When listening to Jimmy Fallon’s “The Bathroom Wall,” I am reminded of the several reasons I stopped watching Saturday Night Live.
The departure of Will Ferrell, Cheri Oteri and Molly Shannon were a big loss to the show. The gaping hole they left was filled by newcomers like Fallon who simply couldn’t cut it.
And the main reason I dislike the show now is Fallon’s humor - or lack thereof.
His attempts at anchoring “Weekend Update” on SNL only make me wish Norm Macdonald would make a return to the show.
And Fallon’s attempt at an album can be described by one word: obnoxious.
He should work on his acting career before he tries to make the switch over to music. To date, the only character I’ve enjoyed seeing him play was the band Stillwater’s agent in “Almost Famous.”
Sure, Fallon can almost play the guitar on the album.
But it sucks when you use the same chords over and over again and the lyrics are dumb.
I realize Fallon is trying to be funny, but “The Bathroom Wall” just doesn’t compare to fellow SNL comic Adam Sandler’s albums or Comedy Central’s recent “Crank Yankers” release.
And the song “(I Can’t Play) Basketball” is one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard.
So, you can’t play basketball? Who cares? Try a different sport.
The only track that’s entertaining is “Drinking in the Woods,” but only because drinking in the woods is an adventure every time: “Paid five bucks for a plastic cup/Foam is spilling out and it won’t fill up so I pump that tap with my best friend and he flipped me over for a keg stand/I’m drinking in the woods/I’m drunk/Tree trunk/I’m drunk/Tree trunk.”
The lyrics are not exactly eloquent, but the word eloquent shouldn’t be used in describing this album anyway.
The second half of “The Bathroom Wall” consists of stand-up comedy, which is slightly more interesting than the songs.
And I’ll admit Fallon’s impersonations of Jerry Seinfeld - heard on the track “Troll Doll Celebrities” - are done well.
But it seems this track is Fallon’s only high-mark on the album.
They’re funnier and probably more entertaining than anything else on the album to college students, as Fallon pokes fun at dormitory resident assistants and the well-known “walk of shame.”
But for a more solid mix of comedy and good songs, I’ll stick to Adam Sandler’s “They’re All Gonna Laugh At You” or “What The Hell Happened To Me?”
