Nellie McKay - Obligatory Villagers
List Price:
Our Price: $5.38
You Save: $12.60 (70%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $2.99 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
CD Details
Artist: Nellie McKayEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
CD Release Date: 2011-11-01
Music Label: Hungry Mouse Records
Soundtracks:
- Mother Of Pearl
- Oversure
- Gin Rummy
- Livin'
- Identity Theft
- Galleon
- Politan
- Testify
- Zombie
Music reviews of Obligatory Villagers
Music Review: Just terrible.
Rating: 1 Stars
I followed an arc that is probably common to those initially interested in Nellie McKay. I heard "Won't U Please B Nice," sought out the rest of her stuff, liked it a lot, heard that she lies about her age, wondered how that gels with her feminism. Went to see her in concert, she was excellent but because of the stage I was looking at her back and she never turned around once throughout the entire thing. Downloaded the early release of "Pretty Little Head" (16 tracks), felt it had some very strong songs but needed editing. Found out she was leaving her label because they wouldn't let her make it 23 songs. Got the 23 song version and found it to be bloated and self-indulgent. The good songs were still good, but many were included that should never have made it past the first cut (including the off-time and off-key "Bee Charmer" duet with Cyndi Lauper). The album's nadir came with an inexplicably screamed intro and outro from "Mama and Me" which ends with her shrieking "give me a suicide pill!" at the top of her lungs then seemingly cracking up. I was honestly embarrassed to listen to this track and couldn't play the album for other people unless I was certain it wouldn't come on or the track after where she sings harmonic miaows.
Then comes along a new "album" that's really only long enough to be an EP. While the orchestrations are tight they are very bombastic, and the backup singers are almost never in sync. In Tom Waits' "Innocent When You Dream" his overlapping multi-tracks sound like joyful drunken carousing; on these tracks it sounds amateurish and poorly produced. Only one or two of these songs would have made it on her debut, and the best (with reservations, "Identity Theft") steals its opening melody from Weezer. Again, I closed the windows of my car so nobody would hear me listening to this album.
Her voice, on this album, sounds game, but lacks conviction. Almost every song sounds enough like another song or just a whole type of song that the musicianship is absent altogether. The jokes are lame and the gentleman from "Schoolhouse Rocks" that shares a few tracks with her comes off worse than Ms. Lauper on "PLH." At times she throws in complete non-sequiturs just to create a nifty rhyme, even at the expense of any meaning (her reference to Ray Bolger in "Identity Theft" is nearly as stupid as Kanye West throwing out the name "Rosie Perez" in "Good Morning" from his new LP. In fact they have a lot in common on this album because many of McKay's rhymes...don't rhyme. I think she rhymes "now" with "head" at one point).
And yet, somehow this self-indulgent misfire has garnered her best reviews ever. Pitchfork rated it better than "Get Away From Me"!
I hope everyone who believes in Ms. McKay's talent and potential will not accept this lazy work from her, and that her next album will not be so embarrassing.
Description of Obligatory Villagers
Nellie McKay returns with Obligatory Villagers, a 9-song odyssey and follow-up to Pretty little head, one of the best-reviewed records of 2006. Like its predecessor, Villagers produced, arranged, written and performed by Nellie, this time featuring an ensemble of jazz greats, including Phil Woods, Dave Liebman and Bob Dorough. An early review from Pitchfork testifies, from the cheeky ukulele-and-tap-shoes dance break! in the middle of album opener Mother of Pearl to the chorus of brain-hungry zombies on a finale titled, yes, Zombie , Villagers finds Nellie and her collaborators at their most lively and rambunctious.Alternative Rock CDs
Music Genres
Bestsellers in Alternative Rock CDs
Bouncing Souls - Maniacal LaughterRelease date: 1996-01-26; Music CD
Best price: $30.00
Blondie - Parallel LinesRelease date: 1994-07-29; Music CD
Best price: $149.98
Doors - L.A. WomanRelease date: 1993-04-09; Music CD
Best price: $99.99
Amon Duul - Phallus DeiRelease date: 1997-04-08; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Tangerine Dream - MelroseRelease date: 1990-10-02; Music CD
Best price: $74.98
Tangerine Dream - Private Music of Tangerine DreamRelease date: 1992-11-10; Music CD
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops:
![Ska Explosion [VHS] Image](/images/Ska-Explosion-VHS-6303381014-X.jpg){kind=small}
Ska Explosion [VHS]Cleopatra; Release date: 1995-02-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops:
![Little Earthquakes [VHS] Image](/images/Little-Earthquakes-VHS-6302488664-X.jpg){kind=small}
Little Earthquakes [VHS]Atlantic / Wea; Release date: 1992-11-10; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $12.50
Price in other shops:
Exileby Geoffrey Oryema
Music CD
Best price: $4.95
![Louder Than Live [VHS] Image](/images/Louder-Than-Live-VHS-6301627865-X.jpg){kind=small}
Soundgarden - Louder Than Live [VHS]A&M Video; Release date: 1991-07-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $183.90
Similar CDs
Anything GoesRelease date: 2011-09-20; Music CD
Best price: $13.59
Price in other shops:
Madeleine Peyroux - Standing on the RooftopRelease date: 2011-06-14; Music CD
Best price: $10.88
Price in other shops:
Madeleine Peyroux - Bare BonesPEYROUX,MADELEINE; Release date: 2009-03-10; Music CD
Best price: $6.74
Price in other shops:
Nellie Mckay - Nellie McKay: Get Away From MeRelease date: 2005-03-29; Music CD
Best price: $244.93
Nellie Mckay - Get Away From MeRelease date: 2004-02-10; Music CD
Best price: $3.98
Price in other shops:
Nellie McKay - Pretty Little HeadRelease date: 2006-10-31; Music CD
Best price: $67.74
Nellie McKay - Get Away From Me (Clean)Release date: 2004-02-10; Music CD
Best price: $3.00
Price in other shops:
Nellie Mckay - Normal As Blueberry Pie: A Tribute to Doris DayRelease date: 2009-10-13; Music CD
Best price: $7.14
Price in other shops:
Nellie Mckay - Home Sweet Mobile HomeRelease date: 2010-09-28; Music CD
Best price: $4.22
Price in other shops:
Nellie McKay - Get Away From MeRelease date: 2010-06-30; Music CD
Best price: $5.20
Price in other shops: