter to bring her the check. The song winds down with an excellent sampling from "Carolina In The Morning" that is, without a doubt, my favorite part of the song.

8. I Wanna Get Married
Very nice piano on this ballad. The lyrics are fantastic, and although I would like the song anyway, the words have this sarcastic tone to them which makes it so much more interesting.

"I wanna get married...yes, I need a spouse...I wanna nice Leave It To Beaver-ish...Golden Retriever...and a little white house......I wanna pack cute little lunches...for my Brady Bunches...then read Danielle Steel..."

9. Change The World
This starts out like some offbeat '60s song, with a snare drum beat tapping out the rhythm, then the song picks up a bit. It goes back and forth with this format. It's kinda cool. Lots of great lyric bits in this song.

"Am I hetero or queer..."

"I listen to some rap...I give my *pause with a slapping sound in background* self a slap..."

"God, I'm so German...got to have a plan....Please, Ethel Merman...help me out this jam..."

"Goodbye little zipcode...how can I go wrong..."

[Ken]

Nice review Lora - I've never heard of her before -but that's quite a combo Doris Day and Eminem - wow!

[kathyb]

I read your review the other day, and had not heard of this singer. But on Saturday, my brother brought the cd over to my mom's and played it while we were all over there visiting (he likes to keep me updated on new music). He also mentioned the Doris Day/Eminem combo. LOL! BTW--my brother said it was released in two disc format to give the feel of the "old days" of the vinyl album, when you'd have to turn the record over to hear the other side. Well, in this case you have to listen to both cds to hear the "other side". LOL!
Anyway, I really liked what I heard. Very unique, and very different. Quite a talent!

[lora]

kathyb said:

I read your review the other day, and had not heard of this singer. But on Saturday, my brother brought the cd over to my mom's and played it while we were all over there visiting (he likes to keep me updated on new music). He also mentioned the Doris Day/Eminem combo. LOL! BTW--my brother said it was released in two disc format to give the feel of the "old days" of the vinyl album, when you'd have to turn the record over to hear the other side. Well, in this case you have to listen to both cds to hear the "other side". LOL!
Anyway, I really liked what I heard. Very unique, and very different. Quite a talent!

I thought that might have been what they were wanting to do with the two discs, but I just found it so odd. Most labels are reluctant to do a two-disc release like that.

I'm glad you liked it. At least someone on here now is somewhat familiar with her now.

[SAT-I need more room!!]

I never would have recognized her name, but from your description, I remember seeing the CD in Target and it caught my eye. I picked it up and was very surprised at the warning label because of her look.

The Doris Day/Eminem thing is written on the sticker on the disc, that's why so many people know it! LOL!

So she wraps on certain songs, but she's all different styles?