The cover art on The Jimmies’ Practically Ridiculous is only a teaser to the fun and funky tunes inside.
Ashley Albert and her band of boys touch on many of the usual kid subjects — getting dirty, birthdays, pets, and losing teeth. But this is not your typical kids’ record.
The songs are bright and cover a wide range of musical styles. The Jimmies go from pop (“Birthday”) to rap (“Wash Up”) to country (“Bonfire”) and rock (“Kids Wanna Rock”). Crossing genres sounds like it comes easily to Albert, who has spent years doing voices for cartoons, commercials, books on tape and hold buttons.
Albert channels Gwen Stefani on “Hot Rod Minivan,” elevating the ubiquitous family transport to a rolling party: “Windows go halfway down / as we cruise around town / We’ve got a DVD player / It’s plain to see it’s Cool City and I am the mayor.”
Like any great kids’ record, The Jimmies bring silly wordplay and sing along choruses to hook the kids, but slip a few messages into their songs for the adults to appreciate. “Wash Up” is a bathtime rap that celebrates both the getting dirty and the getting clean. “Laugh in Any Language” reminds us that laughter is something that anyone can understand. “Bonfire” encourages kids to overcome obstacles to be the best that they can be.
Still, it will be the silly songs like a take on the age old problem of eating with missing teeth that will make you feel like a kid again. On “Toothless Lament,” Albert sings, “I’m feeling all the wiser, as I gum this appetizer / I just can’t wait to get my central incisors!”
Some of the songs may be goofy, but the musicianship and production are no joke. Albert’s father and uncle are well known rock producers and the album features top-notch studio musicians. It’s not hard to imagine an anthemic song like “Kids Wanna Rock” making the pop charts.
Practically Ridiculous should be at the top of the any playlist, and it’s a frequent request in our hot rod minivan. You might even catch me singing along as I leave the carpool line, “M-I-N-I-V-A-N! Catch me if you can can can!”
Practically Ridiculous,
Full disclosure: Atomic Family is an Amazon associate.
