thus spake drake: Flight of the Conchords: I Told You I Was Freaky in Video

Flight of the Conchords' I Told You I Was Freaky is out today, an album with the added bonus of ready-made videos for each song already at your disposal. Here's a look at the album and the unique context from which the songs are born.

While the first season of Flight of the Conchords was a cultural breakout* as far as comedies go, it was the second season where those kiwis Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement figured out how to better marry the songs and the story lines on the screen. As such, this second album is more of a soundtrack than the first, leaning more on your remembering the visuals and story context than the first.

*I say cultural breakout in that while viewer numbers wasn't great for even pay cable standards, the few that saw it talked about it endlessly.

In that spirit, to celebrate the release of I Told You I Was Freaky (or, the practical title not chosen, Flight of the Conchords: Music from the Second Season of the Television Series) here's the visuals (re: videos) to go with each song from the release. If anything, it reminds of how hungry we are for them to get back in a room with co-creator James Bobin and crank out a third season.

1. "I Got Hurt Feelings" / Purchase mp3
From episode 2.03 ("The Tough Brets")
The obligatory return of Hiphopopotamus and Rhymenoceros has some fun with the tradition of rappers' dissing each other, turning it on it's ear with a "Sticks and Stones" sentimentality.

2. "Sugalumps"
From episode 2.02 ("A New Cup")
Probably the funniest episode of the season is a domino of tragedy - Bret buying a used cup for $2.79 leads to Jemaine turning to prostitution. Oh, and two great songs, this one and "You Don't Have to be a Prostitute" (#10). Obvious parody of the unfortunate "My Humps." (See original post on song and episode from January.)

3. "We're Both in Love With a Sexy Lady"
From episode 2.06 ("Love Is a Weapon of Choice")
Brett & Jemaine both fall for the same lazy-eyed dog owner (Kristen Wiig). Great parody of R. Kelly.

4. "I Told You I Was Freaky"
From episode 2.09 ("Wingmen")
Title track plays homage to the band Empire of the Sun, which features Aussie Luke Steele, formerly of The Sleepy Jackson (who get obscure homage in track #12). Also bits of MGMT, Electric Six and even Beck.

5. "Demon Woman"
From episode 2.07 ("Prime Minister")
Mary Lynn Rajskub plays the psychotic Karen, inspiration for the song. Cliff Richard was (and still is) a huge star in the UK and his song "Devil Woman" seems an obvious reference here, even if obscure to us Yanks.

6. "Rambling Through The Avenues Of Time"
From episode 2.09 ("Wingmen")
A silly song that sounds a lot like Billy Joel's "Piano Man," but may also be an homage to Peter Sarstedt's "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)," recently revived for Wes Anderson's short film Hotel Chevalier (the prolugue to The Darjeeling Limited).

7. "Fashion is Danger"
From episode 2.08 ("New Zealand Town")
Gets its visual inspiration from the music video for Visage's "Fade to Grey", and audio from David Bowie's "Fashion." Dig the Babylon 5 get-up.

8. "Petrov, Yelyena and Me"
From episode 2.10 ("Evicted")
Of all the songs on the album, this one feels the most shoe-horned into the storyline, much like "Bowie Song" from season one. And like that song, it gets a fantastical video, making it worth the 'stretch.'

9. "Too Many Dicks (On the Dancefloor)"
From episode 2.05 ("Unnatural Love")
Michel Gondry directs the episode, and his music video background shines through.

10. "You Don't Have To Be A Prostitute"
From episode 2.02 ("A New Cup")
See #2, "Sugalumps."

11. "Friends"
From episode 2.04 ("Murray Takes It to the Next Level")
Jim Gaffigan guests in the episode and music segment as Murray's friend Jim.

12. "Carol Brown"
From episode 2.05 ("Unnatural Love") / Post from February
Easily the best FOTC penned song from either season, this one is reminiscent of the band The Sleepy Jackson, a band from Australia, which works nicely with the context of Jemaine accidentally sleeping with an Australian and dealing with the consequences.