Big D and The Kids Table - Fluent in Stroll

By: Olivia Doran

Big D and The Kids Table
Fluent in Stroll

(Side One Dummy)

SOUNDS LIKE: Summer days.

After 13 years as a recording band, Big D And The Kids Table are still producing music to keep their well-established fan base intrigued. The latest and sixth full album from the band, Fluent In Stroll, was therefore a bold move in that they have divorced themselves from their former punky-ska sound to the latest, self-described "stroll". Big D has developed and matured their music from the older straight-up punk to a much more laid back, happy, funky, lazing on a summer's day sound whilst maintaining familiar elements like the ska-brass, the reggae influence (notably tracks like "Been Wishing On") and strong vocals and subject matter, namely girls and partying.

I appreciate all that's taken place, I also agree this is a nice summery record: I see barbeques, men in flip flops, straw hats, and so on; I like brass in tracks, I like the multicultural influences ("Where Did All the Women Go" has a nice Latin kick) and I especially like the idea of a new genre ("stroll"), but I can't help but feel it's sort of, for lack of a better word, bland. Contributing factors include: 13 years together and this is it? Also, the album is long with 13 tracks, all of which are comparable. There's not one track I would actively put on but then again not one track would I skip in shuffle.

There's nothing inspiring about 30 year old guys singing about sunshine and chicks.

Video: "Fluent In Stroll" by Big D and The Kids Table

^{Posted: February 22, 2010}