James Kochalka's music is the audio equivalent of his drawing style -- bold, cute, a little crude and (intentionally) rough around the edges. On Spread Your Evil Wings and Fly, the American Elf returns with more quintessentially Kochalkian songs like the concentrated fun of "Chooglin' to the Nth... [+] Expand

James Kochalka's music is the audio equivalent of his drawing style -- bold, cute, a little crude and (intentionally) rough around the edges. On Spread Your Evil Wings and Fly, the American Elf returns with more quintessentially Kochalkian songs like the concentrated fun of "Chooglin' to the Nth Degree" and "Rainbow Love"'s shouty indie pop. He also gets loud on "Why Is the Sky Blue," an insistent number that sounds a little like the Who (if the Who had been indie cartoonists) and on the satirical bluster of "This is How We Rock in America," which rivals Team America: World Police's "America, F**k Yeah" as one of the best songs to make fun (and secretly be just a tiny bit proud) of big, dumb American rock and politics. As usual, Spread Your Evil Wings and Fly has its bratty, borderline annoying moments: When Kochalka chants "Justin Timberlake" over and over on "Britney's Silver Can" (of Pepsi, natch), it goes from funny to grating and back to funny again. There are also the requisite bits of gleefully questionable taste: "Albert's My Friend" is sick and silly, sung by Kochalka in the sing-song voice of a kid oblivious to what Albert's special games with him really mean, while "Wash Your Ass" offers an important hygiene PSA -- and a mean Black Sabbath impression to boot. Mostly, though, Spread Your Evil Wings and Fly offers Kochalka fans another opportunity to hang out in his quirky, funny, ever-so-slightly disturbing world, where he kicks the asses of pot-stealing bunnies and Satan loves kitty-cats. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide [-] Collapse

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