Tyrants Mix Up A Retro-Quirky Cocktail- by Brian Henry/ cdbaby.com
Listening to this generously filled new release from the Tyrants in Therapy is a little like spending a night with a garrulous, entertaining French riverboat gambler. You don’t know exactly what’s around the next bend in the river, but you can be pretty sure it’ll be entertaining. The iconoclastic Tyrants mix up a fun brew of eighties influences (you may be reminded of the B-52s and the Human League) and sardonic social commentary to create a set that’s provocative and sly. The Tyrants are never afraid to put a wild spin on controversial subjects from gender roles to global warming. In ‘My Masculinity’, Abbe Abbe turns the table on macho men and provides a sultry, surprising response to a typical gang of sexist lugs, while ‘Apocalypso’ is an instantly memorable party soundtrack for a vivid environmental meltdown. The Tyrant Michael displays an unsentimental take on the travails of ‘My Dying Girlfriend’ on another album highlight in which the Tyrant gives a dry, matter-of-fact take on his love life. In their live performances and video work the Tyrants have mastered an off-kilter sensibility that permeates the album and will appeal to fans who like a touch of satire with their music, shown in songs like ‘BS Hollywood’, ‘Zodiac’ and ‘At The Cowboy Lounge’. The album closes with another highlight, the jaunty ‘Ballad of the Tyrants in Therapy’ which fills in the groups’ surprising back story. But there are lots of surprises in this set, a great soundtrack for a neurotic night in L.A.
– Brian Henry