Posted on: February 5, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

Apologetix have been doing their style of parody for a number of years, and I’ve been able to stick with them as they’ve gotten more famous, more convincing in their parodies, and dare I say it better with each track? This is a double-disc, compiling the best of the Apologetix along with their newest disc of tracks, and I feel that the newest should be covered more – I mean, they are such a leap over the previous far from the band. Starting off the “New” disc with an upbeat trio of strong tracks (featuring parodies of Jet, Fountains of Wayne and The Ataris [by way of Don Henley]), Apologetix ensure that the tracks that they are paroding are some of the biggest hits of the last year. Improving the droll track that was originally Maroon 5’s “This Love”, Apologetix show a musical side to their music that really was not shown on the prior two discs I’ve had the luck to hear (Keep The Change, Adam Up). The band biffs up a little bit by biting off too much to chew with their work on Guns N’ Roses classic “Welcome To The Jungle”. Lead singer J just does not show the range necessary to do justice to Axl on this track, even if the message and instrumentation on the track are top-shelf.

Much of the same complaints about “Welcome To The Judges” can be levied about the follow up track, “Back Intact” (a track parodying “Back In Black” by AC/DC). What is really interesting about the first disc of “New & Used Hits” is the arrangement of the tracks, beginning with harder-edged tracks (their parodies of Jet, Fountains of Wayne, The Ataris and then GNR and AC/DC), moving into a lighter vein as the disc spins on (Lou Bega, Four Seasons, Five Fighting, The Calling). Finishing up the heights of this double-disc comes in their parody of Def Leppard, “Learn Some Deuteronomy” (Pour Some Sugar On Me), which is Apologetix at their creative and intellectual peak. Maintaining the same positive message that infects all of their tracks, Apologetix in this track includes the highest detail in their complete conversion of the track from secular to Christian. The band has been around for a decade, and only seems to get better with each subsequent album. I have no doubt that the band could complete their next decade without much effort.

Top Tracks: Learn Some Deuteronomy, JC’s Mom

Rating: 7.6/10

Apologetix – New And Used Hits / 2004 Parodudes / 20 Tracks / http://www.apologetix.com / [email protected] / Reviewed 19 February 2005

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