Medeski, Martin & Wood : Let's Go Everywhere

[noddin0ff]

Ok, I got suckered, but in a good way.

I was in my local CD store last night and saw a new Medeski, Martin & Wood album. What caught my eyes was the unusually colorful and goofy album art. “Cool,” I thought! AUTO-PURCHASE MODE activated. I can’t help myself. I glanced at the track titles, and they’re unusual. Cat Creeps, Pat A Cake, Pirates Don’t Take Baths. Not exactly your typical MMW title, but what the heck. Purchase complete.

I get ready to upload it at home and I look at some more titles…Hickory Dickory Dock, The Train Song. One of the tracks comes up incorrectly on in iTunes as Everybody Poops…I look at the cover…this is a KIDS ALBUM!

Actually, it’s pretty good…really good. And, by fortunate coincidence, I have a 4 year old. The kid connection is probably an important one for fully enjoying the album. There’s a good mix of straightforward and not so straightforward in the MMW vein. But all are kid accessible. Uptempo, gentle, odd, funny and a little noodley are all represented. Lot’s of good Kid vocals, a rap version of Pat A Cake, e.g., and a terrific spoken word bit about pocket lint and the creature whose fur it comes from (The Squalb), by John Lurie (of the Lounge Lizards whom I also dig)

The album is certainly more musically challenging than, say, Raffi. That’s a good thing in my opinion, start ‘em early.

Two sample tracks for you to download in lossless, flac-y goodness. The careful reader will know to click the links. The first, Let’s Go Everywhere owes an obvious debt to Johnny Cash. The second, Where’s the music? to show that MMW are still here.

I don't think I'd recommending having kids so you could buy the album. If you have kid's, however, I'd recommend looking into it.