Music – like everything else – starts at the beginning. You hear a song you like, you learn how to say "more" or "again." You start to hum the melody or sing along, even if you don't understand the words (or if it's even a child-appropriate tune).Who starts you along the path of music appreciation is important. Music, like everything else, is best when shared with loved ones; patient people, willing to tolerate 50,000 choruses of "E-I-E-I-O" as if every time is the first time (thanks to Advil).
Kansas City musician (by way of Texas) Monte Holman built his first CD, SPRING BEES, like he did with his family – from the ground up. After the birth of his daughter, Bea, Monte found himself drawn into the process of children's music and thus amusing and educating through children's music. Which created that snake-eating-its-own-tail scenario as he began recording that music with friends (some from Royal Forest, Old Crow Medicine Show, and other bands).
The songs of SPRING BEES – like everything else – start at the beginning. "Used to Be" asks the universal question, "Have we met before?" as in "Were we destined to be parent and child?" The album doesn't stay quite so profound, as "Poopy Dogs" and "Burp" attest. "I Love You So" reminded me of Forest Hills, Queens-based comic/musician Davy Andrews with its incorporation of "Hey Diddle Diddle" and luscious chorus.
SPRING BEES – like everything else – start at the beginning. Since SPRING BEES are in their infancy, so to speak, it will be interesting to chart their progress. I recall a conversation I had with Roger Day about the genesis and evolution of his children's music career. "When my kids were little, I wrote songs about jumping up and pointing your finger," he said. "As my kids got older, I wrote about topics for bigger kids." Monte's Bea is still a little kid and that phase will be wondrous. We'll be waiting and watching to see her development, as well as what develops in the world of SPRING BEES.
SPRING BEES is available April 21 from their website, Amazon, and Soundcloud.
Here is the debut video, "Used To Be," by filmmaker Cody Ground:
Spring Bees - Used to Be from Cody Ground on Vimeo.
