Artist: Various
Album: Dead Bands Party (A Tribute to Oingo Boingo)
Label: Indianola
Tracks: 14
Length: 55:20

Review by: Mark Fisher

 

 

 

 

 

Has anyone else noticed that tribute albums have become quite a craze the last few years? It’s not just one style either: you can find Bluegrass musicians paying tribute to the music of Bob Dylan, Metallica, and Madonna, you can find Electronic musicians paying tribute to artists like Guns N’ Roses and U2, I have even seen acapella tributes to the music of The Who and Nirvana. Almost every even mildly popular band from the last three decades has had a tribute album recorded for them, some even receiving the “honor” multiple times.

 

The latest tribute album to grace my desk is Indianola Records tribute to eighties popsters Oingo Boingo. Oingo Boingo had brief success with their mega-hit song “Weird Science”, the title track to the classic movie of the same name. The album Dead Man’s Party (which featured the song “Weird Science”) became a staple in eighties boom boxes and would go on to become the bands only hit album. What is probably most impressive about Dead Band’s Party is that you leave each song feeling like you just heard a band play a song that they were honestly a fan of.

 

Clear Static opens the CD with the song “Dead Man’s Party” and they absolutely nail it. The heavy keyboards and quirky vocals immediately transport you to a time when John Hughes and Peter Gabriel were kings. RX Bandits’ cover of “Grey Matter” along with Reel Big Fish’s cover of “We Close Our Eyes” provide some excellent reggae flavored eighties pop that turns out surprisingly close to their originals. Hello Goodbye receives the honor of recording the band’s biggest hit, “Weird Science.” The band does a great job of keeping it fun and making you want to sing along. Geek rock icons and pseudo superheroes, The Aquabats, turn in a noteworthy performance of “The Controller” as well. Singer/songwriter Jessica Burgan’s acoustic rendition of “Not My Slave” is the album’s shining creative moment however, turning a pop song into a deeply felt lyrical experience. What sad song. Bands like Stairwell, , Over It, The Matches w/ Zebrahead, Plain White T’s, and rock revolutionaries Finch also appear on the tribute.

 

This album is a really cool way to get acquainted, or re-acquainted, with one of the bands that time forgot. I think you’ll find the songs hold up surprisingly well and that the lyrics are a lot more messed up than you thought they were when you were 12.