The Terrible Twos Albums (2)
What The Critics Say
The Terrible Twos' first album was a refreshing entry in the world of kids' music. Under the leadership of ex-Get Up Kids and current New Amsterdams leader Matthew Pryor, If You Ever See an Owl... was a wonderfully lighthearted, instantly memorable record that easily reached its goal of making kids' music that parents could like too. The follow-up album, Jerzy the Giant, also fulfills this aim and, despite a few bumps along the way, further establishes the group at the forefront of making music for both the short set and their keepers. Pryor and the group don't change much, formula-wise. There's a nice mix of gentle rockers, bouncy pop songs, and quiet ballads, all based around acoustic guitar and all direct and simple. There are learning songs ("Consonants"), playful songs ("Big Baby J," "Olly Olly Oxen Free"), and tender tunes ("Say Say Anything," "Amelia Minor" [the latter a sweet, folky ballad of letters and girl names that Pryor could have saved for his concurrently released solo album]) that show plenty of range and will keep listeners tuned in. Occasionally, the record goes below the cute and shiny surface and digs into some heavy stuff, especially on the William Belzer-written and sung "Playground," which tackles the subject of schoolyard bullies very poignantly. On the other end of the spectrum are the three songs Pryorco-wrote with his young daughter Lily -- the silly "Great Big Poop," which should probably have been saved for Pryor family singalongs, but also the quite cute "Watch Out for Lions" and "Elliott Oooh." The Terrible Twos aren't the only band making a bid for credible kid rock -- they are one of the best, though, and Jerzy the Giant will make an excellent addition to road trip rotations, playgroup soundtracks, or anytime parents (and kids) need to escape the alternately fluffy and stuffy sounds of most children's music. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide
'If You Ever See an Owl...'
Release Date 4/10/2007
Tracks 15
Label Vagrant/Poquito
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
As a member of the pioneering emo group the Get Up Kids, Matt Pryor has got to be one of the most obvious choices for any of his peers to release a children's album, if for the simple fact that his voice is well, perfect for one. After the Kids called it a day in 2005, Pryor turned his attention to the New Amsterdams, and it's that band's lineup that has retooled itself as the kid friendly crew, the Terrible Twos. The mission was to create music to replace the cheese their kids mostly listened to, and the group's ridiculously cute debut, If You Ever See an Owl..., is exactly the breath of fresh air that parents ready to pull their hair out at the mere thought of another hug-filled Barney song need. This is a family album in every sense, since parents will appreciate the band's easy-on-the-ears rock -- hitting relatable topics like bedtime difficulties ("Grumpy Bug") and dinnertime woes ("Pizza & Chocolate Milk") -- and the kids will love the regularly memorable hooks, occasional silly lyrics and always soothing vocals. Simple, warm acoustics and brushed percussion drive this laid-back 15-song set (clocking in at just over a manageable 30 minutes), which benefits as much from good pop songwriting as the band's ability to not sing at kids, but with them. Sure, there's time for teaching things like diversity and tolerance ("We Can All Get Along with Dinosaurs"), simple math ("Math Stomp"), and the proper way to excuse yourself (the adorable "Smickey"), but the Terrible Twos truly succeed in that they can do all of that without preaching. Everything is delivered in the form of inherently innocent, unpretentious and lighthearted songs that are really just plain fun to listen to. And even when the kids aren't around to sing along, it's very possible that If You Ever See an Owl... could stay on in the background. Children's music that's actually good and not grating? Mission accomplished. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide
