Richard Cheese I'D Like A Virgin CD

Three albums in and thanks to clever little touches here and there, Richard Cheese's "swankifying" of pop hits hasn't worn out its welcome. If you're not familiar, Cheese is a fake Las Vegas-styled lounge act who takes tracks like Mötley Crüe's "Girls, Girls, Girls" or Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice" and delivers them in a finger-snapping, Rat Pack manner. He's always stuck in the late show with some blue and occasionally sick humor -- a children's choir appears on his version of Michael Jackson's "Beat It" -- seeping through and betraying his squeaky clean grin. His "caught in a time capsule" story holds as Cheese trips on some up-to-the-minute slang or gives Kelis' "Milk Shake" a way old-school Leroy Anderson-like arrangement. Short interludes with folks like Will Lee and Carson Daily gushing over his music are dropped throughout the record and help create the great flow of the album, proving someone had their eye on the overall product. If you think Cheese is a one-trick pony, you're right, but he works hard on his one-note craft. Thanks to his quality control, I'd Like a Virgin is fun, smart, sparkling trash and just the right way to get your next cocktail party hopping. ~ David Jeffries