MTV hit pay dirt in the mid-'90s with one of the freshest and funniest shows of the era, Beavis and Butt-Head. Because of the music-heavy format of the show, an album was one of the logical steps for creator
Mike Judge. And The Beavis and Butt-Head Experience is one of the few cases where the hilarious formula of the show translates well to album. The skits in between songs are all very funny, featuring Judge's characters bumbling their way through run-ins with
Anthrax, Run-D.M.C., and Cher, and rating the other songs. And Judge is fortunate that these skits work as well as they do because at times they are necessary to carry the listener's attention. Songs by
Jackyl,
Sir Mix-A-Lot, and even Run-D.M.C. are dull and drag the album down. Even an appearance by
the Red Hot Chili Peppers only leads to a limp and hollow cover of
the Stooges' classic "Search and Destroy." Still, the album features a fantastic track by
Nirvana, one of the last songs released before
Kurt Cobain's suicide.
Anthrax,
Primus, and
White Zombie also add solid contributions that do the show's testosterone-worshipping vibe justice. But most interesting is Cher's duet with the cartoon pair, a reworking of "I Got You Babe." Throughout the song, the duo decide they need a "chick who's older, who's done it a bunch of times," then proposition Cher by making fun of her ex-husband
Sonny Bono. Any fan of the series will probably enjoy the album, and most of the tracks are not the typical B-sides fare. Just be warned that the album has a few duds, and anyone not familiar with the show may be lost on some of the humor. ~ Bradley Torreano