Rhys is a big boy now.  At least, that’s what she was singing to herself at storytime this past Saturday, during the craft.

Now, given her recent haircut, someone might believe her…well, probably not.  I’m projecting.  I usually own the names people call me, but I was never into “androgynous.”

…says the person who had a shaved head for the better part of 1996-2006.  I know, I was asking for it.  Moving on.

Rhysie was actually singing “Big Boy Now” off the album Toddlerville from Baze and His Silly Friends.  And, if you ask me, it’s the standout track on the album.  It has a charm I was having a hard time putting my finger on, so I turned to my musical better half.  (Seriously.  We agree on classic punk, and not much else.)  This is a paraphrase of our conversation:

Nate:  Spanish guitar, I guess.

Me:  It seems like it should be part of a movie with bad guys…

Nate:  It does have a spaghetti western thing going.

Me:  Yes!  I think that’s what I’m trying to say.

Nate:  Except there aren’t any horns, so I don’t know if it qualifies.

Me:  Oh.

Then he proceeds to tell me something about the “characteristics of modern rockabilly” and I proceed to nod like I have half a clue what he’s talking about.

So, even if spaghetti western isn’t quite accurate, there is definitely a gunslingers-at-the-opposite-ends-of-the-jungle-gym element at play.  “I’m a big boy now/ You better watch out.”

As a whole, the album has lots of silliness (as you might expect from the band name.)  That silliness is something all kids need and enjoy.  Another favorite track, “This Is Your Body,” rocks and rolls listeners into bouts of spontaneous dancing.  Yes!  It rolls!  If you need proof, watch the video.

To summarize the album’s merits, let me put it this way:  With no electricity and a dwindling phone battery, this was the first album we chose to listen to.

Standard disclosure:  The CD was provided by the band for review.  They have neither paid nor pressured me to speak well of it.

[ Posted in » Music Review Channel ]