Go for the Moon

Go for the Moon. Performed by Andrew & Polly. CD. Approx. 37 min. Records Palindrome Records. 2019. CD: $12.00; Digital: $9.99.

Ages 4 – 8

On their 5^th album, Polly Hall and Andrew Barkan, composers and producers of music for television and film, perform 8 original, humorous songs and 3 cover songs in pop, novelty pop, calypso, and rock musical styles. They have created this album to encourage courage, believing and wonder in their young listeners. Guest artists Lucy Kalantari, Mista Cookie Jar, and Mike Phirman add their considerable talents on various tracks. Back-up musicians give excellent performances on ukulele, accordion, lap steel, bass, cello, trombone, trumpet, woodwinds, saw and drums. In addition, listeners can hear some very nice vocal harmonies on several songs. “All Star,” a cover of the 1999 Smash Mouth hit, encourages listeners not to care what others think, but to get their game on and be an all-star. Andrew and Polly live in a “Crazy House,” but it’s a perfect place to be for a crazy person. Children who keep falling off of their chairs must go to “Chair School.” The duo also covers Roger Miller’s classic “You Can’t Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd,” (but you can be happy if you’ve a mind to). After the narrator tells knock-knock jokes and riddles, trombones give “Brass Chuckles” at the punch lines. One can take a trip to the “Aquarium” to see ocean creatures and colorful fishes. Everyone at school knows “Mom’s Name” as the name of their child--“Frankie’s Mom,” etc. “Three Chartreuse Buzzards” counting poem spoken in dull, monotonous, non-unison voices. In the “Garden of Your Mind” (by Fred Rogers) one can access imagination, pretending, curiosity, thinking, and grow ideas. “Zipper + Saw” are friends, with Saw from Arkinsaw and Zipper from Mississipper. Acrobats, trapeze acts, tightrope acts, and lions in the ring are some of the performances at the “Circus by the Sea.” This funny and unique album will tickle the funny bones of young listeners.

Website: www.andrewandpolly.com