Guitars, Drums, Tones, and Saxophones

Andrew W.K. - I Get Wet

Let’s get it out of the way up front; I love this album. It’s not deep, it’s not game changing, and there’s nothing remotely bold or experimental about it aside from its unabashed desire to cause a party to happen, right here, right now. And I think that’s something we can all get behind. Unless you’re a stick-in-the-mud, in which case, you have serious problems to deal with.

OK, so back in the dark days of 2002, some dude with a white t-shirt, white jeans, blood on his face, and a serious party-time agenda appeared almost out of nowhere with the single “Party Hard.” The single was just a small part of an album that is carefully designed to be the soundtrack to whatever rager you want to be a part of.

The songs are all incredibly similar; the verses are loud, and the choruses are even more loud, and even better, anthemic in the best way imaginable. Fist pumping, head banging, the works. Andrew doesn’t waste time with ballads or slow jams. His goal is one thing: you- yes, you- need to have a fucking blast. And he’s going to give you the soundtrack to do it.

I’d break down the songs, but what’s the point? If you’ve heard “Party Hard,” you’re ready for the album, which includes songs like “It’s Time to Party,” “Party ‘Til You Puke,” and “Fun Night.” This sort of boneheaded single-mindedness would, on paper, seem forced, and one might have the very real concern that, hey, Andrew W.K. might just be some ironic hipster joke. Fortunately, reading any interviews with Andrew reveal that he’s just a guy, kind of an outcast, who wants people to get together and have as much fun as possible. (Check out this NYMag article about his club in Chinatown)

There’s not a whole lot else to say about this album. Either you’ll completely buy into Andrew W.K.’s vision of a glorious party, or you’ll be utterly turned off by his always-up-to-11 music and concept. But the fact remains, this is a fun album about having fun. This won’t change your life. But damn if it isn’t a good time.