It's funny how you remember significant points in your life... your first kiss... your first day of work... when you saw your soul mate for the first time... and so on. One such point, although somewhat less meaningful, in my life was the first time I saw and heard of Tenacious D.
I remember that I was relaxing in front of the television, watching Kerrang! when a music video came on. I recognised the two actors on the video, Jack Black and Kyle Gass, from films such as "The Cable Guy" and "Enemy Of The State", and from a couple of Foo Fighters music videos. It was an amusing video that portrayed two brothers who were challenged by a Shiny Demon to play the best song in the world, or else their souls would be eaten. The music, however, was quite unique and unexpected, and I guessed that the two actors were miming and acting for another band's video... I was wrong ! That music video was "Tribute", and it was the beginning of Tenacious D's success in the U.K.

The video was shortly followed by the album release, the self-titled "Tenacious D".

It is difficult to summarise in a few words the genre of music that Tenacious D play - but at a push it would be something along the lines of Classical Melodic Comedy Rock Funk. Each track on this debut album varies so much, it really is impossible to classify. To add to the difficulty, tracks are separated by spoken, comedy tracks...

1. Kielbasa - 3:02

"I check my dipstick, you need lubrication honey, my kielbasa sausage has just got to perform."

This first song is a very tongue in cheek opening track that introduces you to Tenacious D. The lyrics are full of innuendo, as you can probably guess from the snippet above, but I guess you could see it as a love song (?). The music is in a very funky jive style, with some great guitar rips.

4/5

2. One Note Song - 1:24

"Just play this note, and then we both keep playing... just keep both playing that note... every once in a while bend it... an' that's it !"

A comedy track that parodies trying to come up with a new song that just consists of just one note. Quite funny to listen to, but not one of the best tracks.

2/5

3. Tribute - 4:08

"A long time ago me and my brother Kyle here,
We was hitchhikin' down a long and lonesome road.
All of a sudden, there shined a shiny demon... in the middle... of the road."

As mentioned at the start of this review, this was Tenacious D's first U.K. release, and gained a lot of interest in the band.
The song is told in the form of a story about two brothers who encounter a demon, and are forced to play the best song in the world. The style is similar in vain to the old Johnny Cash song "The Devil Went Down To Georgia", and is a great Soft / Classic Rock track. The music itself sounds a bit like "Stairway To Heaven", which incidentally is believed to be the "greatest song in the world" mentioned in the lyrics.
This track also gives the duo the chance to show off their guitar playing talents, and also for Jack Black to demonstrate his amazing vocals.

Definitely the best track on this album...

5/5

4. Wonderboy - 4:07

"Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power?
Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck man?"

"Wonderboy" was the second track to be released as a single here in the UK, and tells the story of the battle between good and evil in the form of Wonderboy and Young Nastyman.
Again, this track definitely falls into the rock genre with some great guitar and drums.

5/5

5. Hard F**king - 0:36

"You just say get on top honey"

Hmmm - can't really say too much about this track without getting the review and a warning from Ciao for offensive language !!
Let's just say that it is a short discussion into the pros and cons of a certain type and style of... showing one's affection !!
It is a spoken track, which when I listen to reminds me of the old "Alas Smith and Jones" sketches with the two comedians sitting face to face over a table.

Funny, but limited enjoyment...

2/5

6. F**k Her Gently - 2:03

"What's your favourite posish?
That's cool with me,
It's not my favourite
But I'll do it for you"

Another track review that I need to handle very carefully ! Following on from the preceding audio track, this is actually a beautiful ballard style song - it's almost a lullaby... but don't play this to the kids whatever you do !!
Again, it describes different methods of... parking the purple car in the garage !!
With just an acoustic guitar, and a quiet orchestral backing track, this is a much quieter song than the previous offerings. Jack Black really stretches his vocal cords to hit some amazing notes that a choirboy would have trouble reaching.
Absolutely hilarious, original and a great song !!

4/5

7. Explosivo - 1:55

"We were the inventors
Of the cosmic astral code.
We've come to blow you away,
We've come to blow your nose."

I'm not even going to try and figure out what this song is about - even the lyrics state that they "don't know what it's about" ! But with a rocking bass track and some fast paced lyrics it sounds pretty good for the first half of the track, but then descends into a mish mash of samples and demonic voices that, in my opinion, spoil it.

2/5

8. Dio - 1:41

"It's time to pass the torch,
You're too old to rock, no more rockin' for you.
We're takin' you to a home,
But we will sing a song about you."

This short song is about rock metal legend Ronnie James Dio, of Black Sabbath, and is a form of tribute to him. It's as if Jack and Kyle are telling him that they want to pack him off to a home for the elderly, but respect his past works.
This is more of a soft rock piece that would not sound out of place at a Black Sabbath gig.

4/5

9. Inward Singing - 2:13

"Rock singers are only rocking you half of the time!
The other time they're...they're...they're...they're breathing! In!"

A spoken comedy skit in which Jack Black realises that all other singers and vocalists are ripping off their audiences by... breathing ! This means that they are only singing for half the time. Jack's solution to this ? Inward Singing... complete with an example.
Like many of the other spoken tracks on this CD, very funny to listen to, but it has limited appeal. The track proceeds into quite a heated argument between the two, complete with some explicit name-calling, which leads to...

2/5

10. Kyle Quit The Band - 1:30

"Couldn't split up Kato and Nash. (that's true)
Couldn't split up Tango and Cash.
That's also true!"

Yep... the argument caused Kyle to quit Tenacious D - but don't worry, because he's back again now, and this song is all about this very short break up.
"Kyle Quit The Band" has a country music feel to it which turns into more rock.

3/5

11. The Road - 2:20

"The road is f****n' hard,
The road is f****n' tough-ah,
There's no question that-eh
It is rough, rough stuff."

"The Road" describes that life can be hard for the band whilst they are touring, and sometimes they wish that they could just settle down in one place. It does, also, have it's advantages with all the female fans that they meet whilst touring.
I would describe this song as "Country Rock", and sounds like many country bands from the 80's who experimented with the sounds of the electric guitar.

4/5

12. C**k Pushups - 0:47

"Kyle Gass: Hmm...how many pushups can you do?
Jack Black: ...c**k pushups?
Kyle Gass: Yeah...I guess, you could only do one really.
Jack Black: Yeah, well one is all ya need"

Jack Black has come up with a new exercise regime to make him more appealing to the ladies he might meet whilst touring. Basically it involves lying flay on the ground, and lifting his weight with a part of his anatomy.
This is another very short spoken track that has limited appeal...

1/5

13. Lee - 1:02

"I had a friend named Lee,
He cast a spell a spell on me."

"Lee" is a song about a friend of Jack Black's called... (not surprisingly), Lee. Another well written rock track that cleverly uses the Lee word in a pyschoesque way.

3/5

14. Friendship Test - 1:31

"I Love You..."

Another skit that portrays totally misreading a situation, making a fool of yourself and then trying to squirm your way out of it. A good build up to the next song...

2/5

15. Friendship - 2:00

"Friends will be friends
They're running naked in the sand,
Friends holding hands
Will someday surely form a band"

A very nice song all about friendship, and in particular between Jack and Kyle. Some very amusing lyrics in this song too.
This has quite a catchy tune that'll be running around in your head for sometime after listening.

3/5

16. Karate Schnitzel - 0:37

"You ate my f****n schnitzel."

A short vocal intro to the next song, in which yet another argument brews, as Kyle has eaten Jack's schnitzel.

1/5

17. Karate - 1:05

"Kyle betrayed me
And then he lied tried to hide
And I died deep inside
And you know the reason why."

Following the argument in the previous track, Jack goes on to inform Kyle - in no uncertain terms - exactly what he's going to do for revenge.
This track is more of a folk song, which sounds good with just an acoustic guitar backing the rather rude lyrics !!

3/5

18. Rock Your Socks Off - 3:33

"It doesn't matter if it is good,
It only matters if it rocks.
The main thing that we do is to rock your socks off."

This song basically sums up Tenacious D's experiences to date, along with their philosophy to produce rocking songs no matter how good or bad the songs are. It also tells all that they have been through to get to where they are today, such as "waking up at the crack of noon".
"Rock Your Socks Off" combines a funky rock bass track with some great lyrics - and just as you get into the swing of the track, they decide to show off their versatility by going into a classical "Bach" type interlude.
This is a brilliant track which, when I first listened to, knew that it would be an ideal piece to finish a live gig with - hey presto, a couple of years later when they played at the Brixton Academy in London, was exactly what they did !

5/5

19. Drive Thru - 3:01

"Can I have a junior western bacon chee? A JUNIOR western bacon chee. I'm trying to watch my figure."

This is the best comedy vocal sketch on the album, in which Kyle and Jack are placing an order at a drive through kiosk. I can't give too much away without spoiling the punch line, but it is really funny, and I'm sure that many of us can relate to some of the things raised within this little piece.

3/5

20. Double Team - 3:11

"That's the first thin' I say to you.
How's it goin'? Are you flowin'?"

"Double Team" is sort of a groovy funky jive love song that is reminiscent of music you might hear in Starsky and Hutch or Shaft. This is most definitely a track for those who are not easily offended, as it doesn't hold back any punches !

3/5

21. City Hall - 6:47

"All you people up there in City Hall,
You're f****n' it up for the people that's in the streets.
This is a song for the people in the streets,
Not the people City Hall."

This lengthy track is a bit of a satirical political statement about buocracy and people tucked away in little offices controlling the normal people's lives. It considers what might happen if Jack and Kyle were to overthrow City Hall, and use the powers that they would obtain.
Not a bad track, but not one of my personal favourites...

2/5

Hidden Track. Malibu Nights

"It's time for some cheese.
It's time for the stink,"

A strange, yet catchy little ditty that can be found a minute or so after the last track. Fairly pointless, but hey - it's an extra !!

2/5

There are actually two different CD cover designs - the original release has Jack Black and Kyle Gass on the front (complete with a demon in the background), but on the reverse is has a naked baby in a pentagram. This cover was promptly banned, and replaced with a more aesthetically pleasing design.

This album could have been a disaster - mixing comedy and music can, and usually does, go horribly wrong. Yet this CD succeeds where so many others have failed !
Both the music tracks and spoken comedy tracks on the CD work well together. The CD actually moulds together and tells a complete story in the same way as a Rogers and Hammerstein musical - albeit with much more swearing - starting from writing the first track, through several arguments to the band gaining popularity, going on tour and then getting into office !
Overall, the album is still very enjoyable after the three years since I first bought and listened to it, but obviously it will not appeal to everyone. The CD has a "Parental Advisory" sticker on it, which needs to be taken notice of. The majority of the tracks contain swearing and some references to drugs, so children and people who are easily offended should probably steer well clear of this album.

With the upcoming film, "Tenacious D in The Pick Of Destiny" due for release in 2006, along with a new album to coincide with the movie, interest in this debut album is sure to be resurrected.

The Tenacious D self-titled album is available from all good CD outlets and online, priced at around £8.99. The original release date was June 2002.