Stephen Lynch – Live at the El Rey
By Robin Steeley
Released by Razor & Tie and recorded in Los Angeles on September 28th, Live At the El Rey is an irreverent trip inside the twisted humor of comedian songwriter Stephen Lynch. From the opening skit to the end, it’s obvious he’s not afraid to poke fun at himself, or anything else for that matter. From the second he breaks into the first chorus of you are hooked. The more obnoxious the joke the better the delivery is, especially in songs like “Ugly Baby” and “Special”, his performance swinging from serious to hilarity in seconds. He boasts an impressive vocal range and superior songwriting skills.
Most of the songs are side splitting, belly aching drama from beginning to end, I loved “Talk To Me” where at one point he actually took his hand and tried to wipe the smile off his face so he could sing. I love the way he smiles while he is singing, barely able to contain himself until the chorus.
This DVD is not for the young or faint of heart, the highlights are the irreverent “Talk to Me”, the shocking but hilarious “Priest”, the tangent during “Superhero”, as well as the closing song “D&D”. Some of the ones I thought were a little lyrically over the top were “For the Ladies”, “She gotta Smile”, and “Best Friend Song”. I imagine they are quick to offend the ladies but are still undeniably funny.
I love the mixture of comedy and music blended to perfection. Lynch is always one step ahead of the crowd and has impeccable timing. It would make a worthy addition to any collection whether they are new or old Lynch fans. The DVD features most of his most popular songs as well as a host of bonus material.
