Download: Matt Braunger – “Lifting Weights to the Smiths”

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(from Soak Up the Night, out now on Comedy Central Records)

Matt Braunger’s new record made me laugh hard and laugh often. Braunger is part of a cool crop of L.A. comics that I discovered initially via Matt Dwyer and Duncan Trussell’s Chief Cornfoot’s Comedy Hour at Sea Level Records (RIP). Since then, Braunger joined the cast of MADtv for their final season and released Soak Up the Night, first on iTunes and now on vinyl (which comes with a free digital download thingie too). It becomes clear why he’d do a 33 1/3 when you get to his bits on music and musicians. His perfect explanation of Jim Morrison’s “talent” and his literalist take on Lil Wayne are golden-crisp nuggets of hilarity. The true strength of this album is the revved-up laughs per minute. Braunger never overstays a topic, isn’t afraid of 90-degree turns from bit to bit, and has a flawless, natural delivery. Get this record, get some friends, maybe get a little high, and curl up next to your Victrola in preparation for some serious funny.

—Richard Seymour