Review: Bo Burnham's Inside (The Songs)

Graphic by Quinn Donnelly

Inside (The Songs) is the latest musical comedy album from comedian, actor, and director Bo Burnham. This is not the first time Burnham has released music that coincides with his comedic acts — marking the fifth stand-up comedy episode of his career, the twenty track album (which was entirely self-written and produced) revolves around the musical performances that complete the Netflix special. Inside (The Songs) is quite diverse, with songs embodying genres ranging from folk to pop and even rock. Burnham often includes instruments in his stand-up sets. During an appearance on Marc Maron’s legendary podcast, WTF, he discusses the criticism he has received for using songs as a comedic crutch, as he often tells jokes with a keyboard. Burnham replied to this critique by emphasizing the emotional power that music can elicit, which undoubtedly holds true to this day. This refreshingly unique album covers a wide array of subjects, including the purpose of comedy amidst tragedy, the dystopian world of the internet, and the ambiguity of human progress. 

All of this unbearable suffering has Burnham questioning the morality of joking “at a time like this” in the song “Comedy.” It is in the nature of comedy to make light of situations (regardless of their gravity), but Burnham fears that pure comedy is over in today’s culture. Voicing such concerns in a somber style over minor piano chords, he sounds genuinely concerned until the song’s beat changes. The tone switches from minor to major when Burnham satirically discovers that he can inspire social change “while being paid and being the center of attention.” The ’80s pop style synths accentuate the melodrama of the savior mentality motif, which Burnham consciously resists, especially as a straight white male. This theme is reinforced on the track “All Eyes On Me,” where he reflects on his awareness of the inherent narcissism that comes with being an entertainer. As a performance artist, Burnham acknowledges that his jokes cannot protect people from real danger like racial violence, as he sarcastically sings: “if you see white men dressed in white cloaks / don’t panic, call me and I’ll tell you a joke.” Although he admits the insignificance of comedy’s role in healing actual tragedy, he humbly recognizes that his entertainment can offer small amounts of healing on an individual level. 

Burnham later explains “How the World Works” from two opposing perspectives that ironically exposes appaling truths in a seemingly digestible and melodic manner. Disguised as a children’s song, Burnham opens this track with a cheerful description of the world through nature’s eyes. The second verse introduces Socko, a sock puppet who uncovers the disturbing realities of how our world actually works. Burnham has previously cited absurdist comedian Hans Teeuwen as both his favorite comedian and a major influence of his unconventional approach to comedy, most notably with the use of a sock puppet as a part of his act. Socko begins the second verse by singing: “the simple narrative taught in every history class is demonstrably false and pedagogically classist.” History has largely been written by the victors of violent wars, who often conviently omit the dark truths about genocide and economic exploitation. Through this character, Burnham sheds light on the horrors of various pillars of Western culture, such as private property and neoliberalism. 

When Burnham asks how he can personally help better the world, Socko impatiently responds by asking “why do you rich [...] white people insist on seeing every socio-political conflict through the myopic lens of your own self-actualization?” Here, Burnham brilliantly uses the sock puppet as a metaphor for the oppressed as he aggressively reminds Socko “who’s on whose hand.” He goes on to scold his sock puppet into behaving himself, symbolizing the suppression of those who speak out against the status quo. 

“Welcome to the Internet” provides  chilling commentary on the evolution of the world wide web. Burnham takes the audience from the simple stages of the early internet into the addictive abyss of content that it has become today. He lists a few of the “million different ways to engage” online, from celebrity fetishism to conspiracy theories. This song has a nightmarish rhythm with carnival-like sounds in the background, both of which are intentionally off-putting for the listener. The tempo gradually transitions from lento to presto as the volume crescendos, reflecting the exponential growth in intensity and power of the modern internet. 

The unsettling refrain “apathy’s a tragedy and boredom is a crime” treats its users’ indifference towards real-life concerns as an inevitable byproduct of online engagement. This grim sentiment promotes internet abuse regardless of the effects it has on the psychology of the masses. In the outro of the track, Burnham sings: “it was always the plan to put the world in your hand” as he lets out a diabolical laugh, implying that the creators of these technologies knew exactly how to perfect the manipulation of our mental and emotional habits. Burnham has been outspoken about the dangers of excessive social media use, primarily with his debut film Eighth Grade (2018), which he both wrote and directed. The film portrays how profit-seeking tech companies encourage escapism, particularly of younger people, through consuming the limitless stream of available content. 

Burnham stopped performing standup comedy after his 2016 special Make Happy due to an anxiety disorder which caused him to have panic attacks on stage. After a four year hiatus dedicated to mental improvement, he decided it was time to start performing again. The momentum of his much anticipated return was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this serious obstacle, Burnham took advantage of this rare opportunity to express his opinions on a multitude of global issues, all while Inside. Aside from mocking trivialities like white women’s Instagram pages or unpaid internships, Burnham thoroughly tackles several urgent crises in Inside (The Songs) through an absurdist worldview. There aren’t too many other artists who consistently challenge my expectations as profoundly as Burnham does. With each project, he seems to outdo his previous attempt, finding new and clever ways to relate to people’s pain and sense of humor. Although some people may cower at his dark comedy or apparent “Weird-Al” Yankovic influences, I believe Bo Burnham has evolved into one of the most creative and self-aware artists of our generation.