Album Review: Weird Al Yankovic - Mandatory Fun

From a superstar in the ‘80s to an unfairly dismissed gimmick in the ‘90s to some turn-of-the-century-elder-statesman respect to enduring icon in 2014 with his first Billboard #1 album, Mandatory Fun is a testament to one of the most unique and consistent careers in pop music. Iggy Azalea, Lorde, Robin Thicke, Imagine Dragons and Pharrell Williams all get the direct song parody treatment, while Pixies; Foo Fighters; and Crosby, Stills & Nash get looser, more broad tributes. While some of the choices and titles might seem obvious, Yankovic’s world is as twisted and surprising as ever.