Spinal Tap

One of the greatest ironies surrounding This Is Spinal Tap is that it's actually better than many of the recordings it parodies. Songs like "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight," "Hell Hole," "Heavy Duty," and even "Stonehenge" are fun, 1980s-style rockers that any closet hair-band fan will enjoy, and "Sex Farm" and "Big Bottom" are simply hilarious by any standard. There's also the hippie-drippy "Listen to Me (the Flower People)" (even funnier if you've seen Rob Reiner's film of the same title), although Michael McKean and Christopher Guest singing "Cry, Cry, Cry All the Way Home" is sadly absent. The CD does lose some of its entertainment value if you haven't seen the film, but its mix of comedy and unabashed pop metal makes it the perfect party album. --Genevieve Williams