2 reviews for Paul Dooley – Booked Solid! (download)

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Sissy (verified owner) – December 10, 2020

   This album is as fresh now, in 2020, as it was upon its’ first release. Almost 60 years later, it feels timeless and the laughs are many. Dooley’s gift for voices, his sharp wit, and his throwaway understated, off the cuff style seem very much of the moment. Dooley is a beloved veteran character actor renowned for his work with directors like Robert Altman and Christopher Guest. This album easily stands shoulder to shoulder with the very best work of Shelley Berman and Bob Newhart from the same period. The Thief of Verona is a brilliant Shakespearan bit that finds Dooley at his best, riffing rapid-fire in iambic pentameter, playing all the roles and imbuing each character he visits with their own distinct personality. He revisits the life of an obscure beat poet, reciting the best of his ouevre while thumbing through a collection of his work. For comics everywhere, give this a listen! It is smart, sophisticated wit from an American master andrespected Second City Alum. You get the sense that Dooley is modulating his performance, improvising at lightning speed, here and there, and riffing as he goes, without a net. Not at all easy to do, but he makes it look smooth, crisp, and absolutely effortless. This is a terrific album. It’s a shame he did not release more. But, perhaps if he had ,we would have been robbed of his brilliance in Breaking Away, and Popeye, not to mention all those Christopher Guest mockumentaries. Give it a listen. You’ll thank me later.

2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Joe Keenan – December 5, 2021

   My father had this album from its original release. As early as elementary school I played thus album often and loved it. It helped form my sense of humor from then on. Its comedy from a time you had to think to get the joke. Excellent!