Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Conchords returns with a brand new solo album, Freak Out Metropolis
Izzie Austin/Sub Pop Information
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Izzie Austin/Sub Pop Information
Bret McKenzie constructed his music profession on a basis of comedy. As a younger artist, he performed in a number of bands spanning a wide range of genres, although he is finest often known as one half of the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords.
McKenzie fashioned Flight of the Conchords with Jemaine Clement in 1998 in Wellington, New Zealand. A sitcom by which they performed fictionalized variations of themselves debuted on HBO in 2007, boosting their recognition throughout a two-season run that resulted in 2009. Present clips and the band’s dwell stage performances grew to become fodder for viral movies, just like the unforgettable “Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros,” by which McKenzie raps, “There ain’t no celebration like my Nana’s tea celebration.”
McKenzie’s expertise for injecting humor into his music lyrics led to a credit score because the music supervisor for the 2011 movie The Muppets. A music he wrote for the movie, “Man or Muppet,” gained the Academy Award for Greatest Authentic Track. Since then, he is written songs for different household fare like Dora and the Misplaced Metropolis of Gold and A Minecraft Film.
In recent times, McKenzie has penned and carried out unique music underneath his personal title. In 2022, he launched Songs With out Jokes, and this August he got here out with a follow-up, Freak Out Metropolis.
The album’s title monitor is about coping with individuals desirous to share questionable articles on-line. On “Freak Out Metropolis,” McKenzie sings, “Oh my Dad calls me yesterday / He says oh my son we gotta discuss / I have been up late night time out on the verge / I have been doing all my very own analysis.”
In an interview with Morning Version co-host A Martinez, McKenzie explains that the verse was impressed by conversations along with his father, who lived by himself on a farm within the final years of his life.
“Looks as if isolation is an actual hotbed for spending time on-line,” McKenzie stated. “He would provide you with opinions that had been very uncommon, and also you needed to type of convey him again right down to Earth.”
McKenzie says his father was studying “absurd” well being science articles, which led to tensions across the holidays.
“We had a COVID Christmas the place he could not come to Christmas as a result of he solely did one of many vaccines, he did not need to get one other vaccination,” McKenzie stated. “My Mum did not need him there with the youthful grandchildren. So then we had this Christmas, after which he isn’t there at Christmas by himself. And it was a catastrophe, it was a very unhappy time really.”
However despite the fact that he pokes enjoyable at his late father within the lyrics of “Freak Out Metropolis,” McKenzie says his father “did not thoughts a little bit of comedian criticism” and that he thinks he would have beloved the music.
One other new music, “All The Time,” is an expression of McKenzie’s love for his kids.
“I’ve acquired three youngsters – two youngsters and one ten-year-old now – and it is a love music about them rising up and the concept that your dad and mom – hopefully, your dad and mom love you,” McKenzie stated with amusing. “And that that love will all the time be there.”
Musing about “All The Time” and the way it suits in with the remainder of his profession conjures up McKenzie to think about what his kids and grandchildren would consider his work sooner or later – lengthy after he is gone.
“I am in a really unusual combination of issues,” he stated. “I am a background elf in Lord of the Rings after which Conchords has our TV present which is primarily d*** jokes put to music. After which right here I’m singing a heartfelt music. I imply, it will be an eclectic playlist they get to reminisce.”
Nonetheless, McKenzie admits that if he’ll be remembered for one factor, it will be Flight of the Conchords. And he credit the band’s large recognition to the truth that their HBO present was on TV earlier than streaming grew to become fashionable.
“It was a distinct type of time, I believe now on TV, it might be very arduous to get as a lot consideration,” he stated. He provides that there is a probability of latest Flight of the Conchords music and the band could tour once more within the subsequent yr or two.
The audio model of this story was produced by Lindsay Totty and edited by Olivia Hampton. The digital model was edited by Treye Inexperienced.
