Trout Fishing in America
My Best Day

(Trout)

First Appeared in The Music Box, January 2007, Volume 14, #1

Written by John Metzger

In recent years, the children’s music market has exploded as artists ranging from Justin Roberts to Laurie Berkner and from Brady Rymer to Dan Zanes have staked their careers on creating material that is as appealing to adults as it is to their offspring. While there’s little doubt that the foundation for this lucrative niche was poured when Sesame Street premiered 37 years ago, there’s also some truth to the notion that Trout Fishing in America was equally influential at creating the blueprint for success. Founded in 1979 by guitarist Ezra Idlet and bass player Keith Grimwood, the band slowly but surely has garnered a significant following, and it has done so on its own terms by working outside the commercially inclined mainstream establishment. Trout Fishing in America recently scored a Grammy nomination for its latest effort My Best Day, and upon hearing the set, it’s easy to see why. The entirety of the outing was recorded in concert on February 11, 2006 in Conway, Arkansas, and throughout its lighthearted performance, Trout Fishing in America, with the help of multi-instrumentalist Fred Bogert, demonstrated its eclectic but wholly pop-oriented approach. While the title track is rooted in the world beat rhythms of Paul Simon’s Graceland, other songs (such as My Hair Had a Party Last Night and It’s a Puzzle) are imbued with the free-spirited playfulness of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras celebration. Although its messages are positive, they also are delivered subtly, and sometimes Trout Fishing in America simply revels in its family-oriented humor. Strange as it may seem, a few of the tunes on My Best Day would work remarkably well within the context of albums by Barenaked Ladies (Alberta Postcard) and Leftover Salmon (Murrell’s and Beans and Weenies). ½

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Ratings

1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2007 The Music Box