ApologetiX

Item: Adam Up
Author: Dave King

Adam Up

(2003)

Reviewed by Dave King

Discogs YouTube

Label ParodudesThe Phantom Tollbooth2004

comedy pop rock rock

The lead track on Adam Up makes the claim that, "We're in a Parody Band," and they make the same claim on their website calling themselves the Christian Weird Al Yankovic. But the key to a good parody is humor at the expense of the one being parodied. This is something that Yankovic understands, and ApologetiX apparently does not.

Or could they have other motives for insisting that they are a Parody Band? It may have to do with the fair use provisions in American copyright law that has exceptions for parodies. (see "10 Big Myths About Copyright Explained": http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html)

Or could it be that calling what they do a parody is a way of dealing with conservative church culture. I can imagine it goes something like this,

Deacon Smith: "Why do you use the music of that foul mouthed Eminem?"

ApologetiX: "Sure, we're using Eminem's music and style, but we're not endorsing him, we're doing a parody of him."

Deacon Smith: "Oh well then, that's ok, please continue."

While Apologetix fails as parody, they do a fine job creating accessible Christian music by reusing the folk music of our time, a practice that has a long and honorable tradition in the Church. Apologetix does a remarkable job of imitating a wide variety of music from the Proclaimers to Ozzy Osbourne. Their imitation of the B-52's Fred Schneider on "Meshach" is nothing short of amazing.

This disc won't appeal to fans of the Choir or VoL; it's not an original work of sublime artistic creativity. But it will appeal to fans of Top 40 radio of the last 30 years, who are also looking for an overt Christian message in every song. My wife and eleven-year-old daughter have had this disk in heavy rotation in our car. I had to reclaim it from my daughter's CD case to write this review. And I'll admit my inner-evangelical was shaking his booty to "Get Found Tonight," Apologetix's take on the 70's hit "Get Down Tonight."

2.5 tocks