Album Notes

The first CD, "Greasy Kid Stuff: Songs From Inside the Radio" came out from Confidential Recordings in 2002 to critical praise-not to mention the excitement of the show's myriad fans.

Time Out New York said that the GKS album provides an opportunity for "alternatots to romp and stomp any time of day." Family Fun's Moira McCormick called it "one of the more appealingly out-of-left-field children's albums you're likely to hear." Parenting recommended it, saying it was "an edgy countdown of spunky unclassics sure to please most tweenage fans of alternative music." New York magazine called it "spirited." The New York Post featured the album in a roundup of new CDs "bound to please the whole family," saying "Greasy Kid Stuff: Songs From Inside the Radio" is a "great way to expose kids to sounds beyond the mainstream..." And on-line powerhouse All-Music Guide pronounced that "the album is a joyous celebration of fun and silly topics that can offer children an alternative to mind-numbing Disney pop." Jay Lustig, of the Newark Star Ledger, said "this children's album is such a blast it's a shame that music lovers of all ages won't hear it."

Well, here's that next chance for parents and their children (both inner and actual) to listen and sing, learn and love. Hova and Belinda have chosen fifteen completely different songs, and the variety will delight and impress.

The songs include They Might Be Giants' "What Is a Shooting Star?" which is not available on any other TMBG album. The song, while considered semi-educational, is all fun. Cub's "Magic 8 Ball" is an ode to the powers that reside in the little plastic prophet. Also featured is "The Mechanical Man," a vintage cut from 1966, which was the brainchild of music business legend the late Teddy Randazzo. Recorded by Randazzo under the pseudonym Bent Bolt & the Nuts, the song features a lonely and iconoclastic tin guy longing for a female robot companion.

"Superhero Me" is featured both in the song by Rodney Alan Greenblat & Abby Denson (a.k.a. the musical duo Let's Audio) and in the cover art by the same Rodney Alan Greenblat. The charming song encourages kids to look for their own strengths. And a few of the songs have pedigrees in quality kids' "edu-tainment." In this category are covers of Schoolhouse Rock!'s "Unpack Your Adjectives" by the Mr. T Experience and Benna's enchanting "Figure 8."

There are a couple of additional TV-inspired tunes: "Underdog," The Kabalas' klezmer-flavored cover of the cartoon theme song, and "Horse in Striped Pajamas," R. Stevie Moore's electrified version of a duet from the Captain Kangaroo show.

Other cuts on the album are pure originals, such as Supernova's "Mommy," the self-proclaimed alien group's homage to their female parental unit-in whatever form she may embody. And the good-natured GKS favorite "Mouser Mecha-Catbot" about a pink, fighting, cat-robot is written by Eban Schletter. Schletter is a musical contributor to TV shows like SpongeBob Squarepants and Battlebots, and the song is performed by him and Olivia Olson.

Hova and Belinda delight in the assortment of entertaining noises and sound effects that they can find in music that isn't necessarily intended for children. "We choose songs that we would let our children listen to," say the brand-new, first-time parents. This collection is sonically enhanced by the "insec-ta-rrific" "Two Little Bugs," written and performed by Kenn Kweder with the Ben Vaughn Combo. And there's no bone of contention about "The Dinosaur Song," a paleontological ode by Drew Farmer.

The album is rounded out by "Lucky Ladybug," Guv'ner's reprise of a late '50s song. "Gimme" is the official birthday song of GKS from New Zealand natives Fatcat & Fishface. And "Dictionary" is written and performed by the vocabulary-loving mouthful of a band called Muckafurgason.

The "Greasy Kid Stuff" music released by Confidential Recordings has already proved itself to be a hit with all ages. Kids love it because it is good, fun music that cuts through the music performed by people clad in either rainbow suspenders or large fuzzy animal costumes. And the record found success in unusual outlets for its genre, like hip kids' clothing stores in Williamburg, Brooklyn. To put it succinctly, parents are amazed and delighted with a CD that everyone can enjoy during car trips. A third CD of songs from Greasy Kid Stuff and Confidential Recordings is already in the works.