Spinal Tap: Christopher Guest (vocals, guitar, mandolin, sitar); Michael McKean (vocals, guitar, piano); Harry Shearer (vocals, guitar, bass guitar); C.J. Vancston (keyboards); Gregg Bissonette (drums).
Audio Mixers: Ed Cherney; C.J. Vancston.
Audio Remasterer: Gavin Lurssen.
In 2009, when BACK FROM THE DEAD was released, it was impossible for any listener to not be in on Spinal Tap's joke, so it's fitting that this is their first release to play as pure comedy, an album that doesn't even attempt to pass itself off as a rock record. The concept is this: a reunited Tap celebrates the 25th Anniversary of THIS IS SPINAL TAP by launching an unplugged (and "unwigged," meaning Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer do not don the hairdos of Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins, and Derek Smalls) tour, releasing the movie on BluRay and revisiting their old songs in the studio, adding five new songs, and recording "Jazz Oddyssey" for the first time, splitting it into thirds and scattering it throughout the album. The production is clean and pristine, and the band is precise and punchy, laying bare the joke, for better or worse. The surprising thing about the album is that all the new songs are top-notch, eclipsing the often forced BREAK LIKE THE WIND (1992), and striking the right balance between parody and real rock & roll.