BergerReview: The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza

Come on - just look at the band name! That was enough to get me interested. The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza is, by far, one of the most amazingly ridiculous band names I've ever seen (in a very good way, I must add). Couple that with a fondness for metal and an ear recently turned on to Dillinger Escape Plan, and I simply had to check these guys out. Sure, the band name can be easily seen as a gimmick, but if that's what draws people to this startlingly good band, then by it's a damn good gimmick. These guys are fantastic.

Clocking in at 10 tracks and a whopping 28:39, TTDTE drives their message home quite clearly in their self-titled album's short time frame. It's confusing, it's aggressive, it's pretty silly in places (come on - could a band with a name like this REALLY take themselves seriously?!), and it's far more in control than one might think. Throughout the album, the guitar work is nimble, vicious, and most importantly, extremely tight. Complimenting that is drummer Mason Crooks, who plays with so much ferocity and speed that I wonder if his hair was on fire during the recording process. The whole band is clearly on the same page, sharply working their way through a ton of time changes, left turns, and sudden starts and stops like it's nothing more than old habit. And oh yeah - the song titles are incredible, too.

In short, a VERY solid album from a new entry into the hardcore/grindcore world. Naturally, this type of music isn't for everybody - Hell, I can tell you at least two of my other band members would flat out hate this - But you can't go wrong with TTDTE if you're into hardcore and metal in the first place. A fine entry into what I call "Music Guaranteed To Piss Off Your Parents", aka "What Is This Crap?!" music (which I think should be a separate section in CD stores just to help metalheads and other kids out - you don't wanna be looking through Toto or Tower of Power just to find The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, do you?).

The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza (Corrosive Recordings, 2005)
Highlights: "My Bowling Ball's Frozen In A Footlocker In Chicago", "God Ain't Got No Use For No 180 Lb. Bag Of Sugar", "Cliff Burton Surprise"
Berger Rating: Two Angry Parents Up

Upcoming Reviews: Umphrey's McGee, Devin Townsend (whenever I can get my hands on his new album)

Smock is playing a show tonight. It's gonna be fun. But that's all I'm gonna say 'cause I don't wanna use the "Shamless self promotion..." label. Just follow that link there to get some details if ya wanna go, k?

Detroit Tigers 8, New York Mets 3 in the top of the seventh. That's the game I watched as I wrote this. One must wonder if the Tigers are starting to really find their offense here...