The Steve Martin Brothers

Performer: Steve Martin
Distributor: Bayside Record Dist.

Notes: With regard to Steve Martin's small discography, "the worst of the four" is how The Steve Martin Brothers is usually tagged, which isn't so harsh when you consider two of the other albums are classics and one is just plain old good. It's an oddball release for sure, with half devoted to standup -- very loose and stream-of-consciousness standup -- and the other half showing off Martin's self-taught banjo playing and his love of lively bluegrass. The worst thing about the album is the sloppy way the standup side is put together. What must be the intro to his "cocktail" act in Vegas is stuck in the middle of the set while other short bits are sequenced in a way so there's no momentum. Frustratingly, Wounded Bird's CD reissue only splits the standup side of the original album into two tracks, making listeners sit through the haphazard flow to get to fan favorites like the "Fart Zone" routine or the great "What I Believe" credo. The instrumental side of the album is actually pleasant and sometimes exciting, with Martin's fast fingers skillfully delivering these tunes with renowned folk like Vassar Clements and John McEuen at his side. Even Martin admits this was a way to finish off his contract at Warner Bros. and concentrate on acting, but it's hardly the disaster you've been told. It may even be the best half-standup, half-bluegrass album you'll ever hear. ~ David Jeffries

Before he became one of America's top comic actors, Steve Martin was one of the biggest phenoms stand-up has ever seen. During the 1970s, the prematurely grey comedian and longtime television writer scored million-selling records, sold out arenas, and hosted numerous network specials. In 1978, Martin even scored a hit record, cracking the Billboard top 20 with "King Tut," his novelty ode to the mummy fad sweeping the nation. While he played up his zany arrow-through-the-head persona, his wider appeal rested on a subtle, yet ever-present intellectualism. Martin studied philosophy in college, and an existential sense of the absurd ran through his oddball observations. In the `80s, the original wild and crazy guy officially announced his permanent retirement from stand-up.

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