“The year’s most ambitious kids’ music album” – Zooglobble.com
FROM THE JUNGLE TO THE JUNGLE GYM
RECESS MONKEY
RELEASES NEW DOUBLE CD
‘WONDERSTUFF’
“The Best Pop-Rock Musical Since ‘Tommy.’ … Definitely recommended.”
- Stefan Shepherd, Zooglobble.com
“This Seattle trio knows how to get kids excited … catchy hooks abound, as do singalong choruses and goofy humor.” – COOKIE magazine
“The kiddies are all right with these indie rockers!” – Seattle Post-Intelligencer
“A tour de force of musical storytelling” – Victory Review
SEATTLE, WA, A Nearby Banyan Tree (Dec. 1) – On the heels of the highly
acclaimed (and zoologically correct) release ‘Aminal House’ (not a typo), independent
children’s recording group Recess Monkey has released its third studio CD,
‘Wonderstuff.’ (Monkey Mama, $20.00). The album is a joint effort of Recess Monkey
and the children who attended their “Rock ‘n’ Roll” camp this past summer.
According to Zooglobble.com, ‘Wonderstuff’ is “the best pop-rock musical since
‘Tommy’” and “the year’s most ambitious kids’ music album.” NPR included
‘Wonderstuff’ in its list of 10 Best Kids’ Albums for 2007. ‘Wonderstuff’ is also a
winner in the 2007 Fids & Kamily Awards, modeled after the Village Voice’s Pazz &
Jop Poll. According to Fids & Kamily, “Recess Monkey's Wonderstuff follows their
brilliant Aminal House with a 2-CD conceptual mix of story and songs that could be the
band's ‘White Album.’” ParentMap wrote, “The perennial Seattle favorites (three
elementary school teachers) rock like the laid-back Beatles lovers they are. This new
double-CD set follows the story of a ‘wonderbee,’ a rat and a turtle as it weaves between
musical tracks. Playful, silly and very, very fun.”
In story and song, the pioneering two-CD set tells the Joseph Campbell-esque “hero
quest” story of Everett the Wonderbee, his friend Harold the Rat, and their struggle to
save their home from a mysterious evil force called The Gray and its concrete and steel
cronies. Written and performed by the dynamic Recess Monkey trio and over 100
creative young music- and animal-loving friends, ‘Wonderstuff’ runs a wide gamut of
musical styles that includes such soon-to-be classics as the Beatles-esque “My Pet Rock,”
the Beach Boys-ian tune “The Pool,” the Byrds-inspired “Down Down Down,” the Whoish “Round and Round,” the John Vanderslice slice “Backpack,” and the sparer, Stephen
Merritt-like “The Gray.”
- more -
“It’s Readers’ Theater meets Motown,” the members of Recess Monkey say, “with a lot
of giggling, screaming, dancing, and general unbridled excitement!”
School Library Journal wrote of ‘Aminal House,’ “With fantastic vocals and
instrumentation, Recess Monkey often sounds like a 60's band similar to Herman's
Hermits … The lyrics tell fantastic stories that are fun and educational. This must-have
album will be circulated again and again.” Wrote Childrens Music That Rocks,
“Incredibly hooky chord changes and sophisticated arrangements elevate this CD far
above yer average kids' album; and the spacious, in-the-same-room production is
extremely well done. It's hard to believe this is an independent release! and a kids' album,
at that! by three silly teachers! Lots of goofiness, lots of awesome songs, lots of fun.
Recess time!”
Explains Victory Review, “Recess Monkey is Daron Henry (percussion and vocals),
Jack Forman (bass and vocals), and Drew Holloway (vocals, guitars, and piano.) They
are teachers of preschool and elementary aged children who met while teaching at the
same school in Seattle. What started as a homemade demo for a graduate class turned into
their 2005 debut release ‘Welcome to Recess Monkey Town’ … One aspect of this group
that sets them apart from the very crowded field of children's pop music is the inclusive
way they share their musical talents. Many, many bands boast songs that speak to kids’
sensibilities, but not many actually have kids help compose, record, and design the CDs.
Recess Monkey offers summer music camps for kids that do just that, and the results are
on their highly successful CD, ‘Aminal House’ (not a typo) and their brand new double
CD titled ‘Wonderstuff,’ a tour de force of musical story telling.”
‘Wonderstuff’ can be purchased and further explored at Recess Monkey’s website
(www.recessmonkeytown.com) and at amazon.com, cdbaby.com, pokeypup.com,
theAVCafe.com, bigkids.com, and The Land of Nod.
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‘WONDERSTUFF’ SONG LIST:
DISC 1: The Wonderbees, Busy Bees, My Pet Rock, Don't Want to Go to Bed, Magical
Meadows, Bad Ideas, The Rat, The Sun Will Shine for You, Backpack, Best Friend
DISC 2: The Pool, Come Out of Your Shell, The Funniest Thing, The Gray, Down Down
Down, The Golden Seed, Round and Round, My Friend Shadow, Helping Hands, The
Wonderbees (Reprise)
For more information about RECESS MONKEY or to schedule an interview, please
contact Elizabeth Waldman Frazier at Waldmania! 415.334.2787 or
[email protected].
Check out the Recess Monkey website at www.recessmonkeytown.com.