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Best Comedy Albums of 2013

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08 Jan 2014 00:01 #169407 by OldHippy
I don't know why more people don't listen to comedy albums. I am hooked. It is a great format for people to be able to have a pure vision and not sacrifice anything when they tell their story. No actors, no writers... just the one dude alone up there with a mic. It's crazy fucking hard to pull it off.

Most lists I see are specials only, in other words video only but you miss a lot of great material that way and some of the best stand ups working today do not make video's of their whole set. So here we go.... in no order other than my number one.

Some of the bombs from the year.

Bob Sagat's new album is fucking terrible.

The worst album though, maybe ever in the history of comedy is Harland Williams: A Force of Nature... oh man does it stink. I normally love Harland but he tried a very stupid experiment and man did it bomb. He recorded a stand up album out in the middle of the fucking desert with no audience. Yes, you read that right. A live comedy album with no audience... and Harland is a master of crowd work. What the fuck was he thinking. The biggest laugh I got was when the crow was heckling him (I'm serious here you understand) and he started yelling back at it. Good lord what a dumb idea. I'm happy I heard it, just to know how low comedy can go.

Also, before someone bugs me about it, I know Louis CK is not on my list. I love Louis, but his specials are getting a little to familiar to me. He needs to break new ground and that is where his show comes in which is brilliant. I'm not interested in his stand up anymore, just his show.

Now the good ones:

Jimmy Pardo: Sprezzatura

This is a weird album, it's not that funny but Jimmy is a captivating speaker and constantly entertaining. This is a fully improvised set which is one of Jimmy's trademarks and he is great at it. Everything is effortless and his crowd work never forced or awkward. Jimmy is also a writer on Conan so he has some fun stories about stuff from the show.

Doug Stanhope: Beer Hall Putsch

Fuck this album is brilliant. The story about his mom's suicide is worth the cost of the disc on it's own (but it's on netflix for free if you prefer looking at the comedian while he speaks ... I don't). It's a true story about how his mom enlisted his help when she wanted to cash in her chips... and Doug was game to help her out. It's touching, funny, and one of the ballsiest things I've ever heard on disc. The opening bit is about drinking to be happy and it's great as well. Another solid album from Doug.

Kumail Nanjiani: Beta Male

This should, by all rights, be album of the year and if you aren't normally a big comedy fan and don't appreciate the more surreal stuff this is the disc for you. Kumail is a fresh voice and he is funny as hell. There is an incredible story about Birthday Parties in Pakistan (where he's from) that I've listened to over and over again. It's the bit that sells the album to most people. Kumail will be a star and there is nothing wrong with that, he deserves it.

Anthony Jeselnik: Caligula

Another brilliant album of incredible one liners, or at least very brief jokes. Anthony is great because you can literally pull of his jokes on your own. They are the kind of folk jokes that live outside of the performers set and can be used by anyone. Be forewarned though that he is intentionally offensive and pushes as many buttons as he can. If you can get over that then you'll find a comedian who is a great writer. His jokes are kind of all the same after awhile but with only two albums out I can handle that.

Mike Lawerence: Sadamantium

Yes, that's a wolverine reference and it's even more clear when looking at the cover. Despite the shitty title this is a very funny debut album from Mike. It's not as nerdy as it sounds though and he spends quite a bit of time talking about his eight years working at MacDonalds.

Jim Hamiton: Poems about the Ocean

My favourite album this year... easily. Jim is a very modern and surrealistic comic who pushes the boundaries of what's funny. He even intentionally tells poorly translated jokes from around the world where the punchlines do not work at all and it is still hilarious. In fact funnier than if they had worked. Here's an example of the kind of thing you might be in for if you listen to Jim Hamilton... keep in mind that without his distinctive delivery it doesn't work nearly as well.

Did you know that Kraft food products will not write Sep 11 as the expiration date on any of their food products for fear of upsetting their customers? What kind of a world do we live in where I can just make that up?

He jumps between weird jokes like this to more traditional jokes to short form story telling and everything is very smartly done without ever resorting to cheap cleverness. Jim is not going to be a star, but comedy nerds will be following his career for some time.


Please tell me someone else on here is a comedy nerd besides me.
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08 Jan 2014 06:05 #169415 by mads b.
Great list. I love listening to comedy albums, but simply forget to buy them.

But the best comedy show of this year is of course the one found on www.noerdernestrikeback.dk - unfortunately only in Danish :-)
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08 Jan 2014 06:11 - 08 Jan 2014 07:39 #169416 by Schweig!
Yesterday I watched Doug Stanhope getting interviewed by Alex Jones. It's was hilarious. Although they are apparently friends it was very fun to see Stanhope ridicule much of the insanity Jones is spreading.



Paraphrased quotes:

Stanhope: "My goal today is to get you to say one positive thing".

Stanhope: "Surely you realise there is a certain irony in you accusing others of spreading fear."
Jones: "The difference is that my fear is real, while their's is manufactured!"

Jones: "I do have fun when I spend time with my family, walking out in nature, hiking through a forest."
Stanhope: "Until you find out you wandered into the Bohemian Grove."

Proving once again that 'Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions.' -- Thomas Jefferson
Last edit: 08 Jan 2014 07:39 by Schweig!.
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08 Jan 2014 09:03 #169421 by Black Barney

JonJacob wrote: I don't know why more people don't listen to comedy albums.


I'll tell you why in my case. I either listen to music or albums in one of two situations, when I'm driving or when I'm commuting to work via public transit. I dabbled in comedy albums years ago in both and it was a disaster.

1) Driving - I was laughing so much listening to some Adam Sandler comedy album (I think the clip, ironically, was Road Trip, where everytime someone says something remotely gay, they slam on the breaks and kick them out of the car), I nearly drove off the road cuz I was doubled-over laughing.

So a few months later, I popped in a Mitch Hedberg album and had to pull the car over until I regained composure, too much laughing. So forget this noise about listening to comedy while driving, it's no good for me.

2) Public transport - a year or two later I download an entire Flight of the Concords radio show album (I think this predates the HBO show) and there's this one clip of Murray on an airplane placing a call back to NZ to explain to this idiot why his wife shot and killed the bull that this guy brought into his pub on his birthday. I'm on the subway and I'm shaking cuz I'm trying to hold in the laughter so bad. I look like a total crazy person. I get off at the next stop (it's not even my stop) just so I can burst out laughing in front of less people. I get back on the next subway that comes and my eyes are all watery and puffy from laughing too much. And then like an idiot I start up the clip again and lose it all over again.

Nope. Comedy is for the TV or Youtube. I can't listen to comedy albums anymore.

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08 Jan 2014 10:23 #169430 by OldHippy
I hear ya Barney. I've been embarrassed in public several times and caught laughing to myself in the grocery store or the Toy Store. It's kind of silly in a way. Fortunately I walk, bike or take public transit most of the time, so it's not that dangerous for me, I also listen to comedy albums at work a lot of the time. But it can be dangerous. I get that. Unfortunately a lot of the best comedy each year is album only, which makes using youtube and the like not as sure fire as just buying the album.

I also really like not having to look at the performer because I feel like their appearance effects my judgment of them negatively. The album is a more pure experience. That could take away as well if it's a super visual performer but there isn't a lot of them that I like... Brian Regan is the exception.

If there are any Bill Cosby fans out there his newest came out this year as well and it was pretty damned good actually. It felt a little bit old school and kind of sexist in places but nothing that could ruin the enjoyment of a well told story.

Mike Birbiglia's newest, My Girlfriends Boyfriend, is really well done. Not super funny but he tells a tight story that has a great ending... it's just a little too pretentious for me and not quite funny enough. But it is a great album and showed up on a lot of AOTY lists for comedy fans.
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08 Jan 2014 10:33 - 08 Jan 2014 10:33 #169434 by Shellhead
I enjoy comedy, but comedy albums have terrible replay value, so I don't buy them anymore.
Last edit: 08 Jan 2014 10:33 by Shellhead.

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08 Jan 2014 10:37 #169435 by OldHippy

Shellhead wrote: I enjoy comedy, but comedy albums have terrible replay value, so I don't buy them anymore.


I used to think that way too, but these days I've found myself listening to the good ones over and over again. I can still listen to "My Brother Russell Whom I Slept With" even though I've heard it more times than I can recall. That one is a classic of course but I've listened to every one of the album's I've listed at least 5 times. Some of them more. I sometimes remember the jokes so they don't always get as big a laugh as the first time but often I've found myself finding something new about the routine that I missed or just enjoying the delivery all over again. It probably takes a particular kind of person but I really don't mind listening to comedy albums repeatedly. A good comic can make it work.

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08 Jan 2014 10:46 - 08 Jan 2014 10:49 #169436 by Black Barney
Brian Regan is fantastic. Yeah, he's visual for sure. When he has the bit about how the donut store lady keeps telling him how many donuts he has left to pick (like he can't count), that's awesome.

Remember when he acts out the tough cowboy guy strutting into the donut shop and he makes the noises of the little bell over the door ringing both when the door opens and closes? So unecessary but awesome. (it's the bit of the one guy who is targetted at the stupid donut that has half sprinkles on one side and half frosting on the other).

You should watch his clip with Seinfeld in Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, it's really good if you like Brian Kegan.


edit: in writing this I had a small revelation. Here's my path of revelation:
1. Seinfeld is a big Brian Regan fan.
2. Brian Regan has been doing stand-up comedy for a very long time
3. Brian Regan is known as having almost all his bits about donuts. It's defined him as a stand-up comedian.
4. Is it possible that Kenny Bania and his ridiculous Ovaltine bit is based as a tongue-in-cheek wink to Brian Regan??
Last edit: 08 Jan 2014 10:49 by Black Barney.
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08 Jan 2014 11:18 #169439 by Schweig!
I usually put on either a comedy album or an intellectual debate when do any task that requires my eyes but neither my ears or brain that much, like cleaning up, preparing food, drawing something or playing a solo game.

I don't pay for either though. That would be a waste of money.

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08 Jan 2014 11:26 - 08 Jan 2014 11:34 #169441 by OldHippy

Schweig! wrote: I usually put on either a comedy album or an intellectual debate when do any task that requires my eyes but neither my ears or brain that much, like cleaning up, preparing food, drawing something or playing a solo game.

I don't pay for either though. That would be a waste of money.


Most people I know don't pay as well. I do, I'm a chump, I like the feeling of supporting the artist in question whether music or stand up... Some of these guys make almost nothing. Like Jim Hamilton says: "If you want to know how much money I make doing comedy, just take how much money Mike Tyson makes doing comedy and then subtract that exact same amount."

But yeah, I'm a chump. I make good living so why not?
Last edit: 08 Jan 2014 11:34 by OldHippy.
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08 Jan 2014 11:38 #169443 by Aarontu
I love Brian Regan. I'll have to check some of these out. My wife and I are always on the lookout for good comedians. Thanks!

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08 Jan 2014 11:53 - 08 Jan 2014 11:59 #169445 by bfkiller
I much, much, MUCH prefer televised comedy over albums. With a guy like Louis CK, you'd be missing half his delivery.

I'm not a big fan of Anthony Jeselnick. About half his jokes are funny, but sometimes when he tries to offend but forgets to put in the humour. And when he does that he's just any old offensive asshole. Example: at a Comedy Central Roast he made some joke at Katey Sagal's expense about John Ritter's death, but it was just a reference with no punchline. You could tell from her face that she was confused and angry by it.
Last edit: 08 Jan 2014 11:59 by bfkiller.

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08 Jan 2014 12:02 - 08 Jan 2014 12:03 #169449 by Schweig!

JonJacob wrote: Most people I know don't pay as well. I do, I'm a chump, I like the feeling of supporting the artist in question whether music or stand up... Some of these guys make almost nothing. Like Jim Hamilton says: "If you want to know how much money I make doing comedy, just take how much money Mike Tyson makes doing comedy and then subtract that exact same amount."

But yeah, I'm a chump. I make good living so why not?

Well, don't get me wrong, I do go and see comedians live and the ticket is often twice the price of a CD/DVD.

But there is no point in importing a CD/DVD from the USA just to watch it once. If all that stuff wasn't available online already, I simply wouldn't get to see it.

Besides, all the "art" I put out I don't charge money for either.
Last edit: 08 Jan 2014 12:03 by Schweig!.
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08 Jan 2014 12:25 - 08 Jan 2014 12:26 #169455 by OldHippy

bfkiller wrote: I much, much, MUCH prefer televised comedy over albums. With a guy like Louis CK, you'd be missing half his delivery.

I'm not a big fan of Anthony Jeselnick. About half his jokes are funny, but sometimes when he tries to offend but forgets to put in the humour. And when he does that he's just any old offensive asshole. Example: at a Comedy Central Roast he made some joke at Katey Sagal's expense about John Ritter's death, but it was just a reference with no punchline. You could tell from her face that she was confused and angry by it.


There's a lot you're missing if you watch too though. It works both ways. I own most of Louis's specials in video format but I have Hilarious as an album, I've seen it too but I hear it differently when I don't see him. The subtleties in his voice mean more. I just prefer it that way but I do think you're missing stuff either way. Seeing can be a distraction.

As for Jeselnik, yeah, he is intentionally offensive. No doubt, and that won't always work for people but he is crazy prolific. Did you know that he wrote over 100 jokes a day for the Fallon show during it's first two seasons? It was him and one other guy that did all the work in those early years. That's a phenomenal feat. They were all clean too so he can do that style if he wants. He's just a good writer. I don't know much about the roasts though, I'm not a fan of roasts really. Although Norm Macdonalds roast of the roast in the Bob Sagat roast was brilliant.

Here's a Jeselnik joke I like:

My wife is always complaining that she's addicted to chocolate, like 'Oh Antony don't you go leaving chocolate around I'm addicted, I just can't help myself'. So I took her and put her in my car, then I drove her downtown and showed her a crack addict. Then I said: "You see that honey? Why can't you be that skinny?"

See, it's like you said. There is no punchline really. It's just a non sequitur but it works for some people. The joke is in the expectation being fucked on you, like slight of hand or something. That's the stage presence he's gone for and it doesn't work for everyone.
Last edit: 08 Jan 2014 12:26 by OldHippy.
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08 Jan 2014 12:28 #169456 by OldHippy

Schweig! wrote: Besides, all the "art" I put out I don't charge money for either.


... and thanks for that. I do and don't charge. It depends. I'm not criticizing though, there's nothing wrong with using the net that way. The market will decide if these people need to be supported for their work. I'm fine with letting it play out.

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