The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience

The Lonely Island

This was my very first encounter with The Lonely Island and I have to say, I was incredibly entertained. The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience, released in 2019, marks the comedy trio’s fifth album. Being released to the public along with a Netflix special, the album really offers an experience, or better said, an introduction to modern poetry since in the Netflix special it is introduced as a “visual poem”.

The songs are written from the perspective of two major league baseball players who were known as the “bash brothers”, José Canseco and Mark McGwire, interpreted by Adam Samberg and Akiva Schaffer, respectively. As mentioned above, the songs are entertaining, creating a literal and palpable image for the listener through their straightforward, parodic lyrics, such as “Parachute Hammer pants and my Reeboks/ Hot tub inside a limousine at Chuck E. Cheese” from Daddy or “Now have a seat on this couch made of horse leather/ I'm told the horse that it's from could run fast and far “ from Oakland Nights.

Listening to the songs alone, it’s safe to say, as an indie rock enthusiast, I was in for a ride. Between catchy beats and amusing lyrics, there was also a questionable note to the album at certain points. Such as these lyrics in Uniform On “But she nutted three times then we bashed then I bounced” and Bikini Babe Workout “A babe walked in and she wanted me to lift her/ But she was in sweatpants, so I dismissed her”. I was ready to stop listening to the album completely after I heard the last lyrics mentioned. In retrospect, glad I didn’t because they redeemed themselves quickly by addressing this later in the same song- literally “Now we gotta address the elephant in the room”, and elaborated on the topic in the last verse. I found this respectable and necessary, given the world we live in today. Although I understand the comedy purposes and let’s even put the time period of the perspective they are presenting in there, I’m sure they could’ve illustrated two baseball players having sex because they’re famous in a less offensive way towards women.

After a bit of research, the album ties in with the energy and aesthetic of their previous albums, with the funny lyrics and “I’ll make you dance at the steering wheel” vibe. What I found incredibly interesting was their decision to do an album from the past versions of those star baseball players and also release it on the 30th anniversary of the 1989 championship season of the Oakland Athletics. It gives the album a special feel because, despite the comedic lyrics, it shows a deeper meaning and respect for the history of the team mentioned.

All in all, it was a really fun album to listen to. Though listening to it together with the Netflix special, it made more sense and tied everything together, making it a real “visual poem”- a very comedic one at that.