Sofa King Good

Album Review

This is the debut recording from Madison's the Gomers. It consists of 26 unique tracks, each touching on a different mood and style. From the biting alternative rock of "Thanks for the Ride, Lady" to the schmaltzy lounge pop of "Sulu" to the "hip," over-bloated sounds of "It's Not Unusual" to the preposterously silly "Jewish Rapper," Sofa King Good will never fall victim to criticisms of monotony and homogeneity. Yes, many of these selections are utterly ridiculous and arguably unnecessary, but beneath it all is an extremely talented band who thankfully doesn't take itself or rock & roll too seriously. Guitarist and chief songwriter Biff Blumfumgagnge appears to be the principal conspirator in this madness. The novelty references to Tom Jones, the Beach Boys, the Osmonds, and others notwithstanding, what seems to be at the core of the Gomers is the influence of such off-kilter artists like Stan Ridgway, Talking Heads, and Adrian Belew. And most of the madcap tendencies seem to emanate from the uninhibited Blumfumgagnge in his playing and songwriting, and the remaining like-minded Gomers dutifully follow his lead. If taken in moderated doses, Sofa King Good will probably not endanger your sanity or cause lasting damage to your health in any manner.