CD Review: Lunch Money (JP, Jay and Molly) is a South Carolina trio whose CD Original Friend celebrates the friends of childhood, loved because “I get more original around you.”
The rocking title cut personalizes the contributions of these memorable souls with Molly’s response to her friend’s idea to write a song: “Maybe I’ll try my hand at that for my whole life long.” Opening ballad “Friends Again” is a bluesy affirmation of reconnecting with someone so close that “my dog only wants to go to your house.”
“Getaway Car” is a playful litany of the places friends explore when their imaginations do the driving. Secret Agent 23 Skidoo appears on “Welcome to My Dollhouse” (“What are you afraid of? You can bring Spider Man”). “Please Don’t Move (to Another Time Zone)” captures the fear of losing a shared TV schedule because “when I’m laughin’ I want to know I’m laughin’ with you.”
Lunch Money’s intimate sound combines with the universal truths of friendship to make this their most widely appealing release so far. A sweet accompanying booklet about “The Secret Way Donuts Are Made” tells you nothing about making donuts and everything about friendship through the eyes of “Bear and Girl.” I love this album. www.lunchmoneymusic.com
Song: “Is This a Joke?” by Billy Kelly (album: Is this Some Kind of Joke?)
Kids get frustrated by not understanding what adults are talking about. Billy Kelly captures the added exasperation of kids’ dealing with their parents’ jokes. In “Is This a Joke?” from his new CD, he gets a clue about “why do you smile when you look at me?” and unleashes an examination of some of the basic jokes of childhood. How does a logical mind respond to illogical questions?
By noting “you say knock knock ‘though there’s no door there,’” and that the chicken could have crossed the road because he saw another chicken and had “some chicken information to share.” www.thebillykellyshow.com
Event: Doc Gibbs & New World Review at World Café Live
Philly native “Doc” Gibbs got his nickname from jazz great Grover Washington, Jr., and fame as music director for Emeril Lagasse’s “Emeril Live!” show. February 19 brings him to World Café Live for their “Peanut Butter & Jams” kids music series. Expect the most entertaining musical history lesson you’ll ever get, along with percussion from around the world. http://tickets.worldcafelive.com
Kathy O’Connell is a contributing writer to MetroKids and host of the Peabody-award-winning Kids Corner, weekdays 7-8pm on WXPN 88.5 FM.
