We’re still about 16 weeks out from the release of “The
Muppets.” But since that it’s never too early to start building audience
interest in the Studio’s Thanksgiving 2011 release … On August 23rd, Walt
Disney Records will be releasing “Muppets: The Green Album.”
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Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
An early review copy of this tribute album (which takes 12
classic Muppet songs and then hands them off to contemporary rockers &
alternative artists for reimagining) showed up in the mail here this week. As
an old-school Muppet fan who has loved Jim Henson, Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson‘s original
takes on these tunes for over three decades now, I have to admit that I
approached this with much trepidation.
So imagine my surprise when “The Green Album” turned out to be
a genuinely fun recording. Something that was put together by performers & engineers
who clearly have just as much affection for this material as the die-hard
Muppet fans do.
Mind you, not everything on “Muppets: The Green Album”
works. Ok GO‘s take on “The Muppet Show Theme Song” is a bit too dark &
twisted for my tastes. With this song’s other-worldly intro & extended
techno riff suggesting that Damian Kulash & Co. weren’t quite confident
that this theme song from the 1970s was strong enough to stand on its own.
Whereas Weezer & Hayley Williams‘ version of “Rainbow Connection” is a heartfelt
delight. It starts off sparsely with all sorts of swamp sound in the background
but eventually builds into something that not only honors the original version
of “Rainbow Connection” but also reveals the truly timelessness nature of this
tune.
Weezer on set with the
Muppets for their 2002 video of “Keep Fishin’ “
from their “Maladroit” album.
Of course, the challenge with doing something like “The
Green Album” is striking just the right balance. Not slavishly copying the
original Muppet song (which – sadly – is just what The Fray did with “Mahna
Mahna“) but – at the same time – not doing an interpretation of the tune that’s
so far out there that it’s then hard to recognize the original source material.
Happily, “Muppets: The Green Album” has far more hits than
misses. With the Alkaline Trio‘s driving version of “Movin’ Right Along” being
a particular stand-out. As is My Morning Jacket’s folky rendition of “One World“
from “Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas.”
As for the misses, I wish that the Airborne Toxic Event had
done better by Gonzo with their over-produced take on “The Wishing Song.” Or at least followed Rachael Yamagata’s
example with “I’m Gonna Go Back There Someday,” which found a new way to frame this
tune that then didn’t obscure or undermine its underlying sentiment.
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Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
Likewise Brandon Saller of Atreyu & Billy Martin‘s
version of “Night Life” takes what was already a pretty marginal Muppet song
and then – through an extended drum solo and an unnecessarily long bridge –
turns this Doctor Teeth tune into the underscore for a beer commercial.
But all is forgiven once Andrew Bird launches into his sweetly
understated take on Kermit the Frog’s theme song, “Bein’ Green.” Not to mention
Matt Nathanson’s sly performance of that Muppet ode to problematic
relationships, “I Hope That Something Better Comes Along.”
“So where does ‘Muppets: The Green Album’ compare to other
recent Walt Disney Records’ concept albums like 2008’s ‘Nightmare Revisited‘
and 2010’s ‘Almost Alice,’ ” you ask. Well, given that “The Green Album’ pulls
its songs from a variety of sources (i.e. The Muppet Show, The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper as
well as holiday specials like “Emmett Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas”), it obviously
can’t have the same sort of musical cohesion that “Nightmare Revisited” did.
Nor does this Dani Markman production have the genuinely out-there quality that
that A & R vet brought to “Almost Alice.”
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Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
But what “Muppets: The Green Album” does do is reveal how
truly evergreen that Muppet song catalog is. And that even though Jim Henson is
long gone, Frank Oz hasn’t really had anything to do with this beloved set of characters
for nearly a decade now and Jerry Nelson is basically retired at this point,
the tunes that this trio of talented gentlemen helped to introduce to the world
still live on. More importantly, still obviously resonate with the various contemporary
rockers & alternative artists who lent their talents to this new Walt
Disney Records release.
Which is why – if you’re a Muppet fan – it’s once again ” …
time to play the music.” Only this time around, you’ll want to use your iPod or
iPhone to listen to “The Green Album” on. Rather than a turntable or 8 Track Player.
“Muppets: the Green Album” will be released to stores &
be available for downloaded on August 23rd.