Chibi Kodama: The Kids Are All Rock

Chibi Kodama is all about girl power. The band practically overdoses on pre-teen estrogen, despite the best efforts of titular head of the family John Cullimore. Long story short, he and his kids bonded over some age-friendly Weezer songs. And happily ever after, they've been producing Powderpuff Girlz power pop.

The Cullimore Family (John, wife Yvonne, and five daughters) have made music in this fashion since 2013. Their new CD, BETWEEN MAIN STREET AND NEVERLAND, smashes the line between listening to your parents and listening with your parents. The songs, including "Believe," "All That," and "Face and Fade" deal with the intra-personal dynamics of family and friendship, childhood fears, growing up, and why it's alright to just be yourself.

As the Cullimore clan expanded, the brood relocated to Knoxville, Tennessee. The girls are now facing a whole new series of challenges, which may seem pedestrian to typical listeners. Going from home-schooled to public school home rooms is indeed a new experience. The empowerment lyrics in "Me" serve as a mantra for anyone who steps foot into the social minefield of elementary and middle school for the first time:

I am not the sum of my mistakes
I am who I choose to make myself today
And I choose to see the world this way
Fresh and new with every step
Live this moment with forgiveness on your breath

Ben asked me "Where do I file Chibi Kodama?" and I had to explain that the band is a concept – there is no actual Chibi. It's akin to asking "Which one's Pink?" for the band Pink Floyd. BETWEEN MAIN STREET AND NEVERLAND (with guest producers including Jason Didner, Lucy Kalantari, and Heather Rosenberg Hirshfield among others) is uncommon rock for kids. That's not bad, it's different, and that difference makes Chibi Kodama kinda unique for the genre.

BETWEEN MAIN STREET AND NEVERLAND is available April 1 from Chibi Kodama's Bandcamp page, Amazon, and iTunes.

Here is the video for the album's title track:

Still Trout Fishing in America After All These Years

How much is enough? When do you have too much of a good thing? Why am I making a positive sound like a negative?

Indeed, Trout Fishing in America (TFA) have graced listeners in five decades (!!) with their fine melodies, nimble lyrics, and clever wordplay. Now the duo of Keith Grimwood and Ezra Idlet are back with their latest CD, RUBBER BABY BUGGY BUMPERS. It's another dozen songs of childhood adventure, fantasy, and whimsy.

From the lead track to "My Sister Kissed Her Boyfriend," you're in for the navel-high worldview of a kid. Ben (12) went properly bonkers over the latter song, featuring copious wet kissing noises. When we started to sing along, the mere thought of his parents being affectionate drove him from the dinner table. "It's Not Mud" ominously encapsulates every "bottom of your shoe" nightmare:

It's not chocolate, it's not raisins
It's not Milk Duds and it's not fudge.
It's not brown, stick icky ice cream.
I know what it is – it's not mud.

There comes a point in the lifespan of a recording artist (or group) when they cease to be easily pigeonholed into one category. For instance, Pink Floyd spent 20 years being pegged as "art rock" along with Yes. But now they are sui generis. Essentially, they became their own thing. Trout Fishing in America is a little bit country, a little bit folk, etc. After recording together since 1976, TFA deserves its title as "sui generis" as well. Not a bad thing.

Perhaps the band's most personal song on the CD is "Don't Touch My Stuff," written in response to their van being stolen, along with all their musical instruments. Some of the instruments showed up on ebay and they say it was "fun" to watch the auctions, while they notified the authorities. But you can hear genuine anger and hurt in lyrics like "You want his banjo? You can't play the banjo!" and especially "How can you sleep at night?"

I can't think of enough superlatives for Trout Fishing in America. They know their shi...stuff. If audiences hadn't taken to them, TFA would not have lasted this long. Few acts, especially children-related performers, have demonstrated this level of consistency, competence, and command over a sustained time period. Kudos to the duo as they move forward towards their sixth decade of performance.

RUBBER BABY BUGGY BUMPERS is available September 3 through the band's website, Amazon, CDBABY, and iTunes.

Here is a fan recording of their song, "Don't Touch My Stuff":