OH Review: Recess Monkey "Field Trip"
Released on June 9th, "Field Trip" is the fifth album from Seattle's own kindie rock gods Recess Monkey. As a parent who spends a good chunk of her week chauffeuring kids all over town -- forced into listening to her kids' music or listening to them moan over hers -- this release is 41 minutes of awesome, well-written tracks sprinkled with humor and rockin' beats that both parties can enjoy.
Recess Monkey is a trio of musicians/educators who met while teaching at the same school. Listening to "Field Trip" it's evident these guys really have an understanding of what interests kids. Aptly named, the album plays like a wonderfully-kooky adventure that would make The Frizz and her Magic School Bus proud.
The album begins with "Fort," an upbeat song that reminds me of those rainy days when we've constructed living room tents using every last chair, blanket and clothespin we own.
But "L.I.C.E." -- whose title speaks for itself -- has to be my personal favorite. I don't think I've ever laughed harder at a kids' song (or at a lice outbreak). There's plenty of backseat giggling when the commanding general of the louse army explains to his troops the importance of a stealthy ambush to insure the success of future generations...
My 9 year old son and 3 year old daughter both agree that their favorite track on the album is "Knocktopus," about a joke-telling octopus. My son loves it because it gives him new material to add to his own (growing) stand-up comedy routine. My daughter loves repeating the song's knock-knock jokes because she's just discovered how any joke told by a 3 year old will make all adults laugh, even if it doesn't actually include a punch line.
Other gems on the album include a song about a marshmallow-growing psychedelic land, a ride in a bubble, a most unusual sea-faring pirate and the misadventures of a sack lunch (guaranteed to make your kid a little more cautious about stashing his sack).
Also notable is "The Teens," a song poking fun at those double-digit numbers with all the angst of an awkward middle school student. And in true kid-album fashion the CD wraps things up ending with a lullaby, sweet and melodic, called "Firefly Lullaby." It's smooth jazzy beats lift your little one up and off to dreamland.
At Otterhop.com, we enjoy kindie music like "Field Trip" that appeals to both kids and their parents -- both of whom often sacrifice their own tastes in music in order to find that road trip compromise. Not so with Recess Monkey's latest release. Check it out!
