Shad Weathersby was an artist totally unknown to me, but this charming, lyrical, silly and utterly fun little CD has made me an instant fan.

Weathersby, a longtime versatile songster in the New Orleans music scene, has written, played and sung everything from rock to jazz to new age (he's apparently great pals with George Winston, Windham Hill's premiere pianist) to spiritual. I very much look forward to finding his handful of other recordings. The CD at hand, though, gives the listener a sublime sampling of Weathersby's abilities.

The title track surprisingly is about a caterpillar and its journey to butterfly-hood. There are also songs about a sausage dog (with one of the most interesting onomatopoeic lyrics for the sound of the dog's tongue ever!), a disobedient roach and a flying elephant named Jones, who unfortunately doesn't know how to land. "Yellow" is a lovely hymn to all things of that hue. "Extra Curricular Sunshine" joyously celebrates how imagination and a positive attitude can lighten and enliven even the cloudiest, rainiest of days. The final track, "In My Room," while definitely from a child's point of view, strangely and hauntingly echoes the Brian Wilson/Beach Boys song of the same title.

All of the songs bounce and flow with magical rhythms, whimsical and not-afraid-to-be silly vocals and, best of all, no overproduction. (Raffi, take a lesson!) As a former children's librarian, I can see endless uses of this CD in programming, but it's lots of fun for listening at home or in the car as well, even for Mom and Dad on the 10th playing of the day.

by Stephen Richmond
Rambles.NET
31 December 2005

[ visit the artist's website ]