This record isn't like anything you've listened to recently. First off it's all instrumental. Before that turns you off, there are three things going for this record.
First off, it's evil surf guitar rock. Check. It's different.
Second, it's a concept album, telling a very well written story. This is what they say about the story, "'The death and life of the undead boy' tells the story of Victor the vampire boy and his adventures trying to cope with school, his home life and meeting girls."
And three... okay, so it's instrumental but they have narration in between the songs, and get this, the narrator is Joe Jack Talcum, from the greatest band ever, The Dead Milkmen.
The story is very child-storybook style. So there will be about a dozen narrated rhymed lines progressing the story, then the accompanying song follows. The music itself is very surf-rock based and mainly in minor key - which of course sounds right because it is about an undead boy.
The booklet is basically a children's storybook, illustrated by Joe Whiteford, lead singer of Calibretto. The booklet itself would make a great storybook for a preschool child, if you wanted that kid to turn out goth or something. Look at the artwork here - it's really good.
So conceptually the album works. The only downside is the production. It's really demo-y. I don't want to harp on that too much, because I know they didn't really have much of a budget, but the production is sloppy - sonically and performance wise.
So while some might see this band as a novelty, it's not gimmicky because the concept and the music are solid. If you're looking for something different, this album is worth checking out. I'm giving the album a higher grade because this work is more than music - its art is musical, it is literary and it is visual.
3/4
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2003Reviewed by Noel LloydJust in time for Halloween comes a scarrrrrrrrrrryyy story to regale all of the kiddies courtesy of one of the most bizarre albums to come down the pike in a while: The Death and Life of the Undead Boy. Hailing from the intensely frightening city of Philadelphia (hey I've been there, it's true), the Mercury Radio Theater has followed up previous releases such as The Manhattan Zombie Massacre with…Opus 2003Reviewed by Jason MoreheadMercury Radio Theatre's set was one of Cornerstone 2002's more memorable concerts. Reminiscent of Farquar Muckenfuss (whose insane late night show was one of Cornerstone 2000's best), Mercury Radio Theatre's music is of a similar bent; campy (yet slightly psychotic), horror-themed surf rock that owes as much to '60s drive-in fare like The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became…
