Is it a hit, *hit or miss?

Andrew W.K.- The Wolf by Dan Grote

Andrew W.K.- The Wolf 
Label: Island Records 
Hit, *hit or Miss?:  Hit
Rating: 

Some artists do one thing very well and understand that it would be foolish of them to try it any other way. Bands like AC/DC and the Ramones spent their respective careers churning out countless scores of anthemic tunes for their respective subgenres and becoming inspirations for the people that grew up listening to them while the uninitiated sit back and say “Yeah, but all their songs sound the same.” Yeah, but that’s kinda the idea, isn’t it?

And so today we have Andrew W.K., a hairy young dude in dingy looking clothes who’s used the word “party” in more songs than Chicago has numbered albums (Well, maybe that’s hyperbole, but it sounds close enough). Andrew’s first album, last year’s I Get Wet, painted the portrait of a loveable grinning idiot in a metal mood who just wanted to get his rocks off. The time between albums found him grinning and high-kicking his way through celebrity, whether it be hurling chairs at the Jackass guys or duetting with Kelly Osbourne (who, all kidding aside, he probably does believe “She Is Beautiful”) and invading an historically Black college campus for MTV. To top it all off, he also somehow managed to become the voice of KitKat.

All the fun of minor celebrity aside, The Wolf finds W.K. getting back to the business of partying. And if I Get Wet was a mission statement for himself and his band, The Wolf is a call-to-arms for others to party as he does, as W.K. beats you over the head with his life’s-too-short message.

Believe it or not, the music on The Wolf has actually gotten more dramatic, with an increased attention to keyboard flourishes and synth strings, making every moment on songs like “Victory Strikes Again” and “The End of Our Lives” that much more desperate-sounding. In fact, W.K.’s love letter to his fans, “Never Let Down” is made so dramatic, it recalls the sheer pomp of Kiss’ “God Gave Rock and Roll to You,” that cheesiest of cheesy rock-patriotism songs.

Of course, every good party’s got to have some ladies, and W.K. is still every girl’s smitten puppy dog. He pours his heart out on “Really in Love” but still manages to pound out the forty-four second tribal war chant “Make Sex.”

Oh, and for those of you keeping score, “Long Live the Party” makes W.K.’s fourth “party”-titled song.

VERDICT: Fans who liked W.K.’s first album will be equally pleased by The Wolf, maybe more so. Those who didn’t get it the first time will remain clueless. There really is no middle ground with this man, and it’s reflected in the intensity of his monothematic music. Party hard or die.

Reviews note: When I first inquired about writing for this site, I sent Keavin two of my reviews from my college paper. One was on Starsailor (what the HELL ever happened to those guys?) and the other was my write-up on I Get Wet, which ended up being my favorite disc of 2002. I guess I just figured this would be a perfect opportunity to thank Keavin, my fellow critics, and the readers for the chance to do what I love. The music I get isn’t always good, and if I tear up a modern rock band, God knows the fan speak tears my ass apart (big up to the Cold Army!), but I couldn’t imagine it any other way. Peace, and enjoy.

Tracks: Victory Strikes Again Long Live The Party Tear It Up Free Jumps Never Let Down Your Rules Song, The Make Sex Totally Stupid Really In Love End Of Our Lives, The I Love Music

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