Eugene Chadbourne

One thing is for sure -- Chadbourne is off his rocker. For this two-CD set, he strums his usual assortment of guitars and banjo, joined on most tracks by percussionist Paul Lovens. That in itself is not too strange, but when you add Chadbourne's voice throughout plus clips from Bing Crosby, John Wayne, Julie London, and others caught with their pants down at recording sessions, you've got one wacky, zany album. And the tune selection! Whether the guitarist is singing his own "10 Most Wanted List" or "I Dreamt I Killed Billy Taylor," or a standard such as "Skylark" or "Imagination," or whether Chadbourne is just mimicking Barbara Bush, it is likely to be unlike anything else you have heard. Unfortunately, Chadbourne is an out of tune, awful singer, but that is part of the fun. (Actually, his John Wayne imitation is quite good.) While this recording is likely to be admired as a novelty item only, its musical content is surprisingly decent too, as Lovens and Chadbourne are each first-rate performers. The focus here, though, is on novelty, and that, we might add, is an acquired taste. ~ Steven Loewy, All Music Guide