The Pick Of Destiny

Tenacious D

Epic, 2006

http://tenaciousd.com

REVIEW BY: Jeff Clutterbuck

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 11/28/2006

In 2001, Jack Black and Kyle Gass released an album that shook the very foundations of rock. Music was never the same.

Tenacious D was a tremendously fun album, the perfect example of hilariously over the top rock. Question is, would The Pick Of Destiny be able to live up those lofty expectations of a sequel? Short answer...no.

This is because Pick is not nearly of the same quality as the debut. That record featured the sound of two guys realizing their dream, taking one shot to reach the lofty heights of rock. That hunger is somewhat absent from TPOD because JB and KG have achieved the success they desired. Let the record state, however, that TPOD still rocks your fuckin’ socks off in more ways than one.

It may sound crazy, but this is a more mature D in terms of sound. There are two bonafide epics in “Kickapoo” and “Beelzeboss,” and “Master Exploder” easily outclasses any of their earlier attempts to just play balls-to-the-wall hard rock. my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

The acoustic origins of the D get their fair share of play on TPOD. The immortal classic chronicling of Tenacious D, “History,” is presented in its unfettered glory. “Classico” could very well introduce kids to a number of classical pieces by some of all the time greats, demonstrating the best of the relationship between Black and Gass. “Papagenu (He’s My Sassafras)” starts off as some incredibly cheesy 60’s pop but segues into the classic “Sasquatch.”

Jack Black’s shtick is notoriously wearisome for many people, and odds are their opinions won’t changed after a listening to this disc. Black is in full on Jables mode, belting out notes with a fire eerily similar to icons like Meat Loaf (who makes a tremendous cameo along with Dio on “Kickapoo”).

Unfortunately, the weaker moments are weaker than anything on Tenacious D. “Car Chase City” and “Break In-City” are just flat out boring, despite the best intentions of the duo. Black chews the scenery, and there is some decent guitar work, but they sound contrived. “The Divide” and “Destiny” are too short to say anything important about, though from the sound of it that could change after a viewing of the movie.

It is the two aforementioned epics that are the crown jewels of TPOD and stand among the best of anything the guys have recorded. “Kickapoo” details the story of JB leaving his home to escape his anti-rock father, played by Meat Loaf, under the guidance of Dio. Those two names alone guarantee greatness and the song does not let down. “Beelzeboss,” on the other hand is flat out metal for most of its running time, spotting Dave Grohl as Satan himself (Funny, I thought it would have been Courtney Love). The amount of insanely catchy riffs and hooks are mind-blowing; a lot of lesser bands would sell their drummer into slavery to have these kinds of chops.

I love the D but the inconsistency makes The Pick Of Destiny soundtrack maddening.  Don’t let that stop you from picking it up though, and don’t be surprised if it leaves you wanting to hear the brilliant debut.

Rating: B

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


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© 2006 Jeff Clutterbuck and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Epic, and is used for informational purposes only.