Search - Mammals :: Rock That Babe

Bluegrass Blast

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 06/15/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Mammals' sophomore effort is a blast of bluegrass-flavored energy performed with gusto. From the opener "Fall On My Knees," they attack the music with energy as Ruth Ungar sings, "You've told me more lies than there are stars in the sky; you'll never get to heaven when you die." "The Bush Boys" is a bit risky for a band to take a strong political position since part of your audience is not going to agree. However, if you're part of the population who are not fans of President Bush, this will seem hilarious as Mammals apes part of the "Mockingbird" tune, "Hush little baby, don't you cry, daddy's going to buy you an alibi; If that alibi don't work, daddy's going to bribe the county clerk; If that county clerk don't bribe, daddy's got Congress on his side; If that Congress still don't budge, daddy's in tight with a Supreme Court judge." It's heady stuff and may only be timely for a limited time. If Bush wins in the fall, Bush critics can enjoy this one for the next 4 years. Tao Rodriguez is the grandson of folk legend Pete Seeger and plays banjo, guitar & mandolin in the best folk tradition as on the instrumental "Reel Du Bebe." "Father William" is a dark tune about sins of the clergy. "Bad Shoes Blues" is a great kitchen sink protest song that combines overseas labor abuses, genetically engineered vegetables and pro-choice causes. The traditional "John Henry" is a tune that Tao learned from his grandpa, performed in an energetic reading of this traditional tune. "Pearls" is a standout track with an interesting lyric & a Dylanesque vocal reading by Michael Merenda. Ruth Ungar's "Tinderbox" is a haunting mournful melody, "There's a spark inside my mind that contradicts all the sparks that burn around it; one day it might be a fire if that far-off feeling ever found it." Pete Seeger's "Quite Early Morning" is given a loving gentle recitation. Mammals' "Rock That Babe" is a good set of folk tunes filled with energy and sterling musicianship. Enjoy!"

Rock this cd

Jonathan Willis | Brighton, MA USA | 05/26/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Mammals play with an incredible amount of energy, and this cd does the best job yet of capturing their dynamic style on disc. Ruth Ungar's vocals really shine on several of the tracks (notably "Fall on My Knees" and "Tinderbox"), not to mention her fiery fiddle (esp. on "Hellgate"). The addition of bass and drums to the more traditional old-timey instruments works much better than you might think--each is complementary, neither overwhelms the rest of the band, and the effect fits well with their propulsive style.While I highly recommend this cd, I even more highly recommend seeing The Mammals live (check their website for touring info). They give one of the best shows that I've seen in any genre of music--Michael Merenda is a first-rate songwriter and Tao Rodriguez-Seeger's energy really gets the crowd engaged. They obviously love to play together, which makes for a great time all round!"

Wow!

B Newington | 05/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What an amazing group! From the vocals to the instrumental, these kids can play!! Mixing old time music with a new time flare, The Mammals are sure to be heard."