I usually like to begin these album reviews with some kind of observation about the music world, trends and the like, to try to make the reviews seem more interesting than they might otherwise be. But this time I’m going to cut straight to the biography of the artist, who is quite interesting and has a remarkably wide-ranging career. He has just released only his second album under his own name. It’s Bret McKenzie, whose new recording is called Freak Out City, a clever, intelligent somewhat retro pop album.

Some quick bullet points: Bret McKenzie is a New Zealander who has won both a Grammy and an Oscar, was featured on an acclaimed musical TV sitcom, appeared as an elf in two or Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films, and was voted “sexiest man living” by > magazine in 2007, played in the reggae band Black Seeds, and founded the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra.

Born into a musical family with an actor father and a mother who was a dance teacher, Bret McKenzie soon showed his musical talents while in school and performed while attending Wellington College. While studying at, but not graduating from Victoria University of Wellington, McKenzie met Jermaine Clement, with whom he formed a musical and comedic partnership, the Flight of the Conchords, who went on to star in the HBO TV sitcom of the same name, which ran for two seasons between 2007 and 2009. The duo’s first joint release, The Distant Future won a Grammy Award for best comedy album in 2007.

Prior to that, McKenzie was a member of the reggae group The Black Seeds. Meanwhile with his Hollywood connections from Flight of the Conchords, he was hired as music supervisor for the movie the Muppets, and in 2012 wrote the song Man or Muppet which won an Academy Award for best original song. His biography says he has written songs that have been sung by Celine Dion, Lizzo, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tony Bennett, Spongebob Squarepants and Miss Piggy. As an actor, he appeared in two of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films. He and his Flight of the Conchords band-mate also appeared on The Simpsons in 2010.

Known mainly for his comedic material, in 2022, McKenzie released a solo album called Songs Without Jokes which drew on influences like Steely Dan and Randy Newman. Now he is out with Freak Out City a lighthearted, though not intentionally comedic album of clever melodic pop that easily moves among some of his influences, which also includes some Beach Boys, and late period Beatles. He also does a very good cover of a song by John Prine, which nicely fits the mood of the album.

McKenzie is a multi-instrumentalist who recorded his album in both Wellington, New Zealand, and Los Angeles. In the latter city he recruited some legendary studio musicians, including bassist Leland Sklar, guitarist Dean Parks and drummer Joey Waronker. There’s also a small string section that appears on some tracks.

Opening is a song called Bethnal Green Blues which shows some of McKenzue’s Beatles-Beach Boys influence. <<>>

The title track Freak Out City shows some Harry Nilsson influence, as the lyrics speak of falling down a rabbit hole, presumably from the various sources of on-line misinformation out there. <<>>

More laid back is song called The Only Dream I Know whose lyrics are appropriately about reveries. <<>>

About the most optimistic song on this mainly positive album is a track called All The Time, and a song in praise of one’s young child. <<>>

Showing some Memphis soul influence is a piece called All I Need a kind of love song, or hoping some of the love would be returned. <<>>

The John Prine song that Bret McKenzie covers is That’s The Way That World Goes Round which is a great for fit the mood of this album, whimsical and yet making a point. <<>>

McKenzie’s affinity for the ukulele comes out on the song Highs and Lows which evokes drifting along in life <<>>

The album ends with Shouldna Come Here Tonight, whose lyrics are reminiscent of Three Dog Night’s song Mama Told Me Not to Come. <<>>

Bret McKenzie, a New Zealander with a remarkably wide-ranging biography has created an album of engaging intelligent melodic pop that, while often whimsical does not venture into the comedy that he has been known for. The album has a great cast of supporting musicians, who don’t need much technological augmentation to realize this somewhat retro-sounding recording. The songs are succinct and all of them are appealing in their own ways.

Our grade for audio quality is an A-Minus for a clean, authentic sound. There is a fair amount of overdubbing, and the recording was made in locations half a world apart, but it all sounds quite organic.

With a career that has included a Grammy, an Oscar, a cult TV series, and a reggae band, Bret McKenzie does a first rate album that stands by itself, rather than being in support of some other project. The result is thoroughly pleasing.

(c) Copyright 2025 George D. Graham. All rights reserved.
This review may not be copied to another Web site without written permission.

<<>> indicates audio excerpt played in produced radio review

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