This review by Fred Koch appeared in the June, 2007 issue of Chicago Parent Magazine.

Reviewed in this column:
Mommy Says NO! - Asylum Street Spankers

MOMMY SAYS NO!, by Asylum Street Spankers , Yellow Dog Records, $14.95, www.asylumstreetspankers.com; ages 5 and up.

Those of you who may be familiar with the Asylum Street Spankers from Austin, Texas, will either wonder how in the world this band could make a recording for children or smile and think, "What a perfect match." And those of you who are not familiar with this group of exciting musicians might not even give them a chance simply because of their name. That would be a mistake.

Now I admit the name of the band alone might raise your suspicions about the appropriateness of the content of a recording for children. And again, those of you who already know the Spankers’ "adult" music realize that much, if not most, of their music is not suited for children.

But the band’s trademark zaniness and virtuosity with so many eclectic musical styles fits perfectly in the context of children’s and family music. And even though their edgy, often mischievous adult music might offend some folks, rest assured that the Spankers fully understand their young audience.

On "Mommy Says No!" the band seamlessly weaves a wide array of musical styles together in this acoustic-only musical project. Their musicianship and production values make the whole CD a joyful and exhilarating musical ride. It starts off with the sweet and tender "Be Like You" sung by Christina Marrs and tastefully arranged with mandolin, ukulele and toy piano. Marrs lovingly observes and reminisces about the simple joys of childhood as she states what every parent feels at one time or another, "I wish this could last, you’re growing up too fast." And here’s a great line, "I love your silly expressions and your different point of view, and I, I wish that I could be like you."

The band’s musical palette joyfully runs the gamut but what I really enjoy is that each and every style they venture into sounds authentic. The first song is a charming little pop ditty infused with a slight bounce. Next comes "Training Wheel Rag," presented with an up tempo ragtime feel followed by "You Only Love Me For My Lunchbox"—an acoustic blues song that sounds as genuine as any Texas blues band you can name. (Warning: The band does get close to the edge during the tongue twisting section in Lunchbox when they come to the "pheasant pluckers" part.) But this is part of the charm of "Mommy Says No!" They seem not to have forgotten what it is like to be a kid.

Other highlights include "When I Grow Up" with a strutting New Orleans second line rhythm and "Sidekick," another sweet gem from Marrs, which ponders the fantasy of Mom or Dad as a superhero. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention an intense bluegrass version of Nirvana’s "Sliver." But of all the songs, the one garnering the most finger pointing is "Boogers." I have read some reviews that claim this to be the funniest of all the songs that have tackled this sticky subject. You will have to make up your own mind on this one.

As I try to sum up the allure of "Mommy Says No!" I think it rests with the fact that the Spankers simply trust their own sensibilities about what a family music CD should be. There are no attempts to create any stylistic or formulated project. These are all extremely talented musicians who have produced a stellar CD without sacrificing any of their musical sensibilities.

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