A name like the Sippy Cups makes you expect this group to offer music that never spills out of its safe container. While the tunes on this CD are far from messy, they do flow beyond the usual boundaries of family entertainment as they splash kaleidoscopic pop sounds all over a plateful of mind-stretching kid-centric lyrics.
Started by parent-musicians with a number of indie-rock credits, the Northern California-based band includes Paul Godwin (singing and playing keyboards), Alison Faith Levy (singing and keyboards, too), Jozef Becker (drumming), Rudy Trubitt (singing and playing guitar), Doug Nolan (juggling and unicycling for stage shows), and Ariane Cap (playing bass). Their album explores life’s ups, downs, and in-betweens on such songs as the twisty-turny “My Loose Tooth,” the creative math educational “Seven is the New 14,” and the alt-rocking-soul-searching “My Angry Voice.” The journey takes on a distinctly ‘70s feel with tracks like “Hailstone Man” (a rumination on science and superheroes) and “Don’t Remove the Groove” (a danceable take on environmentalism). Even Beatles influences tinge“Daddy’s Lucky Charm.”
The Time Machine, the ensemble’s follow-up to their popular Electric Storyland, never ceases to surprise with comic interludes and ace musicianship that enliven the songs. You might also want to check out their artsy Web site for more info on the band, their work, and their core values as performers.
