Dan Cummins makes his major-label debut with
Revenge Is Near, a collection of observational wit and black humor that finds him catering to the post-
Dane Cook world. Yes, the rules have changed since
Dane Cook returned comedy to the top of the Billboard charts, and
Cummins adjusts his approach accordingly, delivering risqué punch lines that touch upon pop culture, relationships, and everyday life. His laid-back style borders on deadpan, allowing
Revenge Is Near to move along at a comfortable, manageable speed. Absent are the kinetic sound effects and audible sweat of his contemporaries; in their place is a smart-ass, stationary comedian who wants you to laugh at his jokes, not his antics. Not all of
Cummins' punch lines pack the same power -- the Chuck Norris joke is at least two years too late, and the pony joke simply isn't funny -- but the bulk of this album is pretty amusing stuff, especially during the second half. ~ Andrew Leahey