Search - Stephen Lynch :: 3 Balloons

Well made, but only occasionally funny

T. Fiatal | SF Bay Area, United States | 03/27/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Longtime fans of Stephen Lynch know that the strength of his work isn't in slick production values or complex musical arrangements, but instead comes from the delivery and content of his outrageously funny lyrics. Unfortunately, his newest album puts far more emphasis on studio-grade musical accompaniment than it does on making the listener laugh in startled amusement.



"3 Balloons" is a solid collection of musical comedy that is wholly listenable, yet fails to rise to the level of Mr. Lynch's previous albums on the funny-meter. I don't regret buying it, but I find myself oddly satisfied and disappointed by the result after years of waiting for a new album from him. Hopefully the new material will shine when played live -- there's a reason that virtually all comedy (stand-up) albums are recorded live these days, and "3 Balloons" is a good example of how studio-manufactured comedy can fall flat."

Perfect Blend of Comedy and Music - 4 Years In the Making

Joey T | 03/21/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Stephen Lynch is, without the doubt, the most talented comedic musician working today. His ability to play the guitar, his beautiful voice, and the way he writes would easily allow him to be a main-stream modern rock musician, but he chooses to be himself and apply his talents to make us laugh.



Unlike his last two albums this one is recoded in a studio, like his first one. It was both a good and bad choice for Mr. Lynch. With an audience we find ourselves laughing with the audience and this works for his comedy talent. However, live albums limit his musical options allowing him to only use a guitar. This is where 3 Balloons shines the most. The musical compositions he has produced sound amazing, far more elaborate and pleasant to listen to than his other albums.



This comes at a cost: Not all of the songs are hilarious, in fact a few of them only have a few truly funny moments, but they are all very strong songs none the less. Obviously everyone has their own opinion, but I believe this is Stephen's strongest album to date, a little better than Superhero, and miles ahead of The Craig Machine, which I believe to be his weakest album.



If you're a fan of Stephen's music, both for his musical talent and funny lyrics then you will not be disappointed with this album. It is a great combination of A Little Bit Special and Superhero (all the good parts, none of the bad) and it has been worth the wait."

Falls short of expectations

Joey T | Chicago, IL | 04/06/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The long awaited fourth album for Stephen Lynch fell short of my expectations. This was his second studio album and in my opinion his weakness album of any of the four. I am a much bigger fan of his live performances and the interactions with the crowd. This album lacks comedic value and emphasises music. This album is also without many of the songs he performed on tour leading up to this album such as "Dirty Sanchez" which was co-written. I hope he plans on recording a live album in the near future to upstage this one. On a postive note there are redeeming tracks such as "Crazy Peanuts", "A History Lesson", and "3 Ballons" to a certain extent along with the Dear Diary segments but they are all overshadowed by luckluster songs such as "Ballad of Scarface", "Medieval Bush", and "Fishin' Hole". If you're a fan already I'd still say purchase the album but if you're looking for something new and exciting go elsewhere."