Do you have a vegetable loving kid at home? … No, me either.
The Vegetable Plot is on a righteous musical mission to make veggies more interesting to kids, and maybe even convince them to eat their 5 a Day. It’s an admirable goal, and if their tunes can make my kid reconsider her stance on broccoli, then I’ll be eternally, err, grape-ful, but for my artsploring purposes, I want to unearth how these veggies sound. We have been giving their album, Season One, a lot of listens, and I am peas-ed to tell you that we are digging it.
The Vegetable Plot is helmed by “Aspara Gus” (Luke Escombe) whose deep voice catches your attention from the beginning of the self-titled introduction song, “The Vegetable Plot.” This song is rock rollicker that has as many theatrical movements as a Meatloaf song (only, no meat here!). We’re also introduced to the rest of the singers, all with stellar voices and vegetable names (“Sue Kini,” “Collie Flower,” “Ru Barb,” “Rockit Lettuce,” “Tom Ato,” “Bro Colini,” “Artie Choke,” and “Butternut Squash”). They are backed by “freshest, filthiest, rootsiest band in town.” The “plot” also seems to include an alien abduction, which, I mean, why not? We had this on in the car, and every one of us found it impossible not to sing along.
From here, we take a musical wander through the garden, and I am so charmed by the fun this collection has with different style of music, as well as vegetable puns at every turn.
Swingy jazz is the predominant style, including the female harmonies on a sassy “Out of the Ground,” the upbeat “I Love to Go Outside,” the country tinged “Ru Barb,” the appropriately moody “Melon Collie,” and the bluesy “Rockit Lettuce.”
“Avocado” is the song that seems to have the most “stick in your head” power, as I’ve caught both Miss 5 and I wandering around singing “eat one in the morning or the arvo.” It’s a vintage piano rocker, featuring the most hilarious lyrics – and, really, who knew there were so many ways to eat them, aside from famously ruining our mortgage dreams on toast.
The band goes full on 70s funk in “Bro Colini (Vegetables are Funky).” And, speaking of the 70s vibe, I got the biggest kick out of “Let’s Make a Salad,” which is Marvin Gaye/Barry White romancer about gettin’ all your veggies nice and cozy together.
“Spanish Onion” is a tango with a vampire movie intro about the complicated, and possibly dangerous, mauve member of the onion family. Here’s the great video that goes with it:
“Artie Choke” is an old fashioned joke patter song, channeling Noel Coward. Artie has a million of ’em, and they’re all vegetable related.
Season One concludes with “Squeeze Your Vegetables” and “Little Green Heads,” two upbeat bop-alongs about picking, growing, and loving your veggies.
I can’t promise that listening to the Vegetable Plot is going to turn your children into vegetable lovers – that’d be some powerful voodoo right there – but, at least they may eye them with a little less suspicion (my 5 year old did ask for avocado with her breakfast this morning!). And, if nothing else, your whole family can “rock out with your broc out” with this fun collection.
More about The Vegetable Plot and purchase Season One on their website.
This review is independent and self-funded.
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