Binary

Gr 1–5—With clever lyrics, awesome tunes, and great harmonies, Board of Education's second album is a lively, bouncy compilation of nine rock tunes and one calypso song. Kevin Emerson, Eric Goetz, Jon Goff, and their guest musicians give excellent vocal and instrumental performances on guitars, bass, cello, keyboards, saxophone, horn, trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, drums, and percussion. "Why Is Dad So Mad?"—because he hates the Star Wars prequels and calls them the "dark side of George Lucas." But the son sneaks over to a friend's house to watch them anyway. "The Ballad of Rodo Chouch," about a classroom fish that died, has a sound reminiscent of the great 1970s band, America. The other songs include "Welcome Back/Geography Quiz" (the countries that resulted after the USSR break-up), "Binary," "First Day," "VASIMR (To Mars)," "Three," "Know Your Inventors Part II" (in this case, Stephanie Kwoleck, inventor of kevlar), and "Other Things That Are Awesome" (such as salsa, amoebas, vibrations, etc.). A fun and funny album that the whole family will enjoy.—Beverly Wrigglesworth, San Antonio Public Library, TX