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20%, Give Or Take Maria Bamford's new comedy album is a little less surprising than previous efforts By Michael Shashoua
On Maria Bamford’s new album,
“20%,” released by Comedy Central last
month, she performs pieces with all her familiar subject matter and
style, but with a little bit of her previous edge missing.
For instance, “Role Playing,” in which Bamford does impressions of
her and her husband’s mothers having a conversation, deploying the
distinct characters she uses to populate her comedy, is amusing, and
one of the better pieces on this new album.
Yet, when compared with “Baby Jesus,” from her 2009 album “Unwanted
Thoughts Syndrome,” in which Bamford recounts leaving messages in a
high squeaky voice, supposedly as the baby Jesus, on her religious
mother’s answering machine, “Role Playing” doesn’t have the same
extra element of surprise and daring that made the earlier bit so
funny.
She does approach that level in other pieces on “20%,” and the
album’s milder tone may actually be a good introduction for those
who weren’t as familiar with Bamford’s past work. She’s reaching a
higher level of prominence, largely due to her recent
autobiographical Netflix series, “Lady Dynamite” (in which she
collaborated with the creator of “Arrested Development,” heightening
the absurdity and tone of her material). For those who are
unfamiliar, “20%” would be a good place to start.
There are some milder surprises to be found here, for Bamford fans,
such as “Frat Neighbors,” in which she and her husband deal with
fraternity brothers telling them they’re just trying to enjoy their
house, that they might hear loud noises in return because Bamford
and her husband “have always wanted to try anal.”
Perhaps the element of surprise in first encountering Bamford’s
onstage persona, with her channeling of different character voices,
is necessary to see “20%” for its full value, but when placed
alongside other work, she seems to playing her material in a minor
key here.
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Feedback? Email shashouamedia@gmail.com or michael.shashoua@jesterjournal.com
© 2005-2018 Michael Shashoua