Artist: Eric Herman
Album: Party Animal
Age Range: 5 through 10
Description: Inside Eric Herman is a comedian desperate to get out. He's always had a bit of a funny streak, but on his latest album, he pretty much gives himself over entirely to his inner "Weird" Al Yankovic.
I suppose with a title like Party Animal (and that exuberant album cover), that's to be expected. The best tracks channel some of Al's manic energy ("November First") or his spot-on musical homages (the country stylings of "Can We Buy a New Car (So I Can Have a Balloon)," my favorite track on the album). Let's face it, any song called "Be a Mime" is a song inspired by your inner goofy-8-year-old. (And, in the case of this particular song, also by that 8-year-old's mom.)
The 30-minute album moves quickly, so if a track doesn't amuse your kid, they can just fast-forward to the next one. I'm looking forward to Herman's next album, a full-on comedy album, but there are a handful of tracks here he can use as the musical mixtape before he takes his standup on the road. Recommended for the young comedians (or wannabe young comedians) in your life.
