Courtesy: The Stacey Peasley Band
Independent children’s entertainer Stacey Peasley recently released her sophomore album. The aptly titled Lucky Day could be good luck for Peasley as it has proven her potential as a viable commodity in the world of “kindie-rock.” The songs on this album—Peasley’s second full length release—offers plenty of material for listeners of all ages. And it all starts with the album’s opener ‘Little Soccer Player.’ While not even two minutes in length, the song paints a picture so vivid that it just begs for a music video. The album’s midway point, ‘Broken Record’ is a song that speaks both to children and adults equally. And the homage to vinyl records by guest star Mista Cookie Jar adds a certain extra touch to the song that parents especially will enjoy. Being that most of the country is caught in the grips of the summer heat, the album’s closer ‘Summer Day’ is just as much a welcome addition to Lucky Day as ‘Broken Record’ and ‘Little Soccer Player.’ These three songs are but samples of what makes Lucky Day a worthwhile listen for parents and children alike. The album’s remaining songs not noted here each have their own enjoyment. And families will find their own songs to enjoy when they order Lucky Day for themselves. They will find in listening to this album that Lucky Day will make their day.
The timing of Lucky Day’s release could not have been any better for this independent “kindie-rock” band. This is especially the case considering the album’s opener. The 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament just finished up. But thanks to this album’s opener, parents everywhere can keep a young person’s love of and interest in soccer alive even with the media hype dying down for the next four years. The song paints a wonderfully vivid picture of a parent on the sidelines of a youth soccer game cheering on his or her child. That the parent in question could be a father or mother makes the song even better. The parent sings to the child, “Little soccer player/In the morning sun/Time for early wake-ups/The season has begun/Little soccer player/See you on the field/Focused and determined/Skills will be revealed/And all the mommies/Have their coffee/They cheer really loud/And all the daddies clap so hard/Cause they are really proud to see you run so fast/Take a shot/Make a pass/Give it all you’ve got.’ The parent goes on to sing about the child practicing so proudly, his sister cheering, too on the sidelines. As the song nears its end, the band gradually increases the song’s tempo until it finally reaches its ultimate climax. The interesting thing is that on one hand, that closing could be just as easily left in the air as it could be solidified. The picture is so vivid that it makes perfect fodder for a music video. That increased pace in the song’s final moments would be the young soccer player running to the goal in preparation of kicking the ball. That combination of music and lyrics in this piece work together to make ‘Little Soccer Player’ the perfect opener for Lucky Day and the perfect introduction for anyone that might be new to The Stacey Peasley Band’s music.
‘Little Soccer Player’ is a wonderful opener for Stacey Peasley’s new album and an equally impressive first impression for those that might be new to her music. It isn’t all the album’s only high point, either. Just as enjoy able is ‘Broken Record (ft.Mista Cookie Jar).’ Whereas ‘Little Soccer Player’ was sung from the vantage point of the parent, this song is sung from the vantage point of the child. The child sings about his or her parent sounding like a broken record as said figure tries to get the child to brush her hair, to stay in her chair at dinner, why she won’t eat her macaroni and cheese with utensils and more. This could very well be the wrong interpretation, but the tone of the music and lyrics together seems to hint at the gap in understanding of responsibility between parents and children in this case. The young child has almost a frustrated tone as she sings of her father’s request, “He asks me once/He asks me twice/And by the third time/He doesn’t seem so nice/Cause it feels just like a broken record/Asking the same thing/Over and over.” Guest star Mista Cookie Jar’s addition to the song makes it even more enjoyable for listeners. He sings to his younger listeners that they need to give their parents a break, which parents will most definitely appreciate. He adds in a little history lesson on the different forms of music presentation, too. He raps over the track, “So what’s a broken record/Before you ask that/You’ve gotta ask/What’s a record/Way before the invent of MP3s/YouTube/And even before CDs/They made a big brown disc/Made outta wax/Put the needle on the track/And play music back/From the boom/To the bap/Motown/to even rap/Classical/rock/Folk/Pop/Funk/Hip-hop to Jazz/And when the record gets fresh/It gets wicky wicky wack/Cause some sound was straight played/Over and over/Make you lose composure for the record/This defines a broken record/Now that you know/Give your mom and dad a break/You heard?” Mista Cookie Jar’s explanation and tie in to his brief history of vinyl easily reach both parents and their children alike. And alongside Peasley’s own story of the gap between parents and children, it paints a picture just as vivid as that painted in the album’s opener. It makes the album in whole all the more enjoyable, too.
Both ‘Broken Record’ and ‘Little Soccer Player’ are excellent examples of why Stacey Peasley and company are ready to be one of the next big names in “kindie-rock.” There is at least one more song on the band’s album that serves as an example why every label and listener should check out this record. That song is the album’s closer ‘Summer Day.’ Considering that the country is in the grips of the dog days of summer, this celebratory song is a perfect fit for the band’s new album. As with ‘Broken Record,’ this song is sung from the vantage point of the child. The child (and other children) sing of going to the beach to get through the summer. They sing, “It’s summer day/Going to the beach/We’re gonna play/In the sand and sun/Summer day/swimming in the ocean/With our friends/Gonna have a ball. As with the songs previously noted here and those not mentioned, Peasley and her band mates have painted one more wonderfully vivid musical picture to accompany a song that in itself will have listeners of every age singing along happily.
Stacey Peasley exhibits so much talent throughout the course of this album’s ten total songs. From painting near perfect musical pictures to exhibiting a full understanding of the effect of dynamics, Peasley has collectively crafted an album that could very well be the album that really breaks her in the “kindie-rock community.” Lucky Day is available now. It can be ordered direct from the band’s official website at http://www.staceypeasley.com/. Fans can also check out Stacey Peasley’s official Facebook page for her latest news and more at http://www.facebook.com/pages/-The-Stacey-Peasley-Band/60359963730. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.
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