Alphabutt [PA] (CD - 2008)

Personnel: Kimya Dawson (vocals, guitar, kazoo, piano, hand claps); Jason Carmer (vocals, guitar, bass instrument, drums, rattle, hand claps); Angelo Spencer (vocals, guitar, drums, wood block); Becky Shea (vocals, ukulele); Callidora Cadogan (vocals, kazoo); Panda Dawson-Duval (vocals, piano); Nico Carmer (vocals, drums, hand claps); McAlister Shea, Brian "Brain" Mantia (vocals, drums); Sofia Jeremias, Erez Frank, Barbara Shipowo, Erez Frank (vocals); Kevin Cadogan (kazoo); Aki Mantia (piano); Miles Milstead Murgia, Amani Shea (drums).

Recording information: Stupidio, Berkeley, CA.

Author: Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Rather than follow up her unexpected mainstream breakthrough from the soundtrack of the 2007 film smash JUNO with a more traditional indie rock album that would further her commercial profile, the always idiosyncratic Kimya Dawson decided to do something else entirely: ALPHABUTT is the anti-folk singer-songwriter's first album comprised entirely of children's songs. Given the deliberate faux-naif primitivism of Dawson's regular albums, however, an album of children's songs differs from her previous work mostly in that she doesn't swear on this album. But as the indie kids turn into indie moms and dads (much like Dawson herself, who had her first child in 2007), ALPHABUTT is the hipsters' alternative to Raffi. ALPHABUTT is available as a digital download, a standard CD, and a vinyl LP. minimize