Key Wilde & Mr Clarke

Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke, an eclectic duo performing here with other exceptional musicians, serve up smartly layered instrumentation and vocal harmonies, and inventive lyric construction that is both witty and packed with real-life animal facts. Among the creative tracks: "Armando Armadillo," performed ranchera ballad-style; and an "Alligator Get-Together," making engaging use of a slow, bluesy bass line as a family of the reptiles, with "70 teeth to every happy smile," hold a reunion ("We'll thrash our tails, we'll roar and wail"). A portrait of nature's contradiction, the platypus ("there's no fathoming me or what I am"), is punctuated by kazoo and comical oom-pah-pahs; and a blustering, overturned "Bombardier Beetle" is sure he'll soon be "right as rain….just have to keep a stiff upper mandible." The album ends with a lovely, life-celebrating vision of an animal Eden ("Animal Island").

Lynne Heffley ©2015 Parents' Choice - Parent's Choice

My appreciation for Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke is long-standing and deep. My review of Rise and Shine, their first album from early 2010, felt to me less like a review than a summary of everything the duo had done in the couple years or so leading up to the album.

And to some extent I feel a bit the same way about their brand-new second album, Pleased To Meet You. It's been more than 3 years in the making, obviously, but beyond that, some of this music ("Animal Alphabet", for example, or "Raised By Trolls" and "Chuckers") has made its way into the world during that time. So when I say that this album feels familiar, I can't always tell if that's because it actually is familiar or because KWMC have tapped into some timeless country-punk attitude.

In that review of their debut, I called the band (they're a quartet now, with a handful of guest artists, including producer Dean Jones, joining in) a "mix of Johnny Cash, Johnny Rotten, and Johnny Appleseed." Sometimes, as on the opening title track (whose structure as a counting song is disguised by the propulsive shuffling beat and the British born-Clarke's slight sneer of a voice), they mix them up on the same song. "Raised By Trolls" has a killer surf-rock guitar line, but the next track, "Wander Round the World" is a sweet and earnest bluegrass ode to travel.

If anything, Wilde and Clarke's songwriting has become even weirder. "Lazy Raisins" is a ska tune about some raisins doing nothing but lying in the sun (which makes sense, when you think about it). "King of the Town" is a rocker about a kid who bemoans his inexplicable election as head of the city until he makes some very sensible rules. That's followed by "Conversation," a mini-operatic rocker in the vein of the Who about a kid confused by the adult chatter at a party which features the line, "Please excuse me / I have to step outside / My bike is double-parked." And as mystifying that song is, I have no idea what "Bigga Bagga" is about other than silly wordplay and shouting "Oi!" a lot (as a result, I think it'll be a big hit with Little Boy Blue).

Which isn't to say that they can't be tender and linear -- "Take Ten" is a roots-rocker with layered harmonies that happens to be about frustration and taking a break. But kids will relate because it's willing to sound how kids (and, occasionally, adults) honestly feel -- "This is the stupidest planet in the entire universe / It's so dumb / It's not fair / I've had enough / And I just don't care / Count to ten / Start all over again."

The 45-minute album will be most appreciated by kids ages 3 through 8. You can listen to the entire album here. And of course the physical product includes illustrator Wilde's character-filled illustrations of assorted animals and people. (Visit the KWMC website for stories behind some of the surprising appearances on the album cover.)

If you've read this far, it shouldn't be any great surprise that I think Pleased To Meet You is fabulous, an energetic blend of Americana and punk, of empathy and third-grade snark. Fans of Rise and Shine should snap this up immediately, and the rest of you shouldn't delay much, either. Highly recommended. - Zooglobble

Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke began writing and performing together in 1990, and formed the duo Reak and Stump in Pittstown, New Jersey. The two hail from vastly different backgrounds. British born Clarke was in such prominent bands as The Boring Sponge, and The Undead in the 80's Long Island punk/hardcore scene. Wilde grew up in Texas and North Carolina, and started out playing Bluegrass in bands such as The Rank Strangers, and The Dreadful Snakes. This seemingly unlikely pairing of talents shares an obsession with tight vocal harmonies, which is a defining element of their sound. Pleased To Meet You is their sixth album for children, and is a cornucopia of musical styles, all with wonderfully bizarro lyrics and great singing.

The album opens with the cowpunk shuffle of "Pleased to Meet You." It then moves to the slightly techno-sounding and silly "Animal Alphabet," before offering a wonderful song about that alienated feeling many children have in the hilarious "Raised By Trolls." Clarke's British accent gives the songs he sings lead on, such as "Bigga Bagga," "Lazy Rasins," and especially "Eggplant Man," a rock and roll edge. Wilde's songs sound like classic country, as in "Wander Round the World," which is served over a hot bed of pickin' and grinnin' bluegrass. Likewise, his take on classic train tunes on "Railroad Medley," is a showcase of American country melodies. Some absolute gems of songwriting include their lazy ode to a favorite fat cat in "Chuckers," and the metal crunch monster music of "Trondaxx Berserker." There even a lovely, gentle, childlike rendition of Reverend Gary Davis' classic blues "Candyman." The album closes with the power pop of "Take Ten," which wisely advises children to take a break when they are having troubles, and the mandolin swing of "Falling Star."
Lahri Bond ©2013 Parents' Choice - Parent's Choice

Whimsy, humor, originality, and talent flourish in this zany boardbook packaged CD from the musical duo Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke.

Bluegrass, 80s punk rock, rock 'n roll, and more styles abound on this 10-song CD beautifully packaged in a colorful board book that includes Wilde's song-related illustrations.

With singing voices a little reminiscent of Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton (Clarke was born in the U.K.), and Johnny Cash and Buddy Holly (Wilde is from Texas), these two have teamed up to create an astonishingly witty collection of songs about pigs growing as big as tractor trailers, flying to the moon in a red balloon, and a dog who thinks he's a frog. Clever, laugh out loud lyrics, from musicians who clearly enjoy their work. - Parent's Choice Awards

It's hard to review an album when in one sense you've been reviewing it for a couple years now. From the very beginning, the songs from Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke were so wonderful, so fun that I couldn't stop telling people when they'd added another one to their collection. And now, many many moons later, the final product is here, Rise and Shine, the duo's debut kids' album, and familiarity has not breeded contempt, but rather continued and even heightened endearment.
The album kicks off with the earthy title track -- never did eating one's worms sound so appealing outside of the avian world -- and pulls you in with each successive track. "I Had a Little Dog" is a shambling country melody that notes almost as an afterthought one of the album's few attempts at a standard moral lesson ("can't be what you're not / so be proud of what you've got"), followed by the hardest rocking kids tune of the year, the awesome "Favorite Names". If you're not in love with this album by the fourth track ("Big Pet Pig," with Wilde's shouted counterpoints -- "Well he can take all the garbage you've got (WHAT YOU GOT?)" -- to Clarke's sung verses), then there's not much I can do for you. That track's followed by two subversions of traditional kids' tunes -- "John the Rabbit" adds a whole cast of mischievious supporting characters while "Rattling Can" is a nuclear (literally) re-envisioning of "Rattlin' Bog." If the rest of the album doesn't quite reach the heights of those first 6 tracks, well, it comes close, and who can blame them when he bar was set so high? (I do particularly like "18 Wheeler" and the dreamy formal album closer "Peekepoo.")
The album's probably most appropriate for kids ages 3 through 7, though the sly humor underpinning the entire album broadens the age-appropriateness considerably. In its physical form, the album also comes with a lovely book/CD case drawn by Wilde, who's also an illustrator. You can hear the album here.
So, yeah, the album's great -- a mix of Johnny Cash, Johnny Rotten, and Johnny Appleseed. Targeted at the kids, but with enough musical gifts to keep the parents happy through repeated listenings, Rise and Shine is already one of the year's best albums. I hope the follow-up comes out much, much faster. Highly recommended.
- Zooglobble.com

KEY WILDE & MR. CLARKE “RISE AND SHINE”
The Sound: A British punk in a Southern town. Quick-witted, quick-spitted wordplay paired with a unique brand of Americana/country music.
In the Cafeteria, They Sit With: Never before have I had such difficulty answering this one. So, I’m going to hem-n-haw a little…Mr. Oscat, Sandra Boynton (her animal-themed songs), Robbert Bobbert (sorta).
Best Moments: “Counting One to Ten” does for number songs what John and Mark’s “Colors” did for tunes about the color spectrum – that is, raise the bar to soaring new heights for songs with such banal, preschoolish themes. With lines like “8 red ants dance the night away under bright white lights on the Champs D’Elysess”, the song succeeds by making you laugh while simultaneously painting wildly vivid portraits of animals in unlikely and ridiculous situations.
I’ve had much of this album for many months now and Key Wilde and Mr. Clark’s “Rattling Can” remains a big time favorite. During our KC Jiggle Jam roadtrip last year everyone in the car took on the challenge of repeatedly repeating the list of lyrical ingredients, trying our best to keep up with Mr. Clark’s increasingly rapid delivery. It also gave us the perfect opportunity to work on our British accents. Just like “I Had A Little Dog” (video below), “Rattling Can” is a building block song, piling up phrases while repeating those that came before. The album stands proudly on the shoulders of these progressive songs, along with 1 up tempo lullaby – the sweet & sublime “Going to the Moon”.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention “Favorite Names”, the punkest of the KW&MC set. The duo manage in squeeze in two dozen ‘J’ names, and a few Oi!’s, into a 2 1/2-minute span, crossing over into both Spanish and French in the process. It’s an awesome rock song even if none of the three ‘J’ names in my household managed to make the cut!
Bonus Thoughts: Check out the adorable video for “I Had A Little Dog”, featuring illustrations by Key Wilde.
Bonus Bonus Thought: Like other CDs from the Little Monster label, “Rise and Shine” is packaged exquisitely. For the price of the disc, you are also getting a board book featuring 10 pages of Key Wilde’s novel illustrations. Digital music is swell and all, but this is the kind of album you need to hold in your hands (or have your child hold in their tiny hands) while the music swirls around your head.

Photo by Thom Lang
Okay, Time to Wrap it Up with a Nice Little Bow: The 1st (and only) time I met Mr. Key Wilde was over lunch in a Spanish restaurant in Brooklyn. He was wearing a business casual mix of whites and baby blues, looking as though he’d just left his Savannah, GA law firm. Audibly, there’s an equally fascinating juxtaposition with Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke. Their music is an imaginative amalgamation of early 80’s U.K. punk rock styling and charming low country sweetness – kinda like folks in the South making fish-n-chips with catfish instead of cod, which, like “Rise and Shine”, is awesome in every possible way.
Attention Philly-area readers: be sure to catch Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke this coming Saturday morning, January 16th, at World Cafe Live. For more info and tickets, click here.
- Out With the Kids

Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke
Rise and Shine
© 2009 Little Monster Records
One played bluegrass in his past, and the other’s a Brit who was part of the ’80s Long Island punk scene. Yes, this is a children’s music duo I’m talking about. Rise and Shine is the long-awaited release from a group that’s been described as “Syd Barrett meets Hank Williams.” Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke have performed and recorded songs together for almost 20 years, but this is their first release for the whole family to enjoy. The songs will get stuck in your kids’ heads, but this is a good thing. The first infectious tune, “I Had a Little Dog,” isn’t merely a song about animals with identity crises. Keep listening—there
is a message. Mr. Clarke’s punk roots blast through with “Favorite Names.” And if you want a (milk) pint-chugging song for your little half-pints, introduce them to “Big Pet Pig.” Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke are gems in the world of family music. Don’t let this treasure slip trough your fingers.
- Chattanooga Parent Review

Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke's CD and board book, Rise and Shine
By: Paula Slade -
Combining original compositions with a mix of traditional elements, children’s music duo, Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke, launch their new CD and accompanying board book, Rise and Shine, today, Tuesday, January 5, 2009, and were featured as live guests on Sirius XM Satellite Radio’s Kid’s Place Live – the Rumpus Room at 4 p.m. Eastern time.
Wilde and Clarke’s zany kid-friendly songs already are hot requested items on radio stations, and now with their new Rise and Shine release, cleverly packaged inside a fanciful hand-drawn board book, illustrated by Key Wilde, they have provided children with a humorous visual addition to their music.
Standout songs on the Rise and Shine album are, “Favorite Names” (a delight with kids whose names begin with the letter “J” ) and “The Rattling Can” as well as, “I Had a Little Dog” – all three songs exhibit the type of verbal gymnastics that really appeal to young ears.
The 11 Rise and Shine tracks are available to sound sample and order (CD with board book) from indie label, Little Monster Records, while individual MP3 download tracks are available from Amazon.com.
If you happen to be in the Philadelphia area on Saturday, January 16, 2010, you can catch Wilde and Clarke in live performance at the World Café, or if in New York City on Saturday, February 13, 2010, at Symphony Space.

Below for you enjoyment, is a video of Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke’s, “I Had a Little Dog," from the Rise and Shine album.
- examiner.com

Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke's CD and board book, Rise and Shine
By: Paula Slade -
Combining original compositions with a mix of traditional elements, children’s music duo, Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke, launch their new CD and accompanying board book, Rise and Shine, today, Tuesday, January 5, 2009, and were featured as live guests on Sirius XM Satellite Radio’s Kid’s Place Live – the Rumpus Room at 4 p.m. Eastern time.
Wilde and Clarke’s zany kid-friendly songs already are hot requested items on radio stations, and now with their new Rise and Shine release, cleverly packaged inside a fanciful hand-drawn board book, illustrated by Key Wilde, they have provided children with a humorous visual addition to their music.
Standout songs on the Rise and Shine album are, “Favorite Names” (a delight with kids whose names begin with the letter “J” ) and “The Rattling Can” as well as, “I Had a Little Dog” – all three songs exhibit the type of verbal gymnastics that really appeal to young ears.
The 11 Rise and Shine tracks are available to sound sample and order (CD with board book) from indie label, Little Monster Records, while individual MP3 download tracks are available from Amazon.com.
If you happen to be in the Philadelphia area on Saturday, January 16, 2010, you can catch Wilde and Clarke in live performance at the World Café, or if in New York City on Saturday, February 13, 2010, at Symphony Space.

Below for you enjoyment, is a video of Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke’s, “I Had a Little Dog," from the Rise and Shine album.
- examiner.com

The Barry Louis Polisar Tribute Album: Potentially Awesome
No, that's not the name -- it's my verdict.
I've known for awhile of the tribute album consisting of Barry Louis Polisar covers, produced by Polisar's son Evan Aaron Cohen of the Radioactive Chicken Heads. But now it's got a name -- We're Not Kidding -- and, more importantly for the purposes of this website, songs for your listening pleasure.
I use that phrase "listening pleasure" advisedly, because the songs I've spun thus far have been uniformly winning. I started out with the familiar names -- Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke, Elizabeth Street, Tor Hyams, Ham & Burger, The Boogers -- and all of those tunes worth the time. (Check out the electric guitar on Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke track.) And then I moved to the unfamliar, the top of the page. After 4 songs, some fabulous, none less than interesting, that's when I realized that this could be, well, potentially awesome.
A 2-CD set could be too much Barry Lou, but the combination of Polisar's songwriting with the varied musical approaches and high quality production (never Polisar's strength) make me very eager to hear the final product, set to be released this year.
Posted by SAShepherd on April 21, 2009 04:02 PM | Permalink
- Zooglobble.com

The Barry Louis Polisar Tribute Album: Potentially Awesome
No, that's not the name -- it's my verdict.
I've known for awhile of the tribute album consisting of Barry Louis Polisar covers, produced by Polisar's son Evan Aaron Cohen of the Radioactive Chicken Heads. But now it's got a name -- We're Not Kidding -- and, more importantly for the purposes of this website, songs for your listening pleasure.
I use that phrase "listening pleasure" advisedly, because the songs I've spun thus far have been uniformly winning. I started out with the familiar names -- Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke, Elizabeth Street, Tor Hyams, Ham & Burger, The Boogers -- and all of those tunes worth the time. (Check out the electric guitar on Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke track.) And then I moved to the unfamliar, the top of the page. After 4 songs, some fabulous, none less than interesting, that's when I realized that this could be, well, potentially awesome.
A 2-CD set could be too much Barry Lou, but the combination of Polisar's songwriting with the varied musical approaches and high quality production (never Polisar's strength) make me very eager to hear the final product, set to be released this year.
Posted by SAShepherd on April 21, 2009 04:02 PM | Permalink
- Zooglobble.com

Rise and Shine! with Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke
For the Kids, Media

A brand new release by Little Monster Records is a fun, frivolous album by the matched-well duo Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke: Rise and Shine!
Rise and Shine is different and mold-breaking in and of itself: It comes housed within a fun board book full of illustrations by Key Wilde. Key Wilde and Mr. Richard Clarke, who began their musical partnership in the 90s, are a teacher/daddy duo…so they know their audience well. They represent a crazy world “where pigs grow as big as tractor trailers, little dogs think they are bullfrogs, and people can go to the moon in a red balloon.”

This album isn’t just for wake-up time. Its zany, extremely varied tunes are for any time of day or night….and will get pretty much anyone up and dancing. Songs range in sound from bluegrass to punk rock to British-inspired folk. Whether you’re tapping and clapping to “Rattling Can,” thrash-dancing around the den to “Favorite Names” or nodding off to “Pekepoo,” one thing is true: The lyrics are nonsensical, zany, and utterly unforgettable.
Kevin Salem of Little Monster Records is excited to release Rise and Shine:
“It was inevitable that we would put this recording out. It’s rare to find a record that feels organic and believable from beginning to end. There are so many layers in these songs; I love the diversity and contrast, not only between Key and Richard, but also between the traditional and ethnic instruments. And the songwriting is stellar.”
Listen to the music now, enjoy the board book later….or read and listen at once. Rise and Shine is a multi-sensory adventure! You can buy Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke’s Rise and Shine via Little Monster Records, from Amazon, or at select music shops.
(Enjoy the music video of “I Had a Dog,” created with Key Wilde’s adorable artwork:)
- Muse.com

Rise and Shine! with Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke
For the Kids, Media

A brand new release by Little Monster Records is a fun, frivolous album by the matched-well duo Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke: Rise and Shine!
Rise and Shine is different and mold-breaking in and of itself: It comes housed within a fun board book full of illustrations by Key Wilde. Key Wilde and Mr. Richard Clarke, who began their musical partnership in the 90s, are a teacher/daddy duo…so they know their audience well. They represent a crazy world “where pigs grow as big as tractor trailers, little dogs think they are bullfrogs, and people can go to the moon in a red balloon.”

This album isn’t just for wake-up time. Its zany, extremely varied tunes are for any time of day or night….and will get pretty much anyone up and dancing. Songs range in sound from bluegrass to punk rock to British-inspired folk. Whether you’re tapping and clapping to “Rattling Can,” thrash-dancing around the den to “Favorite Names” or nodding off to “Pekepoo,” one thing is true: The lyrics are nonsensical, zany, and utterly unforgettable.
Kevin Salem of Little Monster Records is excited to release Rise and Shine:
“It was inevitable that we would put this recording out. It’s rare to find a record that feels organic and believable from beginning to end. There are so many layers in these songs; I love the diversity and contrast, not only between Key and Richard, but also between the traditional and ethnic instruments. And the songwriting is stellar.”
Listen to the music now, enjoy the board book later….or read and listen at once. Rise and Shine is a multi-sensory adventure! You can buy Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke’s Rise and Shine via Little Monster Records, from Amazon, or at select music shops.
(Enjoy the music video of “I Had a Dog,” created with Key Wilde’s adorable artwork:)
- Muse.com

Live Video: Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke “Mary the Fairy”
OWTK Kid's Concert Reviews, OWTK Kid's Music News — By Jeff on January 16, 2010 at 4:56 pm

‘Twas a family affair as Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke rolled through Philly this morning. Key’s son lent his backing vocals to several songs, manned the butterfly net on “Mary the Fairy” and performed admirably on the (rattling) can of silly string. Key’s daughter operated the laptop, projecting her father’s illustrations on the large screen behind the band – in perfect synchronization with the tunes.
The duo was accompanied by a rhythm section and the whole band sounded terrific as they played through 1/2 of “Rise and Shine“, adding 2 cuts from their Spring Preview (video of that below), 1 classic children’s tune and 1 Happy Birthday song.
Set List (this may be slightly out of order):
• I Had A Little Dog
• Mr. Moto
• Big Pet Pig
• Happy Birthday (to Jeff Bogle…hey, that’s me!)
• Going To The Moon
• There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly
• Favorite Names
• Mary the Fairy
• Counting One to Ten
• Rattling Can
• A Lullaby (that I don’t know the name of)
While I failed to get the musical birthday wish to me on video, I did manage to capture the mellow loveliness of “Mary the Fairy” (posted with Key Wilde’s permission) – Enjoy:
Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke’s next gig is Saturday, February 13th at Symphony Space in New York. Tickets and more info here.
- Out With the Kids

This up-and-coming duo’s tunes call to mind the
sounds of Johnny Cash...had the Man in Black
sung slightly more kid-appropriate songs.
Kids will likely get a kick out of the nutty
lyrics in ditties about dogs who think they
are frogs and fish that fly. Parents can vibe on
the multilingual punk tune “Favorite Names”
and on “Rattling Can,” an awesome bluegrass
reworking of the Irish ditty “Rattling Bog.”
- Time Out Kids

“Their farm-funk sound is as fresh as it is entertaining-- truly bluegrass with an edge.”
- Cookie Magazine, September 2009
- Cookie Magazine

This up-and-coming duo’s tunes call to mind the
sounds of Johnny Cash...had the Man in Black
sung slightly more kid-appropriate songs.
Kids will likely get a kick out of the nutty
lyrics in ditties about dogs who think they
are frogs and fish that fly. Parents can vibe on
the multilingual punk tune “Favorite Names”
and on “Rattling Can,” an awesome bluegrass
reworking of the Irish ditty “Rattling Bog.”
- Time Out Kids