KidVid Tournament 2008: The SqueeGees vs. Mr. Richard

In day two of KidVid Tournament 2008 we feature a matchup from the Pete Seeger Region -- the #2 seed "The Elements" from The SqueeGees from their self-titled CD and Meet The SqueeGees EP versus the #3 seed "Cheese" from Mr. Richard (off his Polka Dot Puzzle album).

Vote in the comments below. One per family, please. Play nice. Votes due by 9 PM West Coast time today (Wednesday).

The SqueeGees - "The Elements"

Mr. Richard - "Cheese"

Review in Brief: Polka Dot Puzzle - Mr. Richard

I can't say that I've been the biggest Mr. Richard fan in the past. On his first couple CDs, while they were enjoyable enough, I just couldn't quite hear what it was that attracted Florida-based Richard Peeples one of the most devoted fanbases in the genre. It might have been me, but more likely it was that Peeples' live show didn't translate perfectly to disk.

But with his most recent disk, Polka Dot Puzzle, I think Mr. Richard finally has a CD that will play well with those who won't get to hear his live show. Musically, the album covers a broad stylistic range, from the sunny pop-rock of "Treehouse" to the lo-fi "Woo Woo Truck" to the Italian pastiche of the jokey "Cheese." Such stylistic diversity is not rare anymore in the genre (if it ever was), but at least it's well-done. Check out the horns on "Bubble Bath" -- it's little well-thought-out additions such as those that elevate songs from pedestrian to something kinda special. I also need to commend "Butterfly Day," on which Lunch Money's Molly Ledford sweet voice harmonizes nicely with Peeples' gruff one.

Lyrically, Mr. Richard is definitely in tune with his inner 7-year-old, such as on "Treehouse." "Sorry, there's no girls allowed / But it's OK since you brought your dog / It's way cooler than the Honeycomb Hideout." (OK, perhaps that last line really shows he's in tune with his own inner 7-year-old.) I can hear how, even without his backing musicians, the songs here (even the ones I didn't enjoy as much) would really communicate kids ages 3 through 8. Right now you can hear "Treehouse" at his Myspace page or sample all the tracks at the album's CDBaby page.

At barely 24 minutes in length (with 2 1/2 minutes of that a "hello" song and a "goodbye" song), Polka Dot Puzzle is barely more than an EP. But it's a fun EP, and one showcases Mr. Richard's strengths, even to those who probably won't be hearing him live any time soon. Recommended.

Video: "Cheese" - Mr. Richard

This video, for the song "Cheese," may make you smile a bit.

The song is from Mr. Richard's upcoming album Polka Dot Puzzle, due out December 11th. His voice isn't the smoothest of the bunch, but he's got a sly ear for kids' (and parental) frustrations especially, and he rocks the mandolin here. His legion of fans are undoubtedly waiting eagerly...

Does Mr. Richard Read Paste Magazine?

I should note that I'm not posting this because fans of Mr. Richard are without a doubt the most devoted kids' music fans I know of. (Don't believe me? Check out this Fids & Kamily post for a taste.)

OK, maybe just a little bit.
But it does show one way kids and family music is gradually seeping into mainstream music culture.

Flipping through my November issue of Paste magazine, I was struck by a full-page ad for Redeye Distribution/Borders, which included writeups for albums from several rootsy (roots-ish, roots-like) artists, including Marah, Billy Bragg, and the Pernice Brothers. One of the eight artists mentioned? Mr. Richard.

Of course, the ad notes that the item is "not available in all Borders location" -- distribution is still the final frontier for most kids' musicians.

Review: Tummy Talk - Mr. Richard

dyspeptic, adj., or, causing, or having dyspepsia (impaired digestion; indigestion).

How you respond to Tummy Talk, the 2nd album from Florida-based musician Mr. Richard (originally released in 2005 and recently re-released on New Orleans' 219 Records) might depend on your reaction to that word.

The good? "Dyspeptic" is a complex word to use in a kids' song, and broadening kids' vocabulary is, we can all agree, a Good Thing.

The bad? Well, Mr. Richard (Richard Peeples) does stretch things lyrically in order to fit the word in (appropriately) on the title track.

Throughout this CD, produced by the Squirrel Nut Zippers' Jimbo Mathus along with Will Dawson, Mr. Richard doesn't dumb down his vocabulary or his music. The title track is a funky rocker, "Stinkeroo!" has a very Southern rock-vibe (minus the two drummers, sadly), and "Cry Baby" is a nice bluesy number. I also enjoyed the echoey voice and finger-snaps of "Buddy the Back-Alley Cat." Musically, the lo-fi production serves the songs well -- there are some very appealing melodies here played by a real band with the occasional banjo and accordion thrown in for good measure.

Lyrically, well, the CD didn't appeal to me as much, in part because it seemed some of the square rhymes were forced into the round hole of meter. And in some cases, the parental frustration of some of the tracks ("Milking It," "The 'Please-Don't-Tell-Me-You're-Gonna-Wear-That-Super-Hero-Costume-Again' Blues") struck me like it would go over way over the head of the younger listeners. It seemed like those songs (which were amusing to me as a parent) were from a completely different album than that the one that included "Buddy the Back-Alley Cat."

Kids ages 4 through 7 are most likely to enjoy the songs here, for which you can hear samples at the album's CDBaby page.

While some listeners will probably find not much new in Tummy Talk, others will certainly find the album a collection of fun, bluesy homemade rockers. At the very least, you won't find yourself dyspeptic listening to it.