Break Like The Wind

This Is Spinal Tap could quite possibly be the greatest satire of all time (at least in terms of film; I'm not going to sit here and try to convince you that it's better than A Modest Proposal or something). The movie's companion soundtrack featured all of the cuts heard by the fictional group Spinal Tap, recorded in the studio, and presented the way fans in the fictional realm of the movie would have heard them. An added bit of intrigue lay in that the songs were performed by the actors (and written by the film's stars and director - Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, and Rob Reiner). The result was surprisingly great. While intentional cheesey (and quite funny I might add), the band actually showed real chops and songwriting talent. From back to front, Spinal Tap was a solid album.

Eight years after the movie, the trio of comedians decided to reunite again as David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls, and cut a new record with the same goal of producing a funny, yet aesthetically enjoyable rock album. Break Like The Wind (1992) did not fare quite as well as its predecessor. For one, a part of what made the songs on the first album so enjoyable was the visual connection one could make listening to them. Yes, the songs were good on their own, but the thought of Derek Smalls being trapped inside the prop pod while the band rocked out to the "Rock & Roll Creation", was part of the fun. With the acception of the videos for "Bitch School", and "The Majesty Of Rock", the album has no visual aid, which hurts it considerably. Another big problem is the abundance of guest spots. Among the cameos are Dweezil Zappa, Jeff Beck, Slash, Joe Satriani, and Cher. The authenticity of these players make the album seem like it's trying to compete with what it's lampooning. Ultimately, the biggest problem is that most of the songs just don't hold up to the undeniable hooks of the 1st album. The album's 60's throwback, "Rainy Day Sun", (the Break Like The Wind equivalent to "Cups And Cakes") is a pretty decent piece of baroque pop. The aforementioned "Bitch School" and "The Majesty Of Rock", both manage to balance catchiness with funny lyrics, much like the majority of the original soundtrack. Other than that though, the album is pretty cold. "Diva Fever" and "Cash On Delivery" are over anxious, "Stinkin' Up The Great Outdoors" is funny enough but sort of misses the plot musically, and the rest of the songs just plod along. While not unworthy of a listen, in most cases, it might be more enjoyable to just watch the special features on your This Is Spinal Tap DVD rather than listening to Break Like The Wind.