The Day The Laughter Died Part II may just be the most reviled comedy album of recent times. There's a reason for that. But then again, Dice is no ordinary comedian, and one can't judge him like that. Like Andy Kaufman before him, he began as a "Song and Dance Man" and then migrated into comedy/performance art and in the process culminating--at the top of his career--the original The Day the Laughter Died, a work of such stunning genius that now, 20 years later, it is only just beginning to be understood.
But after several successful albums, Dice tired of the routines he'd set up. And this album is Dice raging against the Machine. The Machine is Stand-Up, and Dice is having none of it. He's his own man here and like before, he's got no material to fall back on, and he will succeed or fail on his own merits. And yes, the album does indeed fail as typical stand-up. In fact, I was befuddled when I first heard it. It was a somehow an angrier Dice, who stated that "...my career...I don't have one right now." Pretty bold words, actually. Ballsy, in fact. It reads like a man who is honest and is honest about his art; it's about putting it all out there, on the line. And Dice has integrity. And on this album, it shows. Yes, he bombs in most places...but there are some bright, bright spots that shine as genius. Dice fans will love it. Dice haters will hate it. Those not familiar with performance art will be confused.
Dice realized that Comedy does not equal Laughter. This album is not for everyone. It isn't even for most people. But if you are interested in comedy, and if you're interested in the honesty involved, and the hard corners and sharp edges of a man who was trying to bring the world kicking and screaming into his own sphere, then get the album. Listen to it. Then put it away for some time, and come back to it later. You'll recognize what the man was trying to do.
CONDITION: (SEE AVAILABLE OPTIONS AND PRICING)
LABEL: AMERICAN RECORDS
CATALOG: 9 45473-2
MATRIX: 1 45473-2 SRC**03 M2S1
YEAR: 1993
FORMAT: CD
TRACK LIST:
- 'TIS THE SEASON
- THERMOMETERS
- GAS (FEMININE)
- DEEF & DUMB
- THE NOTES
- SOUND
- THE WEDDING
- CRITICS
- PINK DOT
- MY FIRST CONCERT
- CHINESE
- MORE NOTES
- DR. DICE
- RICE
- FILM & VIDEO
- BACHELORETTE PARTY
- TOME & THE PHILIPPINO
- WIFE TELLS ALL
- SURPRISE
- GAMES
- TALK TO 'EM
- CHINKS
- MAD MAX
- SEALED WITH A KISS
- THE CONTRACTOR
- SONGS
- CHENESE RESTAURANT
- GREETING CARDS
- NO POEMS
- THE ARGUMENT
NOTES: SOLD AS IS!!! PROMOTIONAL COPIES MAY BE/HAVE STICKERS, HOLE PUNCHED, STAMPED, CORNER OF ARTWORK CUT, SPINE NOTCHED, MISSING ARTWORK (FRONT AND/OR TRAY CARD), AND ETC. SOLD AS IS!!!