MetroKids

April, 2008
by Kathy O’Connell

The first song on Gunnar Madsen's I'm Growing builds to a delightful crescendo of voices and sounds to introduce the latest creation by one of family music's true geniuses.

Throwaway lines like "St. Groundhog's Day" bring the giggles on "Pumpkin Hair," a seemingly traditional country song that dissolves into a jazzy scat riff. "Walkin' Back to Texas" is a San Francisco boy's lament for the Lone Star state that displays the depth of production and songwriting skill Madsen brings to this project.

"Sun Comes Up" brings a nice Caribbean feel to a kid's daily morning ritual, while "Mozart's at the Window" is a brilliantly literate homage to classical composition. Madsen's work with acapella group The Bobs serves him well on the latter song, a litany of difficulty including "he's stuck at John Wayne" (Airport).

"Cutest Little Guy" is an upbeat love song to the kid who's "a little like his Mama and a lot like me." "Always on the Bottom" rhymes with "Hillary Rodham" in its celebration of the place that provides "shelter from the storm."

"I Feel a Waltz Coming On" is worthy of Sondheim, making this show tune fan deliriously happy.

The recent death of my 20-year old cat made my personal favorite "There's a Bowl of Milk in the Moonlight," with its chorus of "meows." I'm Growing is simply a brilliant album. You can find all Gunnar Madsen's music online at www.GunnarMadsen.com