Indie Light

Ninja Sex Party (or NSP) are a comedy music group, made up primarily of Dan Avidan, who performs as Danny Sexbang, a hypersexual Jewish Ninja, and Brian Wecht, who performs as Ninja Brian, a silent and homicidal Ninja. In 2015 the duo expanded to include the members of Canadian Rock group TWRP, who have joined Danny and Brian on all subsequent releases and live performances. This isn’t my first time reviewing Ninja Sex Party either and if you’re interested you can check out more reviews by clicking here. Today, however, I’ll be reviewing their latest album ‘These Nuts’ which was released March 8th 2024.

‘Intro (These)’ kicks off with another classic intro, a hallmark off an NSP album and a personal highlight for me on each of the albums they’ve released thus far. It’s the perfect balance of melody and comedy which exemplifies the NSP brand. 

‘Get Ready (To Get Ready)’ opens with a big, synthy rise that blends perfectly with Dan’s higher toned vocals. The percussive drive behind it, building and creating a truly sweet tune. I remember when the very first NSP album dropped and I’ve reviewed everything they’ve released thus far and it’s so amazing seeing how far they’ve come, how they managed to grow and adapt, the addition of TWRP fleshing out their sound even more, and the maturity and developing skill of all the intervening years between their first album and this and yet it’s still the same NSP telling wacky stories and jokes to music. Hopefully it’s not mad parasocial of me to say but as a fan I’m so proud because this is a polished and fun and energetic track that really kicks things off right. 

‘I Own A Car’ is another lively and energetic track that captures the lightness, sweetness and goofiness that NSP are capable of. I think what I like most about NSP and the personas Danny and Brian have created therein, is that it’s full of bravado and pomp, yet balances that out with a delightful sense of self awareness, irony and self delusion that really work overall.

‘Let’s Save The Earth’ has a funkier, more percussive intro, that builds and leads us into more melodic Danny vocals, and again to deconstruct slightly I admire the story and instrumental proficiency that goes into a song that’s essentially about the band trying to bang my mom. I particularly liked the deadpan vocals when Dan talked about climate issues before belting out a soulful entreaty about having sex with my mother. I think this is easily one of the standout tracks on what is already shaping up to be a tremendous entry in the NSP discography.

‘Dance ‘Til You Stop’ is another funky and energetic track, this gives Dan a little more to do vocally as well, blending in his more powerful show stopping melodious vocals with lower and huskier sections, both of which work well to create a vibe. I’ve always enjoyed NSP’s ability to weave an engaging narrative into their songs, the comedy part of their music shines through every note, and I’m glad as they’ve grown as artists, explored other projects and even done cover albums, that they have managed to never lose track of the essence of what’s made them so good over the years. 

‘My Pet Python’ has a goofy little piano intro, and Dan empathically singing about his new snake, it’s a fun little interlude and as I said up top these have consistently been one of my favourite parts of every NSP album. 

‘Death Metal’ goes against expectations really nicely, creating a soft and melodic and cheerful narrative and manages to be legitimately funny as well. It also has a steel drum solo and a sax solo, which immediately means it’s up there for me in terms of quality. I love how Danny, even when he’s saying some majorly inappropriate things, has such an inherent sweetness and innocence to him that it really sells it for me. 

‘Sports Anthem’ satirised the epic musical numbers in sports movies/montages while also managed to be a perfect example, funny and silly, but also just a superb beat that really kicks things up a notch, and it’s well placed to counterpoint the softer and more melodic number that just proceeds it. I mentioned it above but what I’ve also enjoyed is that even though they are the heroes of their own narrative, they aren’t really, they fail and that’s okay and part of the joke. It makes them more likeable and is one of the reasons the fans like the band so much. I mean even ‘Danny Don’t You Know’ which is easily one of the most emotional, profound and ‘real’ tracks that NSP ever produced, all about Danny realising that after literal years of grinding he’s found his tribe, had several points where he was able to poke good natured fun at himself. 

‘Seatbelts!’ is another fun interlude, this features the vocal contributions of Arin Hanson if I’m not mistaken and flips a PSA on its nose, talking about how lame safety features are. It’s funny and lighthearted in a way that NSP just manages with ease. 

‘Nut Heat’ has a really fun, sock hop vibe to it, encapsulating and parodying the old 50s/60s ballads that made movies like Grease popular. I would never have thought Dan’s voice would work so well for this type of music but man he really nails it. Plus the breakdown where the song essentially changes genre keeps you on your toes. Easily another personal favourite on what has turned out to be a superb new album. 

‘Behind The Mask’ is soft and slow, deep melodious vocals backed up by pure and poignant piano, creating a rich tapestry of the man behind the ninja mask, showing us a softer side to the silent and deadly Ninja Brian, and then of course undercutting that with the violence within. Funny track, and one that’s more rewarding the longer you’ve been a fan.

‘Dig Ol’ Bick’ really brings the energy, especially after the slower track that was the previous energy, hammering guitars and powerful percussion creating a crotch grabbingly good beat, as Dan talks about his ‘Dig Ol Bick’. It’s a really fun, swinging and almost country infused track that once again balances that line between good music and funny music. 

‘Galaxy Hamster’ is another whopper of a track, high energy and intense, perfect battle music, a ferocious frenzy and strings and percussion that are just awe inspiring and phenomenal, and then as the name suggest we are introduced to the Hamster. I love NSP’s ability to unironically create these fun little tracks, they don’t worry about whether it’s ridiculous, they know it’s ridiculous and instead focus on creating a powerful, trashing beat that’s just awesome, and bringing a new character into the rich NSP lore. 

‘The Boner Of Peace (Part 3 Of the Boner Trilogy)’ is softer and slower again, creating a nice internal balance between the various tracks on offer in this album. Someone mentioned in the comments of another NSP album that I focused too much on talking about Dan’s voice in previous NSP reviews, a fair and accurate observation, so I’ve been trying to approach subsequent NSP reviews with a more balanced approach but as we close out this album I’d be remiss not to mention that throughout this album, and in this track Dan goes from strength to strength as a vocalist, his voice is soulful and light, and rich and sonorous, and he has truly mastered his gift as he sings us through another part in the Boner saga. I’ve touched on this topic a few times but a good lesson in comedy as I understand it is that the character should never think they are being funny, it takes the onus of the audience to laugh, and my favourite thing about Danny is he can be singing about Dinosaur Laser Fights, Galaxy Hamsters or indeed Boners and yet he approaches it seriously and with earnestness, and that adds to the track, making it more than it would be it if were played off just as something silly. Plus as I touched on above, he’s come a long way in terms of his vocals, and I’m glad to have been on this journey with him. 

‘Outro (Nuts)’ closes us out with another fun interlude, and man he sure does say ‘These Nuts’ a bunch. 

So that’s what I thought of Ninja Sex Party’s album ‘These Nuts’ and if you want to check that out for yourself then head over to Spotify. While you’re at it, make sure and support the band by following them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.