Cho makes fine tunes, forgets the funny

Margaret Cho is known for stand-up comedy, not music. She’s an actress, not a singer. So, it’s a surprise that her first foray into music is actually good.

“Cho Dependent” finds the filthy comedienne on familiar ground, singing about things you’d probably expect: drugs and dirty bits.

The multiple genres Cho inhabits all fit her well: folk, rock, rap.

What might come as the biggest shock is that most of the songs on the disc are good for more than a laugh. Yet that accessibility presents a problem for Cho.

While the music is enjoyable, it’s not all that funny. Certainly topics such as lice and telling an ex to go eat feces are odd, but they’re not hilarious. In fact, they’re strangely charming.

Perhaps a true comedy album isn’t what Margaret was shooting for, but she can still be proud of the quirky tunes of Dependent.