Indulge me for a moment and envision Emmet Otter’s Jug Band – but as humans, rocking out with a washtub bass, a kazoo, a cigarbox guitar, and a host of other homemade instruments. Ok, that is pretty much any jug band, but if you were able to picture Emmet Otter, I think you might enjoy GREEN AND BUMPY, the latest album from Michigan’s DEEP FRIED PICKLE PROJECT.
Opening with the “Grossest Song Ever,” I have to stop to dispute that claim. Sure, it’s sorta “gross” in a kid-picking-their-nose kinda way (the song is about boogers, snot, vomit, and the like), but I’m fairly certain that CANNIBAL CORPSE, CARCASS, and more recently, CATTLE DECAPITATION (interestingly, all bands that start with “C”) have songs that are “grosser.” That said, it’s pretty amusing.
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With a folky brand of Americana, Deep Fried Pickle Project sings plenty of songs about pickles (and offers a warning: “Never drink the juice at the bottom of the pickle jar”) alongside tunes about robots, the importance of safety, lemonade stands and worms. It’s subject matter that a lot of kids will enjoy, but parents might give a groan or a sigh here and there. At one point there’s a rendition of an old folk song called “The Cat Came Back,” which some of you might find yourself humming along with as the melody was recently borrowed by Canadian rockers THEORY OF A DEADMAN for a song about a questionable young lady coming back.
Overall, Deep Fried Pickle Project is fun, but like most pickles, it’s likely an acquired taste.
GREEN AND BUMPY is available now on iTunes.
The Rock Father Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
FTC Disclosure: A copy of this album was provided to The Rock Father for the purpose of review consideration. All opinions are that of James Zahn with the input of a 39-month-old. Word Up!
