Natasha Vaynblat Is Silly and Searingly Smart on Her Debut Album

It’s been over three years since I lived in New York City, and I find myself missing it at the oddest moments: when I realize I can’t order a beer and shot deal, or I spy a rare rat scurrying out in public. The aspects of NYC I long for aren’t the bright shiny lights promised by Hollywood portrayals, but the everyday stench of bursting trash bags, the eclectic collection of people on the subway, and endless nooks and crannies of the city.

Few comedians have recently captured this feeling as well as Natasha Vaynblat, staff writer for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and A Little Late with Lilly Singh, who talks about her adopted home—amongst many other topics—on her debut comedy album We’re All Dads Here (appropriately taped at Union Hall in Brooklyn, where she co-hosts the show “Good Delivery” every month). Vaynblat has lived in New York City for a decade, and while her descriptions of the metropolis aren’t romantic, they do show how The Big Apple lures you in and changes the hardwiring of your brain so that you envy a man living with 600 rats.

Vaynblat emigrated from Russia at the age of seven, and some of her funniest anecdotes touch on the differences between Russian and American cultures. Her parents are a definite highlight, whether arguing with Americans about the weather or getting deep into house music. We’re All Dads Here is a hilarious look at Vaynblat’s family life, her marriage of 10 years, and the various scrapes she’s gotten herself into. There’s nothing too deep here, and that’s not a negative. We get a solid 55 minutes of laughs, which we desperately need these days.

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Vaynblat’s voice is composed and knowing—that is, until she breaks out of her calm and collected demeanor, slipping into a thick Russian accent or pretending to be someone sneakily guzzling carne asada out of a mug on a Zoom call. She combines searing smarts and unabashed goofiness. Her droll delivery of increasingly silly jokes, like a call-and-response bit where the crowd guesses the veracity of odd workout classes, is the perfect packaging.

Not only are the trimmings beautiful, but her comedy itself is neatly distilled and expertly made. Vaynblat’s prowess as a writer shines throughout the album, especially with her economic use of words. There’s very little excess here—save for one goof about dream interpretation that doesn’t necessarily work as well as the rest—but her precise language is never sterile either. This is a truly packed album; lose concentration for a moment, and you’ll be a joke and a half behind already. Vaynblat is a comedic craftsman, and even throws in some word play for good measure.

The final bit of We’re All Dads Here may be the best, and it’s a testament to Vaynblat’s confidence in her set that she saves it until the very end. If this is your first impression of Vaynblat, it’s bound to be a brilliant one.

We’re All Dads Here is out now via ASpecialThing Records.

Clare Martin is a cemetery enthusiast and Paste’s assistant comedy editor. Go harass her on Twitter @theclaremartin.

Natasha Vaynblat Is Silly and Searingly Smart on Her Debut Album We’re All Dads Here