Not quite novel enough to be as interesting as a novelty record,
Eddie Is a Punk chronicles the career of
Brandon Cruz, best known as the cute tyke on the 1970s series
The Courtship of Eddie's Father. Nothing if not complete, the record features not one, not two, but four versions of the show's theme song, the
Harry Nilsson penned
"Best Friend." Included are two versions of the song as performed by
Courtship's star,
Bill Bixby (who performed it for the show), as well as a
punk version performed by
Nilsson along with the grown-up
Cruz's 1990s West Coast
punk outfit,
Harmful If Swallowed. Intended for, but ultimately not included on, a tribute album to the late
Nilsson, the fourth take of
"Best Friend" is once again a
punk effort, but this time
Cruz (with an odd
David Bowie rasp) is accompanied by
Micky Dolenz and, on guitar,
Greg Hetson (finally, members of
the Monkees and
Bad Religion/
Circle Jerks are teaming up). Hearing
Dolenz strain to sound like a tough punk is almost humorous enough to justify buying this record. Almost.
"Daddy What If" is a syupy environmentally minded duet between
Bixby and a six-year-old
Cruz. The remainer of the album consists of songs performed by the various inoffensive, but mediocre,
punk outfits
Cruz has fronted over the years, including
Harmful If Swallowed,
Twister Naked,
Dr. Know, and the
Ugly Truth, whose
"72 Hour Hold" was penned by the artist's mom. Fairly bland by-the-numbers speedpunk, several of the songs sound strikingly like
Minor Threat, especially the
"I Don't Wanna Hear It" offspring
"Pretty Things." Album highlight
"Superman" is likable mostly because it sounds like the
Ramones'
"We Want the Airwaves" spliced with the
New Bomb Turks. Liner notes by
Cruz outline his career and his battle with substance abuse, and give a history of his bands and their songs, including the artist's blink-and-you-missed-it stint as the frontman for
Flipper. ~ Karen E. Graves
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