Spinal Tap: The End Continues is the soundtrack to Spinal Tap II: The End Continues and the band’s first studio album since 2009’s Back from the Dead. It contains nine new songs and four re-recordings of classic Tap songs. On the album packing, the members of Spinal Tap are credited under their real names in the songwriting credits (Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shear) but under their Spinal Tap personas for their musical performances (Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins, and Derek Smalls).
Buy Spinal Tap: The End ContinuesThe album opens with “Nigel’s Poem,” a delightful ode about olden times that brings to mind the songs of the Moody Blues’ Roy Thomas. “Let’s Just Rock Again” is keyboard heavy, with synths ringing out like trumpets on the bridges. No surprise it was written by C. J. Vanston, who plays Caucasian Jeff, the band’s new keyboard player. David and Derek alternate singing lead with fitting lyrics about returning to action after time has passed and left them “old and grey.” David sings with great bravado about being a British rocker living in Southern California in the toe-tapping “Brighton Rock.”
Derek makes sure the band continues to pay tribute to the Prince of Darkness with “The Devil’s Just Not Getting Old,” a hysterical song about issues the Devil is not dealing with that us mortals do, such as starting to lose his teeth or eat less beef. Likely in response to the number of songs by women who have sang about the experience, Derek’s “I Kissed a Girl” provides a funny perspective from a male point of view.
Nigel’s “Angels” is a surprisingly sincere number about loss that might make their way onto funeral playlists. David uses legal jargon to call out his cheating girlfriend’s behavior on “Judge and Jury,” which includes a nod to the theme from The People’s Court. For those with a dark sense of humor, the album features another song likely to make funeral playlists as Derek sings about rocking into the Afterlife on “Rockin’ in the Urn.” In “Blood to Let,” David announces Friday night’s also alright for fighting, getting a jump on Elton John by a day.
The four re-recorded songs all feature celebrity guests on lead vocals. Elton John sings “(Listen to the) Flower People” and “Stonehenge,” and his voice suits both songs. “Cups and Cakes” is sung by Paul McCartney, who claims during the bridge “he’s heard it somewhere before,” referencing his old band. Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood sing “Big Bottom,” an integral plot point to the movie, but comes off as glorified karaoke.
The End Continues suffers the same fate as the movie sequel. It’s wonderful to have new material from the fellas and some moments are certainly enjoyable, but following such iconic work that is the original film and soundtrack, the odds were against it from the start and they understandably come up short in both instances. The album is worth a listen for fans, but odds are when one wants to listen to Tap, they’ll reach for the first soundtrack as nothing here rises to the brilliance of that first batch of songs, including, and maybe especially, the celebrity re-recordings.
