A prefer something with more length (Wheatus - Wheatus)

Member Name: NikkiH

Product:	Wheatus - Wheatus
Date:	13/11/01 (40 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Amusing

Disadvantages: Bit on the short side

Wheatus seemed to have been thrust into our faces last summer when they released ?Teenage Dirtbag?, which was accompanied by clips from the film ?Loser?, and it was a smash hit. When I bought this CD, I was not sure what to expect, and in truth I probably thought they would be one or possibly two hit wonders. TRUFFLES is a great opener. A reggae inspired song which has a great beat, especially the opening drum roll, coupled with the near whispering vocals. This track has a great holiday feel to it. It is a short song though, and ends as abruptly as it began.

SUNSHINE at times sounds like it has some country and western influence. It is about someone who lives off other people. TEENAGE DIRTBAG is still good listening. I love the lyrics. It is all about a guy at school who is not cool enough to be accepted into the in crowd, and how he lusts after one of the most popular girls in school. As I said the song was hyped as the main song in the film ?Loser? which made me think that the film was another American school movie, but it was far from that. It is an infectious song which sticks in your head and refuses to budge, and I am sure it became an anthem for a lot of people.

The follow up single was a brilliant cover of the Erasure hit, A LITTLE RESPECT. Brendan?s voice is put to good use on this track, and unlike so many other covers lately, they do the original song justice, giving it a really mellow vibe. HUMP EM N DUMP EM is much more rock influenced than the previous tracks, and it is a great song to sing along to. Predictably, as the title suggests, this song is about one night stands, and the generalisations surrounding them.

LEROY is a very funny song, and is about a man who wipes his butt with a magazine! The mind truly boggles, however it is a brilliant guitar based rock song with a catchy chorus, where the band tell us that Leroy is their Mojo man. Uh Huh! HEY MR BROWN is a powerful track, with lots of guitar riffs, but also a large c
ollection of other instruments. It is probably my least favourite track on the album because the instruments are so loud that they drown out Brendan?s voice, and I strain to hear the lyrics, which is not such bad thing as they do not seem to have any meaning to them!

LOVE IS A MUTT FROM HELL slows down the pace after the last song, and is all about a woman who uses men for what she can get. The lyrics are catchy as is the tune. PUNK ASS BITCH is the best track on the album. The changes in mood and tempo are great, and I can imagine when played live this song would be tremendous. WANNABE GANGSTER is the final track, and has a mystical feel at the beginning, but peters out and becomes a touch repetitive.

The lyrics on this CD are witty and intelligent. They make music what it should be?fun. The pace of the CD is great too, and it keeps the interest levels up throughout. I was surprised by what I heard, and the feminine tones of Brendan Brown are well suited to the quirkiness of the band.

My only criticism of the CD would be that it is not long enough, as it lasts just over 33 minutes, which is way too short in my opinion. Beware those with younger children too, as the lyrics are a touch risqué at times.

The album will not appeal to mainstream pop music lovers, but anyone who likes Weezer or the likes of Blink 182 will enjoy this short journey through the world of Whe

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