If you were an Australian teenager in the 90’s, there’s a good chance that Regurgitator was the sound of your youth. Or, so I’m told. I was not an Australian teenager, and Regurgitator didn’t quite make it to my sphere; but, by the reaction I saw online when it was announced that the alt-rock band was back in 2019 as “Regurgitator’s Pogogo Show” with a children’s album, I got the gist of how beloved they were. Frankly, you don’t have to look further than their promo photo to see that whatever they’re serving is going to be a whole lot of irreverent fun. So, with zero preconceived notions, I started spinning The Really, Really, Really, Really Boring Album for my girls – and myself – and away we went with the ‘Gurge.
The Really, Really, Really, Really Boring Album opens with literal fanfare (Track 1: “Fanfare Intro”), transitioning right into “The Pogogo Show Theme,” a cheer-rap with hand claps, children’s instruments, and a boredom busting purple dragon, magical unicorn, and impromptu drum set. If you had any questions about the title’s sincerity, it doesn’t take more than a couple of tracks to know that this album is clearly going to be really, really, really, really not-boring.
The predominant sound across the 16 songs (there’s also one story), most of which segue into each other, is a sort-of 70s punk vibe with a lot of retro electronic instruments, some rap, and a lot of happily goofy character creation that steps right into the world of childhood banter.
“Favorite Song,” for instance, which really might be my favorite song here, features a stick in your head call-and-response, “which song is your favorite song?/ this song is my favorite song.” It sounds exactly like a conversation a couple of silly 6 year olds might have, just set to a rollicking drum beat. That is followed by “I Don’t Wanna Dog,” in which the guys go back and forth on the question of, “if you were gonna get a pet, what kind of pet would you get?” (your kids have totally had this conversation, right?). The answers get increasingly silly – a frog, a bat, a piece of toast… Seriously, have they been recording conversations with my children?
Kid-fun, and all of its energy is celebrated in songs like, “Games on My Computer,” with 80s style video game sounds; “Pillow Fight,” “Party, Party, Party,” and “Best Friends Forever.” And, if things tend to turn a off-colour in your children’s conversations, Regurgitator gets your kids – “Mr Butt” is about a guy who needs to pull his pants up and “Farting is a Part of Life” needs no further explanation, other than to let you know that, yes, there are sound effects.
I love “Pigeon Riding on a Motorcycle,” in which the gents take on the persona of tall tale swapping old men, sharing all of the “crazy things” they’ve seen “in our time.” It has a touch of country twang, and is full of funny imagery. The tales we tell are also the fun of “Ghost Cat,” another rocker about a mythical “ghost cat” who is to blame for the big mess in the yard, but is mysteriously hard to see.
“The Box” is the perfect ode to childhood imagination, and all the things a kid can turn a box into.
Both my 2 year old and 7 year old have gotten a big kick out of this collection, on their own terms. The little one loves all the funny words and repeated phrases. Big sister’s musical tastes are moving ever more out of the kindy world and into more grown up music, and this one ticks the boxes for her with its more sophisticated rock sound, coupled with the very silly stuff that she still loves. This album will age very well with kids moving onto big people music – I think it will have legs for kids up to about 9 or 10, and it’s no hardship for the whole family to listen to – especially if you fondly remember the sounds of Regurgitator from your pre-kids days.
Regurgitator’s Pogogo Show‘s The Really, Really, Really, Really Boring Album is on ABC Music.
Read the rest of our Listening Ears On reviews for more non-annoying children’s music!
Littlefolk by Angie Who
Little Steps, Big Adventures by Tiptoe Giants
Hey Hey, Let’s Play by Nay Nay
Helpful Songs for Little People by the Teeny Tiny Stevies
Beyond the Little Star by Benny Time
Season One by The Vegetable Plot
Here Comes Science! by They Might Be Giants
Storytime Singalong Volumes 1 and 2 by Emily Arrow
Bunny Rumble by Bunny Racket
Keep It Real! by Caspar Babypants
6 Great Christmas Albums for Kids
Scratch ‘N’ Sniff by The Sticker Club
All the Sounds by Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats
Lullabies of Broadway Act II by Mimi Bessette
Winterland by the Okee Dokee Brothers
Nali and Friends by Dan Sulatan