My Best Day - Trout Fishing in America, Bogart, Fred
Are We There Yet?
Everything That's Made of Wood - Trout Fishing in America, Bishop, Walter
You Can't Go
Your Name Backwards
Junk Food Jump
Sailing
It Did It All by Itself
Happy That You're Here
Dinosaur in Your Bathtub - Trout Fishing in America, Gilbert, Vance
Simon Says
It's Better Than That - Trout Fishing in America, Barryman, Peter
Something Sweet - Trout Fishing in America, Grimwood, J.K.
Trout Fishing in America records are the musical version of face licks from floppy-eared hounds--it doesn't get much friendlier than this. InFINity, the duo's 10th album and their fifth for kids, carries forth the warm, we... more »t tradition. Here, Ezra Idlet and Keith Grimwood cast their nets far and wide, reeling in tunes that range from folk to Cajun to general kid stuff to a Shaft-meets-Charlie Brown brand of funk, as Grimwood aptly puts it. The result is a fun, musically faultless wackfest, which, even with all its varied influences, never once dips below a loyalist's expected pizzazz level. A case in point is "My Best Day," whose Paul Simon-ish intro paves the way to lyrics about kid euphoria: sister's evicted from her bedroom, a blue sparkle drum set is scored, etc. While it's snowing whipped cream and raining chocolate on that tune, trouble's brewing on "You Can't Go," on which a player piano teases the song's slothful target. "Your daddy tried to warn you and your mama told you so," but the homework didn't get done and the dog didn't get fed, so it's sayonara, Charlie. A few songs cast a line toward the very young--"Your Name Backwards" works spelling wonders on the just-learning-to-read set, and "Simon Says" and "Dinosaur in Your Bathtub" set standard cases of the sillies in motion. Older folks will want to take the bait too, and not only because songs like "Are We There Yet" beckon backseat bickerers to play along. This record, with its unmatched gloom-chasing quotient, isn't apt to cause parental embolisms, even after a seemingly inFINite number of spins. --Tammy La Gorce« less
Trout Fishing in America records are the musical version of face licks from floppy-eared hounds--it doesn't get much friendlier than this. InFINity, the duo's 10th album and their fifth for kids, carries forth the warm, wet tradition. Here, Ezra Idlet and Keith Grimwood cast their nets far and wide, reeling in tunes that range from folk to Cajun to general kid stuff to a Shaft-meets-Charlie Brown brand of funk, as Grimwood aptly puts it. The result is a fun, musically faultless wackfest, which, even with all its varied influences, never once dips below a loyalist's expected pizzazz level. A case in point is "My Best Day," whose Paul Simon-ish intro paves the way to lyrics about kid euphoria: sister's evicted from her bedroom, a blue sparkle drum set is scored, etc. While it's snowing whipped cream and raining chocolate on that tune, trouble's brewing on "You Can't Go," on which a player piano teases the song's slothful target. "Your daddy tried to warn you and your mama told you so," but the homework didn't get done and the dog didn't get fed, so it's sayonara, Charlie. A few songs cast a line toward the very young--"Your Name Backwards" works spelling wonders on the just-learning-to-read set, and "Simon Says" and "Dinosaur in Your Bathtub" set standard cases of the sillies in motion. Older folks will want to take the bait too, and not only because songs like "Are We There Yet" beckon backseat bickerers to play along. This record, with its unmatched gloom-chasing quotient, isn't apt to cause parental embolisms, even after a seemingly inFINite number of spins. --Tammy La Gorce
"Ezra Idlet and Keith Grimwood have got the number of kids from 6 to 12, during those great years before kids start listening to the wasteland of commercial radio. Once more, as on their previous CDs for kids, the fare is all about big helpings of fun. "Your Name Backwards" will probably set off a frenzy of wild pronunciations and word games, not a bad side effect (especially on family road trips). "My Best Day" captures the magic of turning 10 without being sappy or silly. "Junk Food Jump" shows how versatile these guys can be---and it's right on a kid's vibe. Ezra and Keith have that special ability to charm kids and not bore adults to death. They don't preach or look down at their subject matter. And they can flat out play and sing. Plus, these are well-crafted recordings with great artwork. You could do far worse than adding some Trout Fishing in America CDs to your collection."
These guys just keep getting better!
J. J. Rouse | Brentwood, TN USA | 02/14/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"From another family musician and a fan of theirs: I hear lots of musicians trying to do what the Trouts are doing--they do it best. It is intelligent, fun, thoughtful, kind, engaging entertainment with an ethic. These guys care about people and community. This collection shines and does not tire easily. Highly recommended!"
I love Trout!!
Erika J. Muller | Bellmore, NY USA | 05/13/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album is great - loads of fun, good "repeatability factor" (this means you can play it over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over in the car - the way kids always want to) - and you won't want to press the eject button on the dashboard. Or on your kid's car seat.
The music is silly, intelligent, sly, outrageous and the fun comes through in every note. Having seen Trout in concert twice now, I can truthfully say that these are guys you want your kids to hang out with. In fact, you'll want to listen too.
The song "My Best Day" came out of a workshop Trout participated in with a bunch of kids all talking about what they wished they could have for their very best day. I think the part about "raining chocolate" came from Keith though. If you listen to Trout music, you will hear a distinct bias towards all things chocolate.
Get this album, put it on loud and let the kids have a ball! I guarantee you will too."
More Trout, please.
ebmaloy | Media, PA USA | 01/18/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Excellent! More danceable fun from TFIA. And don't call it "kid's music", please - the lyrics are always amusing for everyone and the rhythms just right for bopping about."
The best children's band that has ever existed.
SteelersFan | Pennsylvania, USA | 08/17/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"When you first turn inFINity on, you might not be paying too much attention to it. Vaguely listening, it sounds like your generic children's album. A guitar/bass duo are playing what sounds like a generic children's song and a man with what sounds like the voice all children's folk singers have is singing generic children's lyrics. Whatever.
But after awhile, you begin to notice something that sets this album apart from the many other children's albums you've heard - the music is GOOD. It doesn't sound like children's music, it sounds like real, good folk music. And the lyrics... they're GOOD. They make sense. And they're funny. Oh, and they're not limited to folk, either. Check out the soft rock "Dinosaur In Your Bathtub" or the jazz "Everything That's Made of Wood".
This band has managed to create an album that not only is similar enough to children's music to hold kids' attentions and make them laugh, they've also made a great album for anyone who enjoys music.
And, adding on to their greatness, they have a great sense of humor. Tune to the second-to-last track, "It's Better Than That". The lyrics begin... "I got news for you kids who think adults are lucky - 'They own their own cars and everything's just ducky.' 'Going to bed whenever they want to.' If that's what you think, I've got a flash for you."
"Oh no," you think, "Not another song that's so filled with 'be good' messages, there's no room for real music or lyrics." Then the rest of the song continues. The surprise value of this song will have you laughing your head off the first time you hear it, so I won't reprint they lyric here. But let's just say that the song doesn't go the way you'd expect it to.
This album is the PERFECT children's album in that it combines good, clean music for children with good, funny music for adults."