Terrors in Toy Town; Pianosaurus' Groovy Neighborhood

Groovy Neighborhood is an interesting little footnote to Rock and Roll creativity--an album of mostly original numbers performed on toy instruments. Released on Rounder Records in 1987, produced in Hoboken N.J. by the venerable Peter Holsapple it is a fairly sunny jolly excursion into pop music. Actually a nice album if you have small kids. This music could easily fit in on Sesame Street. You have to laugh a bit at the novelty aspect; the strumming of toy guitars and the tinkling of the little mini piano. But as you are enjoying the kitschy elements, before you know it you realize that the songs are quite good, and that they are pulling off this concept with considerable musical competence. If you enjoy the understated post-Modern Lovers work of Jonathan Richman or the ironic sugarpop of Welsh wonders The Pooh Sticks you will appreciate this recording. This appears to be their only recording. They have a second album in the can someplace which has never been released.

Folk Music and Falafel.....

Alex Garvin leads this twee ensemble, performing on toy guitar, horns and vocals. Bianca Miller is on toy piano and organ, horns and vocals. She does a fairly virtuosic job on keyboards here--I wonder if she has tiny tiny hands. Stephen Dansiger provides the beats, on toy drums and percussion and also plays horns and sings.



Mostly the music is 60's pop music, folk music and 50's styled rock and roll. For fans of unusual covers, the band does nice cover of The Box Top's hit The Letter (has to be heard to be believed), Dimples by John Lee Hooker and Chuck Berry's Memphis. Right now I am listening to Bubble Gum Music where Josie and the Pussycats is name checked. Most of the songs are under three minutes long here. There really is nothing on this album that is disagreeable. Some of the highlights include the microrockin' Thriftshoppin', the Richmanesque Speakeasy Song, Going Downtown, and the Brill Building styled (A Funny thing Happened On The Way To The) Toystore. One of my favorites is Sun Will Follow where The Velvet Underground and The Brady Bunch have an awkward meeting. Pure pop for perpetual adolescence.