Specificity and comedy did not always go hand-in-hand. Before the dawn of the Internet, mass appeal was a weapon in every comedian’s arsenal – which makes sense. If you were going to do comedy on one of ten television channels, you needed to find a way to be likeable on a massive scale.Now, with so many outlets for comedy, there is something specific for everyone. If you want redneck jokes – Bang! You got ‘em. If you’re more a fan of urban humor: done. And, if you have more of an alternative appeal, there is Keith Lowell Jensen and his new album Elf Orgy.

Jensen has been around for quite some time, and has an impressive comedic resume. He’s performed with Robin Williams, Doug Stanhope and Chris Rock. He’s participated in numerous comedy festivals around the country, and he released his first CD To the Moon in 2011. Whether or not you are a fan of alternative comedy, one cannot deny that Jensen is a well-rounded and seasoned performer.

Now let me be clear: there is nothing wrong with finding your audience and playing to them. Jensen’s newest album does just that. As a seasoned comedian, Jensen is aware of the type of people his comedy appeals to, which is something every good comedian should know.If you are a fan of the alternative scene, then this is your guy.

A large part of the album consists of material based on Atheism, drugs, and a variety of nerdy topics. That’s not to say that there isn’t something for everyone here, but it is very obvious who Jensen is, and the type of people he attracts.

The delivery Jensen employs is sharp, quick and, at times, absolutely brilliant. One bit that particularly comes to mind has to do with rubber snakes and mice, the end of which will cause the listener to think this man is a bloody genius.

At times though, his set-ups may seem a tad long-winded or wordy, but it is completely worth it by the end. Almost every track on the album ends with a fantastically crafted punch line that sums the entirety of the bit up perfectly. Just wait until you hear the dog poop in the park joke and you will know exactly what I mean.

Like I said before, Jensen knows his audience and knows how to appeal to them. He says it himself at the end of the album by saying, “I think you guys are better than other people.” This is totally fine if you are into his sense of humor and the alternative scene. If that’s your shtick then I highly recommend this album, but if it’s not really your thing then I suggest you pass.

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A few months ago I had the pleasure of listening to Nate Craig shoot the shit with Pete Holmes of my favorite podcast, You Made it Weird. I instantly liked him.

Craig remained funny and charming while still managing to talk about deep, intense, and sometimes traumatic experiences. That, in my humble opinion, is the mark of a true comedian—one who can make light of situations where light is hard to find. So when I got the opportunity to listen to his new album Infinity I jumped aboard, excited and eager to hear what was in store.

Before I was able to delve into the album, my editor informed me that Infinity was self-produced by Craig. I instantly grew skeptical. Albums worth listening to typically get released by well-known labels, such as Comedy Central Records or Rooftop Comedy. It’s almost a way for people to vogue for a comedian.

For instance, when Comedy Central Records puts out an album, it’s as if they are saying, “Hey, we think this person is good and we think you will agree.” So when an album is self-produced there’s an immediate sense of oh they’re not funny enough to be signed. But after listening to Craig’s album, that notion could not be farther from the truth. I found myself dying of laughter from beginning to end and I was glad Infinity is self-produced.

I can only assume that there is a level of relaxation that comes from performing a self-produced album. Again, this is only speculation, but Craig certainly gave me that impression. For example, Craig’s opening joke, he recognized, didn’t go well. So what did he do? Instead of re-recording or starting over, he simply goes back off stage and tries again. The whole fiasco is ridiculously funny.

This sense of relaxation permeates throughout Infinity (Ha. That sentence is funny). Craig is well-paced, he interacts with the crowd and he takes his time. This really makes the listener feel like they are in the audience, which is not a feeling you get very often when listening to an album produced by a label.

Behind the cadence and relaxed pace of Infinity is a sharp and seasoned comedian. Craig has traveled the country since 2001 doing comedy—and it shows. All of his material is well written.

What really stuck out to me is the way Craig tags his jokes. Craig will have a well-articulated set up, followed by a hilarious punch line, and then a tag that will not only be even funnier but also serve as a segue.

One joke in particular that comes to mind is earlier in the album when he is describing children and poor sportsmanship. The punch line comes and you think the joke is over, but then the tag comes and opens up the floodgates to even more ridiculousness. I don’t know if what I just said makes sense, but the point is that Craig has found a style that works for him.

It’s a damn shame a lot of people will not listen to a comedy album unless the comedian is a household name, especially when there are gems of albums recorded by confident, seasoned, hilarious comedians—Craig’s Infinity is one such album.

Whether a connoisseur of stand up or someone just getting into it, Craig’s album is a fun listen for all.

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Kyle Kinane’s newest album Whiskey Icarus had big shoes to fill. One of my fondest college memories was the 2010 release of Kinane’s first album Death Of The Party.

I skipped class, rolled up a fat one, embarked on a hiking trail adventure and spent the afternoon laughing my balls off. Whether that’s a testament to how good the album is or how sad my college days were is a discussion for another time.

The point is I met the release of Whiskey Icarus with trepidation. Any time you enjoy a person’s work there is a certain level of nervousness you feel when they release something new. No one wants to be disappointed.

Not only did Whiskey Icarus not disappoint, it exceeded my expectations in a big way. The new material features a sharper, poignant and more confident Kinane. It’s always fun to listen to the new jokes, but as a lover of stand-up comedy, it is so much more rewarding when you can tell a comic has put in the work to evolve his or her style.

You still get Kyle Kinane’s brilliantly created stage persona, but this time around, the delivery and cadence is more conversational. It takes months if not years to develop a new act, but the way in which Kinane presents himself makes it seem like he’s riffing from beginning to end.

The reason I enjoy Kinane so much is the awesome character he’s created for the stage. At first glance someone might mistake his character for a drunken buffoon simply telling hilarious stories, but that’s not it at all.

I’ve seen and heard plenty of comedians play in to that typecast character arc, but Kinane is different. His material is not just the ramblings of a fun drunk, but rather, he uses this character to explain much deeper ideologies about life. If he wanted to, sure he could get away with telling a hilarious story about getting a DUI in Los Angeles, but the over arching theme of the joke isn’t the story itself but rather Kinane’s question of, “What am I doing with my life?”

His whole closing bit is hilarious but the entire theme of it is death and suicide. He’s found a way to explain these complicated issues in a way that’s relatable and unique. Look, maybe I’m reading to much into it, but if I’m wrong keep it to yourself and let me believe I’ve figured it out.

Not going to lie, I am kind of biased writing this review. Kinane is one of my absolute favorite working comedians today. I got the pleasure of seeing and meeting him in Philadelphia. There’s no point to that last sentence – I just wanted to brag about that.

Point is Whiskey Icarus is Kyle Kinane 2.0. Which is exactly what a comedian’s follow up album should be. He stays true to his character, his stories are just as if not more ridiculous, but his delivery and cadence has matured making him sound more relaxed and seasoned. I cannot recommend this album any more than I already have. Grab it NOW!

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Hey friends! I am not sure if you have heard, but there is a new star quickly rising through the ranks of the comedy scene. His name is Louis C.K. I am suuureee that you have never heard of him, and since the comedy community seems to be neglecting his accomplishments, they are not even mentioning him on the Internet.

I could no longer stand for this injustice. I will NOT stand idly by while this man’s name goes unknown. Thus, I have taken it upon myself to inform you all that he has announced several new dates for his upcoming tour.

Louis C.K. has added six new cities (which include Philadelphia, Newark, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C. and Atlanta) and eight new dates to his already lengthy tour across the country. C.K.’s jaunt across America will end in Phoenix. It is here that he will spend the final two nights and four shows shooting his upcoming, hour-long special for HBO.

See, what is exciting about this is that C.K. has started this trend of doing a completely new, one hour special every year, about which I bet YOU didn’t hear. It is probably a not very well known fact within the comedy community, either. You uniformed miscreants can check out the new dates and buy tickets on Louis C.K.’s website.

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You guys may know Will Ferrell from such movies as Curious George, Bewitched and Kicking and Screaming. Well, this big shot Hollywood actor is now on the cover of the European men’s magazine PORT (yeah…I’ve never heard of the it until now either, but what have you done with your life that’s so special?).

The cover of this upcoming issue has been released via the interwebs. It features a particularly distinguished Will Ferrell sporting a mustache that would make Sam Elliot at least tip his cowboy hat in respect.

More interestingly though, along with the release of the photograph came a short blurb from the article itself. These brief paragraphs go into detail on how this super star began his career with what he feels was an awkward SNL audition for the one and only Lorne Michaels. Ferrell had conceived a plan for his interview with Michaels that he never got to execute because Michaels intimated him. I’m pretty sure that’s how an interview with that man works. You enter the room and then Lorne Michaels scares the ever-loving shit out of you. You can preview the article here. The article came out in its entirety on December 13.

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Mark Ellis is a regular at the Comedy Store and the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles. Done. This should be the end of the review.

What more do you want? How is that not a compelling enough argument to get you to buy this album? Oh, you what? You want a 500 word CD review?! Christ, you’re demanding. FINE.

Mark Ellis’ new album Get to the Castle has all the workings of an effective comedy album. Most of his topics are unique and delivered in a quick and clever manner, and his level of confidence on stage manages to transcend audio waves. Most importantly, the stage presence he has developed is incredibly likeable. Even if he doesn’t make you laugh, he is still intriguing enough to make the listener continue listening, which is a difficult thing to do.

Ellis’ best material on the album consists of his own personal experiences coupled with his unique perspective. When he delves into his dating and home life, it’s hilarious. The highlight, in my own personal opinion, is when he explains why his daughter will never date a Twilight monster and compares werewolves and women. It’s original, clever and enjoyable.

Ellis is most funny when he’s offering up his own unique experiences as jokes. However, there are segments of the “men are different than women” routine where some jokes feel slightly cliche.

It’s hard these days to be a comedian when literally every single topic has been beaten to death throughout years. I’m not saying his perspective on the matter isn’t funny – it is. But what I am saying is that the moments on the album that truly shine are the ones in which Ellis delves into his personal topics.

The album also offers the listener a fun sense of nostalgia. Toward the end, Ellis brings up topics such as bringing back the Domino’s “Under 30 Minutes” rule, school dances and ends with a rant on Super Mario Brothers. Each reference will bring out a fun “remember when” sense for the audience.

Even if you don’t get the references, Ellis skillfully crafts his jokes in a way that makes you understand. For example, one of his stories involves him attending a school dance whilst wearing a hyper-color shirt. Now I have no idea what the hell that is, but Ellis briefly explains it and then he gets to the punch line. So even though I had absolutely no clue about hyper-color shirts, I got a sense of “Oh, I get it” and enjoyed the bit.

Mark Ellis’ Get to the Castle is fun, clever and an easy listen. Some of his material may come off as cliche to some and others may find his references go over their heads, but overall Get to the Castle is a fine example of how someone who gets paid to make people laugh makes people laugh. You can pick up Get to the Castle at iTunes and Rooftop Comedy.

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Tom Shillue is on a mission. I don’t mean my age bracket’s definition of the word mission, which boils down to finding the one person who is the least drunk and can drive to Wendy’s. I mean an impressive, and in my opinion, somewhat daunting mission.

Tom Shillue’s album Better, Stronger, Faster, which made its debut two days ago, is not only the first; it’s the first of many. Shillue intends to release 12 different comedy albums throughout the entirety of a year, one per month (why is that statement necessary? You can do math).

Louis CK set the comedy bar incredibly high by making one special per year. His work ethic has tremendously affected the way stand-ups craft their material. Stand-ups used to be able to tour the country for the entirety of their lives and make a living doing, essentially, the same 40 minute set. Some still do. But that model and approach has been shattered now. Now comedians are becoming increasingly more ambitious when it comes to putting out original material. Tom Shillue’s 12 albums in one year represents the pinnacle of that ambition.

And he has the tools to do so. Shillue has been doing comedy across the country for years and has won numerous awards including the ECNY award for Best One Man Show and he was voted in Comedy Central’s top 10 in the country during their 2008 showdown. He has the experience, the talent and the material. He focuses primarily on his upbringing in his middle class Boston suburban town. He makes his experiences as relatable as they are funny.

Shillue is most commonly referred to as a story-telling comedian, which might throw first time listeners off a bit. Anyone who is a fan of stand up comedy is use to the set-up, punch, laugh format of comedy. But Shillue is different. What he does is craft a story based upon his life and meticulously take the listener through every facet and detail of what he is describing. Listening to his material takes one out of the comedy club and into Shillue’s experience. His style is more akin to sitting around a campfire and listening to a fascinating person talk about their life (cliché… I’m aware). Because of this, the listener is not going to be bombarded with laugh after laugh like most comedy performances, but that doesn’t make the stories any less intricate or interesting to listen to. If you go into this expecting howling laughter every 10 seconds you’re going to be disappointed. But if you go in with a mentality that is free from the conventional form of stand-up comedy, you are in for a real treat.

An album per month for an entire year seems incredibly difficult/borderline impossible. I cannot speak for the rest of the albums that have yet to come out, but Better, Stronger, Faster is a great starting point. It’s sharp, witty, poignant, funny and most importantly, incredibly entertaining to listen to. I look forward to hearing each album every month, and so should you. You can buy Better, Stronger, Faster on iTunes or MyComedyStore.com. Follow Tom on Twitter @tomshillue and visit his website for more info.

Now go buy tickets for Skyfall because it’s out and there’s nothing better than James Bond. That is all.

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Upon writing this review of the documentary Alone Up There I realized that two types of people will ultimately watch it; comedians and non-comedians. Or as I have heard it described before, stand-ups and civilians. I understand that using the term “civilian” is a tad condescending… but it makes me, a stand-up comic, feel cool and important (even though I am not). So for the love of God, just let me have this moment. In this review I will do my best to address both sides.

Dear Non-Comedians,

If you have ever considered writing and performing stand-up this is the film to watch! If you don’t really know anything about comedy Alone Up There does a good job of explaining the roots of stand-up, from its humble days in Vaudeville, to the era of Lenny Bruce, George Carlin and Richard Pryor, up through the infamous comedy boom of the 80’s and the comedy crash in the 90’s before finishing off with present day.

It’s a brief overlook of decades of stand-up history. It gives those who are curious a taste of comedic landmarks. The films purpose isn’t to be a historical documentary, so it works to educate without boring. What Alone Up There does incredibly well is explain to viewers the hardships, frustrations and difficulty of being a stand-up along with the immense pleasure and pride that comes from making people laugh.

What stand-ups do is incredibly hard yet incredibly rewarding and the documentary balances these two things nicely. If you are considering doing comedy for your first time this documentary will not in anyway sugar coat the difficulties you are going to face and that’s what makes it beautiful.

Dear Comedians,

Upon watching this film I couldn’t help but feel an immense sense of pride for what I do. Now don’t get me wrong; I am in no way, shape or form a “working comic”. In the grand scheme of the comedy world I am a bottom of the barrel open mic’er, but still, throughout watching this film I couldn’t help but think to myself, “Hell yeah, that’s what I do!”

Whether the comedians being interviewed are describing pleasure or pain, any comic watching this documentary will enjoy their answers simply because they are detailing all the emotions a comedian goes through. Also, there are some pretty big names in this film (i.e. Marc Maron, Eddie Peppitone and Eddie Brill) along with some relatively unknowns, and it’s really enjoyable to listen to people who aren’t necessarily household names, but are hardworking, touring, workhorse comics.

I found myself more interested in these lesser known comedians’ viewpoints and opinions because nine times out of ten when a comedy documentary comes out it’s all household names, so Alone Up There really offers up a plethora of opinions, ideologies and philosophies from comedians who are at different points in their careers.

Whether you’re a comic or not, Alone Up There will offer the viewer an in-depth, realistic and somewhat harsh view of what being a stand-up entails, which is great because it truly is a brutal world. I strongly recommend it for any fans of comedy.

Follow the creators of Alone Up There on Twitter here, and check out their Facebook fan page for more details.

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When I first heard the phrase “Comedy Wonder Town,” I was incredibly relieved that the title was attached to Ryan Singer‘s new comedy album, because there are few other instances in which that phrase works.

If you walked up to some lady on the street at night and asked her to accompany you to Comedy Wonder Town you’d probably be met with a swift kick to the nuts. Unless, of course, they say yes, in which case you should follow up by giving them a swift kick to the nuts. Either way, when given the chance to review Ryan Singers new album, I got my ticket, sat on my metaphorical gray hound bus and headed to Comedy Wonder Town.

And the journey could not be more worth it, which should be no surprise. He’s put in the work. He’s toured across the nation, been featured on nationally syndicated radio shows and has been a finalist on both Comedy Central’s Open Mic Fight and CMT’s Next Big Comic Contest.

From beginning to end, it’s prevalent how much work Singer has put in to his craft. His comfort level is obvious from the moment he starts speaking to his “thank you’s” and “goodbyes”. He sounds relaxed, poised and he’s enjoying himself, which makes the album that much more fun to listen to.

His album is also filled with over-arching themes that are weaved together by insightful observation and ridiculousness. One minute he’s challenging the audience to make a pair of scissors and the next he’s describing astronauts as nerds with huge balls, all while trying to emphasize the advancement of our species to the audience.

It’s clever, well put together and sometimes really makes you think. Singer uses his absurd viewpoints to convince the audience of things they probably never considered before (unless you’ve done acid in which case you probably don’t remember).

Another factor that I enjoyed about Comedy Wonder Town is the cadence in which he speaks. His accent and word choice flow together nicely, making the album easy to listen to. Also he’ll be right in the middle of a joke and then he’ll just start singing out of nowhere and the unexpectedness of this makes it that much more funny.

Comedy Wonder Town is a solid 50-minute set of comedy done by a professional whom Marc Maron describes as “someone who should be big.” And I agree. Ryan Singer’s material is clever enough and delivered in a way that is original and funny. I look forward to seeing him progress in the future. So pack your bags, buy your tickets and head on down to Comedy Wonder Town.

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Where is Demetri Martin? Before his newest album, Standup Comedian (that will be released on October 2 of this year), this seemed to be a valid question. It’s been almost three years now since the unique comic stylings of Martin were readily available to the public via his Comedy Central show “Important Things.” And his last album Demetri Martin. Person. was released way back in 2007.

So the question stands: Where has Demetri Martin been? Well friends, after listening to his newest album, I have the answer. He’s been working. A LOT. And believe me, the wait has been worth it.

I love to see a comedian evolve from album to album and “Standup Comedian” is absolutely no exception. While maintaining his roots in the set-up punch/one-liner school of thought, this album presents the most polished, refined and relaxed Demetri Martin I’ve ever listened to. The primary differentiating factor is how much more conversational his act has become.

Previous Martin albums showed us a very rigid almost robotic joke machine who is all about business. Not to say there is anything wrong with that at all, it was simply the preconception I had going into his latest album. Instead, what I found was a Demetri Martin who seemed more natural and organic during this performance. There are obvious trends that are consistent throughout his discography, but on this particular album, it seems that Martin has shed his stage character and become comfortable in his own skin. His recent improvements to his act make this album an immense joy to listen to.

His material covers a wide range of material, and because of his one-liner format it’s almost as if there is no pause in the laughter. He does not put together elongated set-ups; before you can even stop laughing, he’s already on to his next ridiculous observation. And his observational humor is spot on. I love when a comedian tells a joke that warps my perspective on the world around me. After listening to Standup Comedian, I can never look at cows, Dalmatians, or modern day bathroom appliances the same way ever again. To me, that’s what signifies a great joke. Something that will be implanted and stuck in your mind for a while.

By far, the best thing about Demetri Martin’s evolved style is simple; it’s evident that from the beginning to end he’s having a great time. I mean, the guy opens his album with almost three minutes of nothing but crowd work. Who the hell does that on a recorded set? It’s amazing. He often takes breaks throughout to just mess around with the crowd and even laugh at his own wit and cleverness. Not in a douchey, arrogant sense – it’s more like he’s conveying to his audience and listeners, “Hey! I’m having a blast up here and you should be to.”

And he’s right. This new album was a wonderful change of pace to the Demetri Martin we’ve known for years. The evolution of his comfort level and delivery style makes his wit and one-liners that much more enjoyable. I recommend picking this album up as soon as you can. You can thank me later.

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