It’s not often that we get to write about comedy here on the AudioAcrobat WordPress blog, but when we do, you can rest assured that it is a real treat both for our staff and for you, our readers.
In this special edition format of year-end posts, we’re proud to bring you our staff’s 5 Best Comedy Albums of 2012, all available for streaming, for free, in their entirety via the popular audio consumption platform, Spotify.
Discover our 5 Best Pop Albums of 2012!
Discover our 5 Best Rock Albums of 2012!
Discover our 5 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2012!
Discover our 5 Best Electronic Albums of 2012!
By which criteria are we ranking these favored releases? No special algorithms or chart analysis were used, really, we promise. They’re simply comedy-styled albums which were released in and stood out the most, each as a whole, in our lives during the year of 2012. No less, no more.
What do you say we get on to the list?!
#5:
Jimmy Fallon – “Blow Your Pants Off”
At the hilariously enthralling intersection of music and comedy, this Grammy-nominated studio album immediately won us over with a cover/parody of Paul McCartney’s “Yesterday” entitled, “Scrambled Eggs”, in which Jimmy and Paul harmonize poetic about the aforementioned breakfast item, along with waffle fries and tofu wings. We take back all of those negative things which ever slipped our lips concerning Mr. Fallon, as he has earned a place in our hearts with this collection of musical jokes.
#4:
Aziz Ansari – “Dangerously Delicious”
This up-and-coming actor/comedian is one seriously funny dude. You may recognize his voice from Ice Age: Continental Drift (as Squint) or his characters in Get Him To The Greek, I Love You, Man or 30 Minutes or Less, and if not, it’s time to do some Googling. As a wrap-up to his 2010-11 Dangerously Delicious tour, Aziz self-released a Washington D.C. filming of the special on his site as a digital download for a mere $5, with the audio-only version appearing on Spotify shortly after. Moments of intense laughter include talking to women about their purses, Aziz’s cousin Harris and faking jokes to allow for photo op’s during his set. Word on the street is that he’s already got a new tour underway as well…
#3:
Billy Wayne Davis – “Billy Wayne Davis”
Before this bald-headed, Southern-accented West Coast transplant played the Pioneer Underground here in Reno, NV we had no idea who he was. Shame on us. That night was one of the most intense fits of laughter we had ever experienced and we owe it all to this funny, funny man, Billy Wayne Davis. We now like to reminisce by referring to Reno as “The saddest little city in the world” and fellow Renoites as “lizard people”. If you live in Reno and/or are offended by these comments, we can only say in our own, and Billy’s defense, that you missed one of the best comedy acts to ever grace the subterranean acoustics beneath the orb-like object in downtown Reno, NV. In all fairness, the volume level on this comedian’s self-titled release is quite low, but nevertheless you should enjoy cranking it up to 11 and laughing until it hurts.
#2:
Jim Gaffigan – “Mr. Universe”
Following in the fashion of Aziz Ansari’s $5 2012 self-release, this Washington D.C.-recorded, Grammy-nominated comedy album later got re-released on Comedy Central Records and found its way to our ears by way of Spotify. Immediately upon listening, we were hooked with a fresh approach on taking/sharing/storing photos and were in disbelief at how funny jokes about shoes, and socks, could really be. The album is a solid ride of laughter all the way through and touches on universally desensitized, yet completely outrageous subject matter such as our expectations whilst staying in hotels, the unhealthy weight problem of America and the trials and tribulations of taking a family trip to Disney World in Orlando. In a nutshell, the topics are relatable to by many and are highlighted by the bitter underlying truth we so often choose to overlook. His style is almost like that of the late (great) Bill Hicks, but without the eye-opening social/political undertones.
#1:
Donald Glover – “Weirdo”
To be completely honest, we’ve probably listened to this record over 100 times since we stumbled upon the AIDS vs. Babies routine on YouTube and now find ourselves quoting it endlessly in our daily lives. As a bit of background, Donald Glover is most famous for his character Troy Barnes on NBC’s Community but also lives a double-life as a hip-hop artist and overt fan of Kanye West and Lady Gaga. As prefaced at the beginning of Weirdo, this set is NOTHING LIKE his role on Community. The DVD shares a bit of Mr. Glover’s taxi ride to the theatre pre-filming where he worries about his mother’s reaction to the subject matter, but in all honesty this is one of the realest stand-up albums/shows that has ever incited riotous laughter. While there are touches of non-discriminatory racial bits, sexual innuendos, foul language and jokes at the expense of children and rape-fearing women, the delivery comes across in the most non-offensive way possible…straight up and realistic humor. If Donald Glover ever performs a stand-up show in your town (or neighboring town), drop whatever you’re doing and go seem him in person. It will be a life-changing experience.
Honorable Mention
John Mulaney – “New In Town”
Apart from the above list of our favorite comedy albums of 2012, there were many humorists which we really wanted to include (Lewis Black, Kyle Cease, Todd Barry, Demetri Martin and George Lopez, to name a few) but weren’t able to, there is one album which provided one of the most memorable moments of laughter, ever. This would be where SNL writer John Mulaney explained why he has chosen to stop consuming alcohol. To avoid giving away the punchline, let’s just say that there’s a scene at a party where he was blackout drunk and decided to settle a bet. We’re still laughing from that one and hope to hear more from this comedic genius in the future.
Had you laughed along with any of the above albums prior to seeing this list? Let us know!
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[…] Discover our 5 Best Comedy Albums of 2012! […]