The Biscuit Brothers

Old MacDonald’s EIEI Radio

To assess the relative merits of the Biscuit Brothers’ second self-released album without the input of the Austin-based, grassroots musical educators’ target demographic would be to overlook the importance of their audience. So, like Jane Goodall with her chimps, here are the results of this critic’s nonscientific study of a toddler’s response to Old MacDonald’s EIEI Radio, gathered during numerous car trips. “Barnyard Lullaby”: Subject sings along with Buttermilk’s “quack quack quack,” taps hand on leg. “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain”: [pointing at stereo] “Bye! Bye!” (This seems to be subject’s equivalent to the gong). “Make Your Shoes Move”: hysterical laughter and body shaking. “The Can-Can”: mild bewilderment coupled with amusement at Mom’s dancing along to the frenetic tempo. Interstitial “radio commercials” and manufactured radio static: Subject stares out car window. Conclusions: Mostly entertaining for both parent and child but perhaps a bit too heavy on the filler.

**.5

This article appears in April 20 • 2007.

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