KARAZMA! by Canned Hamm
From the hype sheet:
KARAZMA on Pro-Am Entainment international is the debut release from CANNED HAMM two ‘entainers’ who's mandate is to bring good times, fun and laughter, with just a sprinkle of life’s harsh realities to all the peoples of the world.
Big Hamm (Stephen Hamm, Slow, Tankhog and Jungle) and Lil’ Hamm
(Robert Dayton, July Fourth Toilet and Aids) burst onto the Vancouver scene two years ago with their outrageous show: a mix of vaudeville, karaoke and burlesque. Heavy on audience participation, humour and catchy pop melody, the two Hamm’s will sing their way into your hearts and the backing band never misses a beat because all the music is on tape thus the ‘CANNED’ in CANNED HAMM!
We’re so proud about the release of KARAZMA we could talk about it for hours. But instead here’s what one of our fans, Carl Newman of the Juno (Canadian version of the Grammys) award winning New Pornographers has to say:
At first, one is struck by the shapes of their bodies. Someone has obviously put some time into designing the cover, a good cover, but the art, the purest art, is in the human subjects. A compelling collection of curves, but not feminine curves, not altogether attractive curves. Masculine curves. Yet they wear scarves. Like women. If their pants were any tighter they'd be too tight, they show just enough of these moustached men: Canned Hamm. Sure, you could laugh at this album, and the world may laugh with you. It's funny. The obvious reaction would be to laugh, and it may be the best reaction, just like the obvious joke is often the best joke. The thing is, to listen to songs like "Platonic Friend" or "I Kissed All The Girls at the Party", with its gang vocals (always a good idea) and its sterling keyboard work, you are struck by something deeper, somehow holier. Red Skelton said something once about the clown being the saddest person because he takes other peoples pain and he turns it into laughter. How, I don't know. Canned Hamm take your pain and turn it into laughter. That's easy. Then they take your laughter and they turn it into pain. That's a hard thing to do, my friend, a hard thing to do.
Tracklist
| 1. | CANNED INTRO | 1:57 |
| 2. | WE'LL ENTERTAIN YOU | 1:51 |
| 3. | FATHER AND SON | 2:05 |
| 4. | KARAZMA | 4:02 |
| 5. | HIGH ON LIFE | 3:28 |
| 6. | KARAOKE LADY | 3:42 |
| 7. | I KISSED ALL THE GIRLS AT THE PARTY | 4:29 |
| 8. | HAIRPIECE | 3:15 |
| 9. | BUBBLE BATH | 2:29 |
| 10. | SHORTENIN' BREAD | 2:44 |
| 11. | PLATONIC FRIEND | 2:44 |
| 12. | BELLS OF SEX | 13:06 |
| 13. | THE V8 ANTHEM (Australia release only track) | 1:20 |
| 14. | GIDDYUP (Australia release only track) | 3:32 |
Credits
CANNED HAMM are:
BIG HAMM: vocals
LIL HAMM: vocals
Recorded at STUDIO 54, Vancouver, Canada
Recorded and produced by Peter Mills and Stephen Hamm
Design by Lester Smolenski at Users Group
Photography by Trish Lavoie
All songs written by Robert Dayton and Stephen Hamm, except for Shortenin’ Bread (traditional)
Socan 2001
Keyboards, sequencing and bass by Stephen Hamm
Terry Russell played drums on Father & Son and I Kissed All the Girls At the Party
Background vocals by: Tom Anselmi, Laure Elaine Cote, Corinne Culbertson, Peter Mills, Jessica Milligan, Keva, Jen, Chris Tate and Robin Ashby for her Karazma
And who could forget…
Margaret Dayton, Ann Grant, Mr. Mike Haeg, Neil Hamburger, Justin Evans, Serena McCarroll, Daryl Neudorf, Juliet Nicoll, Dave Ogilvie, Gregg Turkington, Danny Fazio, Marvin Mouse and Tuttle Turtle. Thanks for all your hard work!
Pro-Am Entainment International
