Norton Succeeds with Sophomore Disc

By Ian Rice
Arts and Lifestyle Editor


Jim Norton is one of the best and most fearless comedic minds in the business, a man who knows little to no boundaries and never fails to take the most drastic risks with his act. His 2003 independent release "Yellow Discipline" proves these facts about Norton, providing a perfect snapshot of his on-stage performance at that time. But like any good comedian, Norton and his act have grown by leaps and bounds since that debut recording hit the market, as well as the man's popularity with audiences nationwide. Luckily, this growth is also captured on album, with the release of Norton's sophomore effort "Trinkets I Own Made From Gorilla Hands."


Recorded a few months prior to his return to the radio airwaves on XM Satellite Radio's popular "Opie and Anthony Show," Norton's latest release finds him alot more brutal and a great deal more comfortable on stage. Granted, it seemed impossible for Norton to improve, as "Yellow Discipline" was as close to a perfect act as a comedian could hope for. But improve he does, dazzling the audience over the hour-long set featured on "Trinkets."


Perhaps the most brilliant aspect of Norton's act is that he never plays it safe. While many comedians stick to the middle-of-the-road by addressing such topics as airports, driving or fast food, Norton opts for a different route. On "Trinkets," Norton takes on more risky subject matter, evidenced by his rants on people with OCD, the absurdity of ethnic pride, and gay parenthood. Norton is never afraid to be offensive, which in turn leads to his never failing to be extremely funny. The material on "Trinkets" is guaranteed to send the squeamish running, which is exactly what fans of true comedy are looking for. Norton realizes this too, it seems, never holding back his opinions and theories on real-life subjects and making other comedians look redundant in the process.


The album closes out with a devastatingly funny clip of an answering machine message left on Norton's machine by his mother. It's inclusion is not only extremely funny, but it is an interesting contrast to the bulk of "Trinkets." After about an hour of brutal, merciless stand up comedy encompassing the most edgy subject matter, it is nice to know that Norton does in fact have a mother. His detractors would probably claim that he couldn't possibly be the spawn of human beings, but the closing track proves them wrong and shows that everybody has to answer to their mother in the end.


Jim Norton is one of a few comics out there keeping comedy alive and well in America. With the business full of bland acts these days, it's refreshing to find such an innovative and original act like Norton's out there for mass consumption. "Trinkets" proves that Norton is a force to be reckoned with in comedy and leaves the listener with the hope that it is one in a long line of recordings by this comedic genius.




To purchase Jim Norton's "Trinkets I Own Made From Gorilla Hands," visit www.eatabullet.com