It takes a recessionista’s ear to appreciate the genius of Meat Loaf.

Meat Loaf has never been everyone’s cup of tea. Apart from one time in the late 70’s when Bat Out of Hell sold 48 million copies. Ok so yes, Meat Loaf was once everyone’s cup of tea, but that was before most of us were born.

Bat Out of Hell was an impossible act to follow. Meat has tried his very best throughout the 80’s, 90’s and double zeros (I refuse to say noughties) but has failed to reach the heady heights of Bat Out of Hell, partly due to the music itself (“I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that” – but Meat, I thought you said you’d do ANYTHING?!) and partly due to an interesting phenomenon. Bear with me:

In the late 70’s and early 80’s the world was in a terrible recession – everyone was poor and miserable. When times are tough, the last thing anyone wants is the boy next door singing sweet love songs.

Outrageous, OTT, melodramatic, outlandish Rock n’ Roll is what you want. Those dark days spawned too many Gods of Rock to mention, but also the likes of David Bowie, Iron Maiden, Prince and Cindi Lauper. None of these artists could ever be accused of being middle of the road.

Meat Loaf’s New Album: “Hang Cool Teddy Bear”

Then the world got rich, and the music got sensible. I guess if people aren’t spending their days wondering how they’re going to pay the mortgage, there’s less of a need for escapism. People just want a nice soundtrack to their fabulous lives. Stuff like Dire Straits, Phil Collins and Chris DeBurgh – men in suits fiddling around with drum kits and electric guitars. Some of them are good musicians, but none were aiming for the stratosphere.

Then in the 90’s the world continued getting richer so we got The Dave Mathews Band and Hootie & the Blowfish – college kids dressed in T-shirts and jeans. (Sure, I’m skirting around some pretty awesome bands in order to make my point, but do you see where I’m going with this?) In the double zeros, the world got even richer, and we all settled down to a spot of Jack Johnson.

The only meat loaf being consumed was at your granny’s place for Sunday lunch. Then all of a sudden, the world got really poor again. And look what’s happening. Now things are getting crazy again. Lady Ga Ga springs to mind. Adam Lambert came 2^nd in American Idol. The winner, who’s name I can’t remember, was a pleasant chap who any young lady would be more than happy to take home to mommy. But we don’t want that guy anymore. We’re poor and miserable. We want the guy in eyeliner who will melt your face off with a scream that can be heard in the depths of Hell.

Welcome back Mr. Loaf, we’ve been expecting you. I have never been the biggest fan, but how can an album entitled Hang Cool Teddy Bear possibly be a failure? I don’t care what it means, it’s just cool.

Meat is trying something different here. He still sings like his life depended on it and it’s still as mad as ever but the overall sound has been updated – the album’s produced by Rob Cavallo of Green Day fame.

Cleverly titled single Los Angeloser is the story of a guy who is, well, a loser, with a rich older girlfriend. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement: I’m just a white boy/ I play the guitar/ I put my pants on/ I drive a shit car/ Up into the valley/ To see my girlfriend/ She’s got a big couch/ She got a Mercedes Benz”.

Then there’s Living on the Outside: “I got my mama’s smile and my daddy’s gun/ You got your honest face & your liars tongue”. There are loads of characters and stories in this album – the kids who want to escape their one-horse towns and take their chances, not in pursuit of the American Dream though, they already know that’s a crock – they just want to be “Livin’ like the only sinners left alive”. Then there’s the guy who’s got nothing going for him other than the size of his manhood. That song’s called California Isn’t Big Enough. Good humour. In fact, a lot of this album is just a riot to listen to.

There’s also an all star cast, including Jack Black, Brian May, American Idols judge: Kara Dioguardi and strangely, Hugh Laurie (of House fame) playing the piano on the Dioguardi penned song: If I Can’t Have You. Everyone is clearly having a blast participating in a balls to the wall album that’s one part insane, one part hilarious and one part just plain over the top. That’s pretty much exactly what the world needs right now.

So, if you want to forget about your worries for a while, crank Hang Cool Teddy Bear up to 11, kick back and listen to this crazy old dude having a late-career triumph.