"Press Pound" offers a variety of voice mail options, from pressing one if you're single to pound key for a restraining order, for your love life, "Mean Old Man" sings the blues about life in a Jewish men's club where the joys of a sauna are curtailed by the mean old man of the title who is a little enthusiastic with eucalyptus branches, and of course the theme song of our agoraphobic cowboy, "I Ain't Goin' Nowhere" itemizes all the reasons for staying home from satellite T. V. to bomb scares.
Of course no CD would be complete without a bonus track, and no country album complete without one song about trains and the The Agoraphobic Cowboy is no exception. But only Rick Moranis would think of combing the two into one song called "Bonus Track". Tacked on at the end of the album, he sings about all the trains he's travelled on and that one track that leads home to where his heart lies: "Cause I'm riding on the bonus track"
Moranis' best creations over the years have been his subtle ones. Gentle satire that peaks out from behind a deceptively ordinary character or seemingly normal circumstances has long been his trademark. His ability to never mug for the cameras but to play the character straight makes the material he presents all the more successful.
The Agoraphobic Cowboy is no exception in that musically it is played completely straight, and with a great deal of respect, and the kick lies in the lyrics alone. Rick Moranis still has an ear for the ridiculous and a satirist's knack for pointing out some of our sillier habits.
What separates him from so many of the pack is that you never get the feeling he's doing this with any malicious intent. By making himself the central figure in the songs we know he's suffering right along with us. This may be one of the funniest discs I have heard in ages, but it's also damn good music, so even if you buy it just for the humour, don't be surprised to find yourself tapping your toes right along with songs.
If you want to buy The Agoraphobic Cowboy you'll have to mosey over to Rick's web site. You can also sample the wares and read some of the lyrics while you're there.
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