Adam Sandler was one of the funniest comedians of the '90s in this critic's humble opinion. The new millennium hasn't been nearly as kind to him, what with the turd-like trifecta of "Little Nicky," "Mr. Deeds" and "Anger Management." Smartly, he's ditching his newly-found Jimmy Stewart-lite persona to embrace the juvenilia of past works. A return to the crude comedy records that helped cement his raunchy rep is an ideal forum to do so. Sadly, Shh…Don't Tell isn't up to snuff with the filthy funnies of yore.
Sandler succeeds most when combining comedy with music. The latest disc doesn't do this as often as previous efforts -- only seven of the album's 20 tracks are songs, the remainder being skits of varying success. Tunes ranging from the cockney-themed masturbation ode "The Amazing Willy Wanker," the Eminem and Dr. Dre knockoff/parody "The Mayor of Pussytown," the euro-trash bush trimming tale "Secret," the seriocomic "Best Friend," the Springsteen by way of smut sounds of "Mr. I Do and the Doo Doos" and Sandler's touching, tickling tribute to his late father, "Stan the Man," all elicit laughs and a modicum of musical respect. The remaining song, "The Mule Sessions" begins by riffing on the Beastie Boys' "Sure Shot" (poorly) and ventures into a series of lame-brained rhyme schemes. Essentially, it's worthless.
Much of Shhh…Don't Tell is likely to offend listeners, whether via homophobia or sexism. But it's these moments, vulgar though they may be, that make this record funny. Dicier material is certainly preferable to the safe stupidity of skits (four in total) involving an accident-prone elder named Pibb. Good, but not great, Shhh has a few laughs and little more.
