REVIEW: "What Kind of Cat Are You?!" Rating: **** (4 and 1/2 stars)
The Bottom Line
This spirited recording is original and fun for the
whole family. It features an interactive style that invites everyone to sing and "bang" along.
Product Overview
Billy Jonas doesn't only employ instruments like the
guitar and piano in this delightful family recording, he uses homemade instruments and one of the best instruments of all -- the audience! What Kind of Cat Are
You?! is a clever and energetic collection of songs that
invite participation. The title track is enormously
fun. Jonas involves his audience (consisting of both
children and adults) by posing musical questions, all of which are riddles and wordplay using the word "cat," such as, "What kind of cat is really, really scared?" (a scaredy cat), and "What kind of cat is a great big disaster?" (a catastrophe), with the vocabulary increasing in complexity as the song progresses. In "Some Houses", the lyrics explore different materials, such as plastic, metal, and wood -- all of which are traced back to their origin, the ground! "Alien in My Lungs" is a hilarious song about a wicked cold, and "Nine-Foot Dragon and a Four-Foot Boy" tells a compelling story. The cover, "Lean on Me", is warm and heartening, and Tongo!" invites dancing along. And buried in the the slurpy silliness of "Watermelon" is a lesson about photosynthesis. Both the lyrics and the instrumentals on this family recording are highly creative. Through singing, speaking, and whispering, Billy Jonas delivers an especially
interactive experience. He encourages listeners to grab
something (such as keys or chairs) to bang on; the audience
participation helps encourage kids to shout out answers to musical questions and to repeat lyrics
Dollar Value
The audio CD retails for approximately $15 US.
Released: 2002
Reviewed: November 2002