Music

Artist: Spinal Tap

Album: Back From the Dead

Grade: A-

Label: The Label Industry Records

This is a Spinal Tap groupie's rock 'n' roll dream – or nightmare, to quote one of the song titles. Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer are back in their David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls guises to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of This Is Spinal Tap.

Back From the Dead, the third Spinal Tap studio album, offers 19 tracks: 11 are freshly recorded versions of classic tunes from the Tap soundtrack, five are new vocal tracks and three are instrumentals. The package also includes a DVD commentary as well as nifty, pop-up action figures of the metal-loving guys.

Sonically speaking, the flow is seamless. "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" grooves into the drum-heavy "Back From the Dead" while the Queen-inspired "Big Bottom" segues into the harmonious "Celtic Blues" and the spacey, ambitious instrumental "Jazz Oddyssey III."

That's because McKean, Guest and Shearer, accomplished multi- instrument musicians, conceived the music of Spinal Tap to cross the stylistic spectrum. While the song lyrics are earnestly, humorously overblown, the rhythms, melodies and riffs are seriously well-executed.

The idea of Spinal Tap worked famously because the funny shenanigans came backed up by no-joke talent.

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