Bill Berry – Awkward Stage

A musical comedy hour.

With a voice like Bill Nye the Science Guy, Bill Berry brings a full album of comedic musical pieces with everything from a Southern country kick to a jazzy Broadway number. Focusing mainly on his past experience with both successful and failed encounters with the ladies, Berry brings to the table an enjoyable hour of musical comedy.

The 10-track album begins with the song “Awkward Stage,” which reflects on the dilemmas of this awkward period of his life. Sharing his story that is full of “struggle and strife,” he wants to “rage against his dying age” by refusing to go along with the social standards preset for his given age. “Big Heart” has an easy-going melody although it may sound harsh, resonating like an educational kid’s sing-a-long. “The Piano Tuner with the Lazy Eye” has a little Jack Johnson vibe; a rainy lazy day acoustic number which is met with a Broadway musical kick at the height of the song. “Crabs” is a crescendoing rock track similar to the style of Queen or Billy Joel, which may get a little repetitive with Berry singing, “She gave me the crabs!”

“Love Is the New Black” is a posh piano Broadway number beginning with a sassy narrative accompanied with a female chorus. Beginning with a snazzy saxophone/trumpet introduction, “The Brick” is a song in which Berry says a man can be judged by how he uses his brick. As odd as it sounds, the number provides a detailed analysis of numerous situations of how bricks could be used including a funny one, “if you are hiding from the IRS, use a brick to jam the door.”

“Cross Country Love” hits the soft spot for all long-distance couples out there. Berry explains in the number how he can’t help but end up in a long-distance relationship despite the challenge because he believes in “cross country love” and stacking up mileage points. The take-away number from the album has to be “The Day We Stole Steve Martin,” a nostalgic number reflecting on that one day in high school Berry and his friends continue to laugh about over a six-pack and a box of pizza; the day they attempted to steal a cut-out of Steve Martin. Described in a detailed manner, it is best to give this number a careful listen to see whether or not they were met with success.

To sum up the album, it’s a PG-13 version of the musical Book of Mormon, for those who have seen the absolutely hilarious musical filled with sarcasm and satire. Berry does a good job mixing up the genres of music from country to jazz and is able to skillfully tell stories without disrupting the musical process. Awkward Stage is definitely an album to keep listeners entertained for those long road trips or endless hours stuck in evening rush hour traffic.

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