“Turtleneck & Chain” is the sophomore release from Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone who make up The Lonely Island. Their parodic craft undoubtedly verges on outshining the famous celebrities who take part in the skits on Saturday Night Live.
It was only two years ago that the smash parodic rap hit “I’m On A Boat” turned viral and received praise in the form of a Grammy nomination. T-Pain, who was featured on the anthem, was in utter shock as this most obvious “Saturday Night Live” skit for a viral humorous track would likely be the highest accolades of his career.
The Lonely Island is more than comic music artists who produce fake rap. Their catchy hooks, which are undoubtedly just as powerful as their gags, allow this trio to muster together the best stars for the guest spots on their album.
The songs on “Turtleneck & Chain” force you to make the decision of laughing at the parodic albums or plainly singing along to them. The album begins with a bang. The well fitting title, “We’re Back” seems like the perfect introduction for the anticipated album. Jorm Taccone declares from the start that “People are counting on us.” The parodic lyrical content contrasts perfectly with the rap beats.
The viral hit featuring Akon, with over 90 million YouTube views “I Just Had Sex” and continues to ride on the energy of the first track. The hit single is up there with fan favorites “Jizz In My Pants” and “Dick In A Box.” Not to mention, “I Just Had Sex” and “Motherlover” both work faultlessly, despite their visual compliments.
“Turtleneck & Chain” showcases The Lonely Island’s talent at incorporating guest stars into their humorous tracks. The guests on the album are astonishing, comprising of Justin Timberlake and Snoop Dogg to Michael Bolton and Nicki Minaj.
However, some guest artists work better than others, particularly Michael Bolton on the absurdly hilarious “Jack Sparrow.” The best partnership deserves to be Rihanna and the unforthcoming partner in crime “Shy Ronnie.” On the whole, guest stars like Beck and Snoop Dogg get put on the back burner and are easy to miss.
A parodic rap album that is not worthy of excess scrutiny, deserves praise for The Lonely Island’s craft. “Turtleneck & Chain,” claims a spot just ahead of their last release, “Incredibad,” a hilarious and vulgar sophomore release with more hit songs than the mainstream pop on the radio, what more can you ask for? The Lonely Island know that the music world depends on them, “We started this fake rap shit/the world needs us!”
