Didn’t irony die a few years back? I’m pretty sure there was something in the papers, some hastily written obituary warning us the knowing smirk had gone the way of Paris Hilton’s virginity.
If that’s true, then Live and in Quonset is a frighteningly cliched disc full of well-tread boogey blues and mournful country songs about towns where trains don’t stop anymore. I prefer to think the whole thing is done with tongue firmly pressed into the cheek. Raves about the need to “Move A Lot Of Grain,” complete with a cheesy synth line and balls out rock and roll guitar solo, are a lot more palatable if I can pretend the singer realizes how ridiculous it sounds.
It’s all fun in a dumb sort of way, but Live’s not the kind of album that tends to hold up over the years. Like Luther Wright and the Wrongs, Lang seems to be pointing out how blues, country and drinking songs are easy to make fun of just by taking them one step further. Trouble is, most of us already knew that. A well written novelty CD, but a novelty nonetheless.