Two Words, One Answer.
Monkey gives
 Monkey Face Rattle $6.99 I had my doubts about ANY rattle that was made of wood, let alone a painted one. We have this and the fish rattle by Melissa & Doug; both have cracked and peeled with even the most minimal exposure to moisture (drooling and teething tend to be pretty wet experiences). Also, all toys, especially those which go straight into the mouth (which is most of them) have to be washed a LOT. Another issue is that this is really going to hurt when babies smack themselves in the head with it, and they probably will, depending upon the age of the child. Both rattles look terrible, with chipped, fading paint. They were cute (at first) and appealing, on the plus side. I would not recommend these, or give them as gifts, to anyone with an infant. They seem to be more decorative than functional. We have always had Melissa & Doug products and really enjoy them, but will probably steer clear of their baby items.  Give a Monkey a Brain and He'll Swear He's the Center of the Universe $11.98 GAMAB is one of those discs that (along with its successor "Chim Chim") to this day still roils and boils the 'Bone familyhood -- some thought it was too metal, some thought that it was too inconsistent, some thought the overall mood was too dark, and others just went along for the exciting ride. My take: The highs are high, and the lows are just kind of blah. The lows? "Black Flowers," "No Fear," and "They All Have Abandoned Their Hopes." Highs? I'd rather try to get your ear buds poppin' with "Lemon Meringue," one of the VERY BEST Fishbone tunes ever conceived and recorded. A very skewed and tangy take on 90's radio with the most beautiful backing vox, delicious melodies, and booty-shaking bottom, a tune to laugh, cry, and rage with. Speaking of rage, there's no shortage of that with "Swim," a kind of neanderthalic tribute to mosh pits, "Servitude," a jeremiad against religious demagoguery in 6/8, and "The Warmth Of Your Breath," a skapunkfunkmetalwhatsis hilariously profane crooked cop broadside. "End The Reign" is delightfully metallic, if a bit heavy-handed. Not to be forgotten is yet another piece of ear candy, the ska tour de force "Unyielding Conditioning." In the middle and the end are "Properties of Propaganda" and "Nuttmegalomaniac," some of that good, good funky stuff that Fishbone, at their best, made sound both utterly classic and cutting edge. I'm tearing up just thinking about this album. Don't believe the naysayers...well, maybe a little. There are some low points here, just not the ones that they blab about. Mostly...! |
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