Here Come the Mummies - 6 Album Discography

Mummies and funk and sexual innuendos, oh my

Check this out if you like:
wacky music
pop/funk grooves
Rick James

Don't bother if:
you're afraid of ancient Egyptian curses
sexual puns make you uncomfortable

Imagine a band that doesn't take themselves too seriously...mostly humorous, maybe a little slapstick.  Now imagine if that band made the same music, but took themselves entirely seriously.  That's a good way to start describing Here Come the Mummies.

This funky group from Ancient Egypt (or Nashville), is wrapped in mystery.  No one knows quite who is in this band!  The rumors (rumors taken from their website, that is) say that this ancient group includes several Grammy winners, but because slavery record companies still exist, they're contractually prevented from making music outside of their record companies.

Pre-listen Bias:
I had assumed I was in for a group similar to They Might be Giants.  While I'm a fan, TMBGiants are not exactly the most talented band out there.  I mean, really- their best album is a children's album.  While there are some similarities, The Mummies have the Giants beat, easily.

As ancient as their band members are, their music is anything but musty.  Their groovy jams are shrouded with upbeat trumpets, sexy saxophones, and funky basslines. Oh, and sexual innuendos.  Did I mention that yet?  They must not have brushed off all the sand, because these guys are dirty.  It's hard to tell if each line should be taken at face value, or if it's just another innuendo.  It's constant, but it's not explicit.  You could play this for about anyone really.  Their music is fun! 

There are some great musicians in this group.  They pull from a lot of different influences, too.  The trumpet plays with a zesty Latin flare, the Sax throws in some smooth soul, and the singers have a lot of different styles.
 About those singers...it's difficult to tell how many they have.  There is the main singer - a sharp crooner that is really into the ladies.  Backup vocals are provided by a gruff skeezy singer who, at times, sounds a lot like Jack Black doing his grumbly singing voice.
And there are certainly more.  It's hard to determine how many, because some of them only provide lead vocals on one or two songs.  Other times, the whole band provides a chorus and the lead singer shifts back and forth.  Now...this is going to sound odd, but one of the other singers sounds a lot like Weird Al.  I know, farfetched, but let's think about this.  He's never done any formal music, so if he tried, you know it couldn't be completely serious.  Weird Al is extremely talented, more so than 95% of the musicians he parodies.  And if he did decide to try something different, he wouldn't want to smear his Weird Al persona. Anyway, I digress...

Maybe I'm just cursed and am hearing things.  However, with all the singers in this band, it's really hard not to hear the voice of other singers you think you might know.  There were even a couple times I heard Michael Jackson.  But not really; this was done on purpose.  More than once, the hook from thriller snuck its way into the tune (not to mention his "YeeHeee").

Below are the studio albums in this collection, along with key songs from each.

Terrifying Funk from Beyond the Grave, released 2002
This is the album you should listen to first.  Probably their best, but that's a tough call. It shows the variety of music they make, from the mysterious 'Strange', to the straight up sexual funk of 'Damn Good'.  Or the Latin style 'Ra Ra Ra'.
All good songs, but try out 'Believe (in Things you Cannot See)', an upbeat fun track below.
(Unfortunately, they don't make official videos, and YouTube has nothing but live videos, so if you want a higher quality listening experience, I suggest checking them out on Spotify)

Everlasting Party (2003) continues where the last album left off.  Really it's more of the same, but in a good way.  The Latin style might be a little more noticeable on this album.  You can hear it in 'Dirty Minds' and 'All about Sugar'.  Or check out 'Boom Boom Room'.  (Did I mention the innuendos?)

After a few years, they released Single Entendre in 2008.  This one is a little slower.  It has its good songs, but doesn't stir up quite as much excitement as the first two.  Check out the title song, 'Single Entendre', or VIP, or 'OCDD'. That's read O.C.double D.  Yep, exactly about what you think it is.  I won't post a video for this one, because all I can find from this band are live versions of varying quality.


In 2010, they gave us Carnal Carnival.  This one is weird.  I didn't say bad, but it is out there.  The sexual references are just out in the open now.  The title song sounds like the theme to a burlesque carnival. Scratch that...IS the theme to a burlesque carnival.  'Creepin' is probably the most entertaining song about stalking that I've heard.

Next is Bed Bath and Behind released 2011.  This one actually seems a little more traditional disco funk.  A good album, if a little mellow by the standards they had already set.  'It's on Tonight' is some good straight up funk, featuring the Weird Al sounding singer mentioned above.  For some steady toe tapping music, check out 'Glamazon'.  If you're into music while gettin' it on, this album is especially full of baby makin' music with songs like 'Aeroplane Blonde'.  I've also got to mention 'That's What She Said', because of course they're going to make a song out of that old joke.


Finally, just earlier this year, they came out with Cryptic.  Wait, Cryptic...Crypt...now I get it!
This one, lyrically speaking, is probably their tamest.  You could play this album to your grandma with only minimal blushing.
Somewhat like the last album, this album has the funk feel a la Rick James (but more of a modern sound).  However, there are key songs that change up the tone.  The songs 'Devil Better Run' and 'Come Alive' replace the funk bassline with an electric guitar for more of an epic rock sound.  'Cruel Sun' takes that in the opposite direction with a mellow, reggae tinted funk.  For that pure soul funk sound, 'Revenge' is the way to go.  This is probably their second best album, but again, this ranking is pretty arbitrary because it's all good.



Final thoughts:
I listened to this discography, more or less beginning to end.  For a band to hold my attention and keep my toe tapping for six straight albums...well that's rather impressive.  I will definitely be listening again.  These guys are cursed until they can find the perfect jam.  Well they've got to be pretty darn close!