Trout Fishing in America
My Best Day
(Trout)
First Appeared in The Music Box, January 2007, Volume 14, #1
Written by John Metzger
Musically speaking, it’s a great time to be a parent. Over the course of the past decade, numerous artists — from Brady Rymer to Justin Roberts and from Laurie Berkner to Dan Zanes — have changed gears, opting to make albums aimed at children rather than at adults. Their approaches, however, have remained the same, which is what has made their efforts so appealing.
Trout Fishing in America was one of the first outfits to pave the way for the revitalization of the children’s music market. Bass player Keith Grimwood and guitarist Ezra Idlet founded the group in 1979. Although its success initially came slowly, it nevertheless has managed to amass a sizeable following over the years for its independently issued endeavors. The collective recently landed a Grammy nomination for My Best Day, its most recent outing, and immediately upon hearing the collection it is easy to understand why.
The entirety of My Best Day 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
My Best Day is available from
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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