Album Review: The Jungle is Jumping

This is one kid’s CD that is unlike any other I’ve heard – The Wiggles they aren’t, unique they are, that’s for sure!

My subject matter experts for this album are my wee girls Liz, 7, and Jen, 4½ – after repeated listens I asked them for their opinions on each track … with mixed results … and accompanying their comments are my thoughts.

Do the Woopsie – The little ones were slipping and sliding all over the floor – they really enjoyed this track.
Liz – yup, like it
Jen – me like this!
Liz – me too!

Little Miss Mosquito – A dark wee tale of a night-time assassin … gots to check out those words … made me itch!
Liz – Yup, love it
Jen – I like it!!

The Jungle is Jumping – the title track of the album, and definitely different from all the others. The spooky predatory undertones got under Jen’s skin, but Liz loved it … a deliciously carnivorous tale.
Liz – I like it because it “sounds cool” and the name of it!
Jen – not a huge fan of this one, it’s “talking weird and scary” – after which she promptly hid under her blanket …

Lady Luck – Ukulele and brass winning over the little ones – nice little jazzy chorus is my favourite bit.
Liz – it’s cool because … the same as Jen …
Jen – likes this one, it has good words and voice 🙂

Don’t Believe What I Say – an amusing tune full of contradictions …
Liz – I like this one because it says “my little brother is older than me!”, and it’s funny!
Jen – it’s fun to dance to!

Peel Me – Another daddy drum solo to accompany this one. Rhythm these guys have.
Liz – I like it because … because it’s got funny words in it.
Jen – I like it because it has good words and good voice.

No Toast – If nothing else they got the point of this little ditty 😉
Liz – It’s funny because it’s called No Toast, and he has to go to the shop to get toast, and he’s crazy! And because it’s got whistling and I want it to teach me how to whistle.
Jen – it’s funny because it’s called No Toast, and he’s got no toast!

Real Good Time – Amazing what a bit of woodwind will do, this track kept the party going, and bought a big smile.
Liz – I like it because it’s funny
Jen – I think it’s funny and it makes me happy when I’m sad!

Get Out – good message to this one, which Liz picked up without prompting …
Liz – I like this song because it’s got funny words, and it says “get out of your phones!” and it’s really funny funny funny because it says throwing and throwing and throwing! And because it’s so crazy!
Jen – I love this song, because it’s funny! And it’s so crazy!

Paradise – Another dark little ditty about frustration and anger – there’s a positive message in there though … I’m sure? Amazing how happy things sound when there’s ukulele involved 🙂
Liz – I like it because it says “paradise”! The words that they say are funny …
Jen – I like this one because it’s so perfect! 

In Your Pyjamas - This one is a lot slower, to be honest they were a bit bored …
Liz – I don’t like it because of the voice …
Jen – yeah, the voice …

Pom Pom Song – Another groovy little tune that got their little bums swinging 🙂
Liz – I like Bom Bom [sic] because it’s funny …
Jen – me too!

Need The Bees – A great message I couldn’t agree with more. Pity the kids were over it by now and completely gave up on me 😐
Liz – I hate it. Just because.
Jen – I hate it. Just because.

All in all, I like where fleaBITE are trying to go with this – it’s not a “traditional” kids music CD, by that I mean not the usual generic rubbish that is forced down kids’ throats these days – but like anything that deviates from the norm, it either flies or burns. I’m still on the fence, truly – there’s nuggets of loveliness and nuggets of darkness … in a way I guess it attempts to encompass a wide range of emotion, rather than rely on simple soulless rhyming and repetition like mainstream kids music.

I gave the CD a fair few chances, and by and large the tracks the kids didn’t like were obvious, and the ones they did like the most they were vocal about – even down to the track numbers (3, 6 and 7) – but they were far from unanimous about it, proving if nothing else that this is one album that delivers something different to each child that hears it – and the older they are the more they hear.

But don’t take my word for it, as always I’m just here to write what I think – and in this case what my kids thought, so get out of your screens and make up your own mind.

Bake me roast me cut me up and toast me …
CEOMong, assisted by guest contributors Liz & Jen

For more information about FleaBITE, check out their website here.