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Review
Anyone searching for a definition of too much of a good thing, welcome back party-starting human adrenaline shot Andrew WK. Collating ‘lost’ third album Close Calls With Brick Walls, previously only available in the Far East, with rare/unreleased disc Mother of Mankind, this 39-track double set is nothing if not daunting.
The bizarre resurfacing furore over whether Andrew WK actually is Andrew WK (click to Wikipedia for more information) has fired interest in the California-born provocateur once again, after comparatively lean years that followed infectiously enthusiastic 2001 debut I Get Wet. The timing parallels something of a musical identity crisis, too, in the wake of last year’s improvised piano set 55 Cadillac, a record that proved there was more to WK than a furiously rocking white tee-clad manchild.
Close Calls… promises much within opener I Came For You, a curiously heartfelt semi-power ballad showcasing an impassioned, surprisingly textured howl. Close Calls With Bal Harbour is similarly impressive, a whacked intergalactic daytrip that wouldn’t feel especially out of place on the latest Liars album, Sisterworld.
After such a promising start, it’s back to business as usual on Not Going To Bed, though, bombastic production necessitating a dive for the volume knob as he ominously threatens to forego shuteye with bluster even Meat Loaf would baulk at. I Want To See You Go Wild ups the unreconstructed party meter, its cringeworthy lyrical nadir arriving when WK advises us “Sometimes you need to go crazy / And other times you need to go crazier”.
Don’t Call Me Andy vaporises notions that just maybe this is a gonzo post-modern in-joke so deftly observed it’s invisible to the naked eye, meanwhile, educating listeners on trivial concerns of not abridging WK’s forename.
Mother of Mankind is a more intriguing beast for both fans and newcomers, a real stylistic hotchpotch, yet concealing the odd moment of real head-turning interest, not least We Got a Groove’s peculiar cod-reggae.
The relief is temporary, however: after nigh on two hours of predominantly upbeat outpourings you’ll want to glue WK’s face to the nearest television broadcasting rolling news, just to remind him life isn’t entirely unrelenting fingers-in-ears good times. --Adam Kennedy
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Product Description
ANDREW W.K. Close Calls With Brick Walls/Mother Of Mankind - Autographed (2010 UK 39-track Double CD set this AUTOGRAPHED copy features the lost third album Close Calls With Brick Walls + the Rare & Unreleased collection Mother Of Mankind signed by Andrew W.K. across the outer slip-case in black marker pen! The set was unleashed to long awaited fans to include the album that was previously only released in Korea & Japan in 2006 co-produced with grunge legend Don Fleming with a chance to also finally own previously unreleased material collated from 2004 onwards. Picture sleeve outer slip-case with each CD housed in its own individual stickered jewel case within both containing full colour picture/lyric booklets and matching custom discs - Great collection for any fan of the modern rock icon rare and signed! SM-3214)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:MP3 Download
Anyone who has or had come into contact with Andrew WK's two albums, I Like to Party and The Wolf will kind of know his formula: Great pop songs dressed up in a rock outfit.
He pummels out song after song that Fall Out Boy for example can only dream of.
I have owned Close Calls since it came out (bought as a Korean import) and have worked my way through its myriad of tracks. It has an edge on the first two albums in terms of its variety and make up, but because it's longer doesn't quite maintain the 5 out of 5 form of the other records.
If you're reading this then you may well already know a bit about the man, if not then go back to the first two albums, buy them, play them until they break, then dig this one out. It will reward you with its riches.
This guy so deserves to do well, one can only hope in time that his ship will come in.
He pummels out song after song that Fall Out Boy for example can only dream of.
I have owned Close Calls since it came out (bought as a Korean import) and have worked my way through its myriad of tracks. It has an edge on the first two albums in terms of its variety and make up, but because it's longer doesn't quite maintain the 5 out of 5 form of the other records.
If you're reading this then you may well already know a bit about the man, if not then go back to the first two albums, buy them, play them until they break, then dig this one out. It will reward you with its riches.
This guy so deserves to do well, one can only hope in time that his ship will come in.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
9 reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Andrew WK continues to impress
26 Mar 2010
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
As a huge fan of all of his previous work I was slightly concerned when I began listening to Close Calls With Brick Walls. It starts as something very un-Andrew WK like. I was skeptical at first, but soon Not Going to Bed begins and you know that he has not lost the ability to party at all. The rest of the album showcases a more mature and more musically diverse sound then one would immediately expect.
Disk Two, titled Mother Of Mankind is an odd mix of sounds that range from classic AWK party music to semi-psychedelic rock. There is even some stuff that sounds, to me, straight out of the 1980s. I found it to grow on me extremely quickly. More than once I felt I was going to dislike a song, but by the end I felt like I understood why it existed and why I am glad to have heard it.
A long time fan may find themselves disappointed at first because it is not as simple as "I Get Wet" but I highly recommend everyone give it a chance, because it is hard to no find something that appeals to you in this awesome collection.
Disk Two, titled Mother Of Mankind is an odd mix of sounds that range from classic AWK party music to semi-psychedelic rock. There is even some stuff that sounds, to me, straight out of the 1980s. I found it to grow on me extremely quickly. More than once I felt I was going to dislike a song, but by the end I felt like I understood why it existed and why I am glad to have heard it.
A long time fan may find themselves disappointed at first because it is not as simple as "I Get Wet" but I highly recommend everyone give it a chance, because it is hard to no find something that appeals to you in this awesome collection.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
the Lost Party...
26 Mar 2010
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
When "Close Calls with Brick Walls" was released in 2006, being such a big fan and not being able to have the album was out of the question. I ended up importing it for about $35 and I was so psyched to listen and I was not disappointed at all. Far from it, actually. "I Get Wet" and "The Wolf" are among my favorite albums, CCWBW shows alot of growth and progression that Andrew has gone through as an artist, while still maintaining the energy and partynessity we love about him. There are alot of solid, AWK style, energetic, crazy good songs like "Not Going To Bed", "You Will Remember Tonight" and "I Want To See You Go Wild" and alot of songs that are alot different, but still VERY good songs. And there is actually alot of singing on this album. There is also alot of very nice piano work worked into most of the songs, especially "The Moving Room" (which also has Andrew singing as well).
But since I already imported this cd in 2006, the main reason I bought this box set is for the rare/unreleased collection "Mother of Mankind". I was able to find a few of these songs a while back in the AWK archives to listen to, but there are a TON of great, rare and improved songs here. Listening to this album is like finding lost AWK treasure. There are some really excellent songs on this album and there is alot of variety, fast songs, some softer ballad-type songs, some songs with singing, some songs with screaming, some with crazy guitar solos, songs with lots of piano, even songs with ACOUSTIC GUITAR...great album.
If you are a friend (fan) of Andrew W.K, this is a must buy. Also if you ever have an opportunity to meet him, catch a lecture or piano show, he can turn a piano recital into a party. Also, he's one of the nicest guys you will ever meet.
But since I already imported this cd in 2006, the main reason I bought this box set is for the rare/unreleased collection "Mother of Mankind". I was able to find a few of these songs a while back in the AWK archives to listen to, but there are a TON of great, rare and improved songs here. Listening to this album is like finding lost AWK treasure. There are some really excellent songs on this album and there is alot of variety, fast songs, some softer ballad-type songs, some songs with singing, some songs with screaming, some with crazy guitar solos, songs with lots of piano, even songs with ACOUSTIC GUITAR...great album.
If you are a friend (fan) of Andrew W.K, this is a must buy. Also if you ever have an opportunity to meet him, catch a lecture or piano show, he can turn a piano recital into a party. Also, he's one of the nicest guys you will ever meet.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
An Unfulfilling Collection
29 Mar 2010
Format:Audio CD
Andrew WK's first record, I Get Wet, ranks among my all-time favorites, and I have eagerly greeted each new outing. Putting aside his valiant efforts at performance art at NYU, his piano album, some other jazz material, and his television show Break Stuff, Duct Tape Stuff, Break Stuff, I am mostly in it for the music, and have long hoped for more in the vein of I Get Wet.
The Wolf was a solid, if un-ambitious, follow-up to I Get Wet, but it was good enough for me. I held off on buying the third record, Close Calls With Brick Walls, at the import price in 2006, settling to listen to the stream on the AWK web page and waiting for an American release. From that first listen in 2006 the record did not make much of an impression, but Mr. WK had still earned the benefit of the doubt. The dual Close Calls / Mother of Mankind seemed to be my reward for waiting. Sadly, I find the third album a poor imitation of the fun, rocking, free-spirited sound that started with I Get Wet and has steadily degenerated with each new album. Worse, it seems derivative, both refusing to break new ground and failing to encapsulate the brilliance of I Get Wet.
Mother of Mankind promises b-sides and rarities over a ten year period. The early material delivers a similar tone to AWK's first album (and his excellent EPs) but reminds one that b-sides are not often hidden gems, just songs that were properly left out. I am not sure what qualifies as a rarity any more as I assume most of this stuff was not found in an Egyptian tomb, but it packs little punch other than as a curiosity to the most staunch AWK historian (even in that case I am not sure how many spins I will ever give to the disc).
I like Andrew WK. I really do. I have been drawn to everything the guy has done based on his effusive persona and the gem that is I Get Wet, but the disappointments are mounting up. If you like I Get Wet and find it to be as superior to his other material as I do, you may want to steer clear of this set. I'd recommend you take that money and track down AWK's EPs.
The Wolf was a solid, if un-ambitious, follow-up to I Get Wet, but it was good enough for me. I held off on buying the third record, Close Calls With Brick Walls, at the import price in 2006, settling to listen to the stream on the AWK web page and waiting for an American release. From that first listen in 2006 the record did not make much of an impression, but Mr. WK had still earned the benefit of the doubt. The dual Close Calls / Mother of Mankind seemed to be my reward for waiting. Sadly, I find the third album a poor imitation of the fun, rocking, free-spirited sound that started with I Get Wet and has steadily degenerated with each new album. Worse, it seems derivative, both refusing to break new ground and failing to encapsulate the brilliance of I Get Wet.
Mother of Mankind promises b-sides and rarities over a ten year period. The early material delivers a similar tone to AWK's first album (and his excellent EPs) but reminds one that b-sides are not often hidden gems, just songs that were properly left out. I am not sure what qualifies as a rarity any more as I assume most of this stuff was not found in an Egyptian tomb, but it packs little punch other than as a curiosity to the most staunch AWK historian (even in that case I am not sure how many spins I will ever give to the disc).
I like Andrew WK. I really do. I have been drawn to everything the guy has done based on his effusive persona and the gem that is I Get Wet, but the disappointments are mounting up. If you like I Get Wet and find it to be as superior to his other material as I do, you may want to steer clear of this set. I'd recommend you take that money and track down AWK's EPs.
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