During the freewheeling 1960s, the Firesign Theatre's brand of surreal, stream-of-consciousness humor was as much a part of the psychedelic landscape as acid rock. Blending puns, non sequiturs, and literary allusions, th... more »e heady and often absurd narratives were rife with multiple interpretations, depending on the listener's degree of altered consciousness. Bride of Firesign reunites the original members--Phillip Austin, Phillip Proctor, David Ossman, and Peter Bergman--in a program equally divided between "Something Old, Something Nude" and "Something Buried, Something Rude." The first section brings back Firesign Theatre stalwart Nick Danger in a noirish, tongue-in-cheek "L-O-S- T G-A-L-S" and opens with a lengthy paean to the male appendage, entitled "Pulling It Off As a Man," which accounts for the parental advisory warning. The second section takes on contemporary subjects like biogenetics and stem-cell research, giving them an appropriately ghoulish and paranoid spin on "Dr. Fireside's Plastic Beauty Saloon" and "Low-Glow Land." The Firesign Theatre's gift for creating offbeat characters expounding absurdist points-of-view is as evident as ever, though their radio-show format necessarily relegates them to another era. --Wally Shoup« less
During the freewheeling 1960s, the Firesign Theatre's brand of surreal, stream-of-consciousness humor was as much a part of the psychedelic landscape as acid rock. Blending puns, non sequiturs, and literary allusions, the heady and often absurd narratives were rife with multiple interpretations, depending on the listener's degree of altered consciousness. Bride of Firesign reunites the original members--Phillip Austin, Phillip Proctor, David Ossman, and Peter Bergman--in a program equally divided between "Something Old, Something Nude" and "Something Buried, Something Rude." The first section brings back Firesign Theatre stalwart Nick Danger in a noirish, tongue-in-cheek "L-O-S- T G-A-L-S" and opens with a lengthy paean to the male appendage, entitled "Pulling It Off As a Man," which accounts for the parental advisory warning. The second section takes on contemporary subjects like biogenetics and stem-cell research, giving them an appropriately ghoulish and paranoid spin on "Dr. Fireside's Plastic Beauty Saloon" and "Low-Glow Land." The Firesign Theatre's gift for creating offbeat characters expounding absurdist points-of-view is as evident as ever, though their radio-show format necessarily relegates them to another era. --Wally Shoup
Funny, but their most self-referential recording yet.
09/05/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Being a long-time Firesign fan, I thoroughly enjoyed this, their latest. However, it is by far their most self-referential work yet. Lines and characters from their early albums pop up in slightly new, modernized forms. They even make direct reference to themselves as a group! As amusing as this is for the "initiated," I can't imagine how someone who's never heard the Firesign Theatre before would react. The album sounds great, with fantastic FX work & music, and loads of energy in the performances. And now, with fans of the group sliding (much to my personal chagrin) towards "Rocky Horror"-dom in their eagerness to show their familiarity with certain classic jokes and situations through audience participation (in a live context, of course), it's nice to see the Boys playing around with the fans' expectations. Peorgie & Mudhead (David Ossman & Peter Bergman) are now Cyber-Truckers, Nick Danger (Phil Austin) now has a faithful canine companion, Relent (Philip Proctor), and Rocky Rococo & Lt. Bradshaw (Proctor & Bergman) are vying for a Bride (the namesake of the album, to be genetically engineered by Ossman's maniacal Dr. Firesign) to help them win the upcoming Mayoral race. Throw in the usual media parodies and lots of Internet humor, and you get a pretty good idea of what you're in store for. I'd elaborate further, but that would take another dozen listenings. Which, of course, means that this album is as dense and layered as their best work. I can't wait to see what they have in stre for us next..."
Their best ever! Or is it?
Mark Cloud | Murrieta, CA USA | 11/09/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Opening caveat: If you don't know these guys, don't start with this CD; you'll never get it. Buy as many of their CDs and/or vinyl records that you can find. After about a year, come back and try this one; you'll be glad you did. Now, for any Fireheads who haven't yet heard this one...buy it! It is easily their most accessible, obscure, sublime, stupid and funniest ever; and if all that seems self contradictory, you don't know the Firesign Theatre. Nick, Peorgie, Mudhead, Bradshaw, Rocky, BeBop, even Von Pederazzi (at least it sounds like him), and other characters from throughout their amazing career all come together for Regnad's most surreal adventure yet. Hearing Danny Vanilla swinging from speaker to speaker (and even out beyond them, I swear) is worth the price of admission alone. Or Blutwurst's adventures with the cattle prod...My only real concern is that there seems to be an air of finality to this record (they even officially retire the brouhaha joke)...including the very interesting liner notes from the 4 or 5. Could this really be the end? Or is it only...well, I hope it's not, but if it is, what a GREAT note to end on. Thanks, guys! Whatever happens, you've given us all a lot to laugh and think about. Cheers."
The best of the recent Firesign releases
S. Gustafson | New Albany, IN USA | 09/06/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Over their thirty-year plus recording career, the Firesigns have managed to accumulate a large repertoire of in-jokes and self-referential material. That material is put to good use on this record, which is framed by an extended Nick Danger "story." You have computerized truck drivers, driving on the information superhighway --- an updated version of the -Bozos On This Bus- imagery. You have a political campaign between Inspector Bradshaw and Rocky Rococo. And lots and lots of Canadians. This is perhaps their densest and most topical record of their last three, and goes the furthest, in what's left of my mind, towards recapturing the magic of their classic albums of the Seventies."
Dream Monsters In Fun Fun Town
Rich Carlson | Kirkland, WA USA | 09/29/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"BOF adheres to the old 50% rule of How To Avoid Alienating Your Audience; BOF is 50% familiar material and 50% new stuff.Characters from earlier FT records appear and are updated accordingly. The latest culture references are deftly lampooned, untainted by political correctness. Old FT story threads are picked up and new threads created. Underneath it all, the same intelligent, pun-ridden, sublimely funny and surreal FT sensibility pervades and continues.As with all previous FT efforts, BOF is a muddled backbiting jumble of cliche-skewering ideas, bizarre characters, cultural barbs and word jazz. A mythologization of modern times served up with red beans and reds.As in all previous FT efforts characters, situations and jokes reappear and continue to support the FT universe, a larger work unapparent by listening to only one album. On its own merits, BOF gets a solid four star rating from me, a diehard fan. As compared with the recent cd releases of other comedians and satirists it probably deserves five.And you can believe me, because I never lie and I'm always right."