Search - Was Not Was :: What Up Dog

Forgot how great this CD is!

J. G. | North Carolina | 11/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was cleaning out some old CD's and picked this one up. I hadn't listened to it in a long time and figured I'd give it to my ex-husband, since I knew he liked it way back when. Well, on the way to his house, I listened to it in the car. By the time I got there, I had decided to keep it! I forgot just how great this CD is. Really great stuff. My youngest loves "Walk the Dinosaur", "Robot Girl", and "Dad I'm in Jail". You can't get "Spy in the House of Love" out of your head. Very groovable. You really want to move to this music. Great writing too... "11 mph" is great, as is "Somewhere in America there's a Street named after my Dad"."

R & B jukebox

Mr. Richard K. Weems | Fair Lawn, NJ USA | 12/05/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I must admit it took me some time to fully appreciate this album--more specifically, it took me making fun of my brother's tastes when he played this in his car back when it was new, letting it drop off my radar for a long time, and then hearing a Was doing some insightful musical commentary on NPR.



So, I decided to take another chance. I don't know why, except maybe because I found it for cheap, and I was in the midst of grabbing up some Smithereens and 80's Bowie and other retro pleasures.



Most of the other stuff turned out to sound quite dated and poor, but this album really caught my attention for the first time. The Was boys have a wonderfully spontaneous and playful spirit through this album, something like an early prototype of Barenaked Ladies sensibility, except with a different record store section to play with. Was (Not Was) pull off a range of soul and R & B and pop that almost sounds like a compilation of old singles from underground AM radio--some soulful tunes like "Spy in the House of Love," but then a little goofy but danceable with "Out Come the Freaks" and of course "Walk the Dinosaur," and then onto the almost Hasil Adkins strangeness of the title track and the ever classic "Dad, I'm in Jail."



The album is all held together by the musicianship of the Was boys, who respect and explore each song fully and find its own rhythm and humor.



This is well worth another listen, if you ditched it before, like I did.

"

Beats the hell out of most of today's tired musical recipes

Catracks | So. Cal. | 08/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tired of mindless pop, twangy drown in your beer country and rage rock? Would you like music that is technical, polished and has complex rhythms? (well they are to me)



Try this stuff. The lyrics are off the wall and bizzarre too. I like "Earth to Doris" only because I crack up every time I hear it. Ever notice that David Was (Weiss) sounds like the Billy Mumy of Lost in Space and "Fish Heads" fame?



I turned my husband on to this. He loved it and asked for more. I only had one more: "Are you okay." Find that one too. I hope they're still playing music somewhere.







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