| Los
Angeles Times |
Publishers
Weekly
'Star'
Review!
December
10 , 2001
Versatile
performer and musician Madsen (Old Mr. Mackle Hackle) returns with
his second recording for children, a fine-sounding collection filled
with humor and irresistible charm. The list of pluses here includes
top-drawer singing, funny lyrics and clever arrangements and music.
Listeners can’t help but chuckle at songs like “Tuna Fish”
about a boy named, um, Tuna Fish, or “Old Baloney” a tongue-twisting
tune about the nasty smell that this lunchmeat emits if you “leave
it in your locker for a rainy day.” Madsen provides his own
catchy back-up singing on the very sunny “I Am Loved,”
about the happy felling that comes with knowing one is loved. “Are
We There Yet?” features Madsen harmonizing with himself on
a wistful, beautiful song about a cross-country car trip with the
family. The nonsense number “Mayonnaise and Pumpernickel Bread”
contains lots of fun-to-sing words and phrases that Madsen performs
in a range of voices. And winding things down, an a cappella verse
is but one of the highlights of the smooth version of “Home
on the Range” that closes the album. The high production quality
and wide variety of musical/vocal styles and sounds here assures
enjoyable family listening. All ages.
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