There's something interesting about reviewing an album from a comedian you've never heard before. With a comic you know, you go into an album with expectations either positive or negative; you're either a fan of the comedian and therefore laugh because you expect to or you possibly give an album an unfair shake because your mind is already made up about that comic. But listening to To the Moon: Live at Luna's, the first stand-up album from comedian Keith Lowell Jensen, I had no expectations because I was totally unfamiliar with Jensen; the album was a blank slate.
That allowed To the Moon to work as a pleasant surprise. Though it took a while for me to get a handle on who Jensen is as a comic, I began to enjoy myself once he found his footing and the album picked up speed. Largely an observational album covering everything from pornography to dyslexia to Jenny McCarthy to Christmas lights in trees on the street, Jensen has a hard time focusing on any one thing for too long. That doesn't mean he lacks a point of view, though; he's got a dark sensibility and a propensity for logic over blind acceptance (he is, in fact, an active atheist and intended to record an entirely atheism-based album; I'm glad he didn't, because I have a hard time imagining that topic stretched out to an hour without growing preachy or tiresome). He's able to craft several strong one-liners and solid jokes, and his observational material (particularly one routine about being able to say whatever offensive thing you like as long as it's followed by "I'm just saying...") shows promise.
If I have reservations about fully recommending To the Moon (and I do; hence the two-and-a-half stars instead of a full three), it's because the album itself is a little messy. Jensen's got some strong material, but he's also got a good deal that could have used some work before committing it to CD. His timing is patchy, with several too-long gaps of silence and bits that need to work themselves out faster. Ultimately, though, it's the sheer volume of material that helps do in To to the Moon. There's a better, tighter album in here somewhere, but you get the feeling while listening to it that Jensen couldn't bear to cut anything out. As a live act, I could see To the Moon being a pleasant surprise and a fun night out at the comedy club. Comedy albums, however, need to be more timeless and less immediate. I enjoyed parts of the record and Jensen as a comedian, but I don't see myself returning to To the Moon much more in the future. Of course, if Jensen releases another album I'll be more than happy to check it out. Maybe that's enough.
Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.
- Release Date: August 25, 2009
