30. September 2025
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Media Review

Bret McKenzie – Freak Out City

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Bret McKenzie - Freak Out City

Bret McKenzie - Freak Out City
4.3

Rating

 4.3/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Fun and entertaining listen
  • Good storytelling

Bret McKenzie is an Oscar-winning musician as well as an actor. On 15th August 2025, he is released his third studio album overall. Here is my review of Freak Out City.

 

Bret McKenzie – About The Artist

Bret McKenzie was born on 29th June 1976 in Wellington, New Zealand. Apart from doing music, he is also an actor. He is best known as part of the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords. Together with Jemaine Clement. The duo released two studio albums, a live one and an EP. As a solo artist, McKenzie’s biggest success is like winning a Grammy for the Best Original Song, namely Man or Muppet, used in the 2011 and 2014 Muppet films. So far, he released two solo albums. His debut Prototype (2004) has been been released under the artist name The Video Kid). The sophomore album Songs Without Jokes was released eighteen years later.

 

Bret McKenzie – Freak Out City – Track by Track

The ten song album lasts 39 minutes.

1. Bethnal Green Blues

In the first song, the New Zealand artist takes us to London. Already the first lines illustrate his fine sense of humor. They state You hear about the guy up in Bethnal Green, lost his life under a drink machine. The song is a nice and melodic one. And the conclusion of the song given in the chorus simply makes me smile.

All I want to make is a difference
Not fade away into insignificance
I’m not gonna lie
But everyday’s a little more difficult
Holding out hope for a miracle
Maybe I’m aiming too high

2. Freak Out City

The second song of the album is the album’s title track. The piano-driven, rhythmic track has some nostalgic vibes, but overall it is very entertaining. The song has been played live on the most recent tour already. McKenzie states about it, that some songs seem to play themselves, and this is one of them. Funny, entertaining and unique – that’s not at all a bad combination.

3. The Only Dream I Know

The press kit for this album is definitely a jewel by itself. Without it, it would be hard to guess that this song has been originally written to be on the soundtrack of the film of the children’s book Thelma the Unicorn. The scene changed, and so, The Only Dream I Know is now on Freak Out City. It is definitely a nice one.

4. All the Time

The next song of the record is the five minute listen All The Time. This song goes deeper, as McKenzie wrote it for his three children. The nostalgic style stays, there are some 1960’s vibes in it. But the message is beautiful.

The sun goes down so fast
Disappears into the blue
Child if you’ve got time for me yeah
I got all the time for you

5. That’s the Way That the World Goes ‘Round

This song is a cover. The song has originally been released by John Prine and Stephen Colbert in 2016. Thus, Freak Out City moves towards country vibes in here, presenting a rather wide instrumentation with multiple brass instruments. While McKenzie’s first version of this song was very close to the original, it developed its own style. Or as the artist himself states, it landed somewhere between New Zealand and New Orleans. I appreciate that.

6. All I Need

Americana vibes are used for the love song All I Need. The track is one of the single releases of the album. Especially the chorus of this one stays in your mind. Again, Freak Out City does not feel too modern in here, but it is also not outdated. Good one.

7. Eyes on the Sun

Looks like we’re rolling
Into the season
Everyone’s having
A different opinion
Yeah but I’ve got my eyes on the sun

The seventh song spreads slow summer vibes. However, the song does not really deal with a warm summer topic. McKenzie rather struggles that society is more and more divided in these three minutes.

8. Too Young

Too Young is a speedy and groovy track. I can’t tell you about the background of the song, as the press kit states I don’t actually remember writing this song. You rarely read these kind of honest messages in press kits. But it is great fun listening to the track, especially due to its energetic, gospel-style chorus.

I’m not here to suffer fools
I’m not someone for you to blame
Don’t you paint me in your picture
You go find someone else to frame
Don’t come knocking on my door
When you need a face to hit
Yeah it’s a long way to that floor
And I’m getting too young for all this shit

9. Highs and Lows

The beginning of Highs and Lows would be perfect for a movie soundtrack, while the screen shows a lonely cowboy riding through the prairie. However, the chorus rather moves towards a dream-pop style. A very enjoyable one.

10. Shouldna Come Here Tonight

Bret McKenzie names Randy Newman’s Mama Told Me Not To Come as an inspiration for the chucker-out. Yeah, there are some similarities in the vibes of this track – even though, it has its very own style. The song is about having regrets about all the spooky things you did in the past. A fun one at the end.

Oh you lock me in the kitchen
Then you tell me what you’re playing ain’t a game
You introduce your friends
Hey but lady yeah you don’t know their names
Sweet baby Jane
I don’t wanna start a fight
I shouldna come here tonight

 

Bret McKenzie – Freak Out City – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

Bret McKenzie – Freak Out City – My View

Freak Out City is a fun listen. It has a nostalgic touch and a nice leverage of rather deep and more funny tracks. The melodies have warm and positive vibes mostly. Not a top notch record, but a very special one. Thus, I appreciate it.

Favorite Song: Shouldna Come Here Tonight

 

 

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