Big D and the Kids Table – Fluent in Stroll – Record Review

"Fluent in Stroll" is a title that rings true to Big D and the Kids Table's newest sound, in the sense that it comes so naturally and flawlessly to the group. When I first took a listen to "Fluent in Stroll" I was shocked like every other Big D fan about the style change. However, after listening to their previous album, "How it Goes", you can hear the similarities between the two albums (example: "Been Wishing On" sounds like "The One") and one could perceive that "How it Goes" was actually a transition from their older stuff (namely "Strictly Rude") to "Fluent in Stroll".
 
But Big D fans, old and new, need not to worry because sometimes change is good, and in this case change is excellent. The band goes back to the traditional roots of first wave and two-tone ska, adding even more of a sweet melody with the female background vocal group the "Doped Up Dollies". This only adds to the ingenuity of David McWane, Sean Rogan, Steve Foote, Derek Davis, Ryan O'Connor, Dan Stoppelman, and Paul Cuttler, the large body who makes up Big D and the Kids Table.
 
It also seems that "Fluent in Stroll" tells a romantic story, showing the ups and downs of relationships (mainly the downs). In the first track, "Doped Up Dollies on a One Way Ticket to Blood", we are introduced to a woman named "Ms. Mary Mack", and a man's infatuation with her ("My major impressionate is known to dance with sleepy, feline eyes/ 'Cause she's a long cat/ A sly cat/ She's quite a little ninja, my tough little ninja). The romanticism only expands from there, with lyrics like "I'm forever your partner/Yeah I can hold you above them for days" from the second track "Describing the Sky". A good amount of the songs on this album deal with a man trying to prove his love for a woman he desires, namely "A Kiss A Week", " Been Wishing On", "Down Around Here", and "Where Did All the Women Go?". "Known to be Blue" and "Chin Up, Boy!" deals with the pain of heartbreak that seems to happen to the man in the story.
 
Even though the album is filled with heart-wrenching lyrics and unfortunate relatable situations, Big D always pulls through for a happy ending. The last track on the disc, "We Can Live Anywhere!" illustrates that hope, if nothing else, always wins in the end. Luckily, I have more than hope for what amazing things Big D and the Kids Table has in store for the future.

Band MySpace: www.myspace.com/bigdandthekidstable
Record Label: www.myspace.com/sideonedummy

 

-Sarah K.-
Music scene reporter
Big Wheel Online Magazine