If one is not familiar with Friendly Richs particularly peculiar brand of eclectic, progressive, vaudeville folk, the start of album opener "Gentlemens Club can trick the listener into expecting jovial big band lounge, that is until the Lollipop People start flexing their Dinosaur Power. Taking traditional cultural music motifs, mostly European, and warping them with Richs demented storytelling, theatrically comical voice and his bands dexterous handling of complicated arrangements, Dinosaur Power is the most confident release yet for these Bramptonian performance artists. They put a freaky waltz "Fatwa on you one song and somehow make a cover of the Littlest Hobo theme cool the next, then disintegrate into bursts of free jazz for the title track and creepy French uncle crooning for "Me n Mom. Fans of Zappa, Beefheart and Tom Waits will find a lot to like about Dinosaur Power. Its the kind of zestfully wacky, scatter shot release thats impossible to take seriously and even more impossible not to enjoy.
(Pumpkin Pie)Friendly Rich and the Lollipop People
Dinosaur Power
BY Scott A. GrayPublished Jul 26, 2008