novelty acts

I love what might be called novelty acts. Tonight I'm seeing The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players. They are an amazing act. Jason Trachtenburg buys old slides at garage and estate sales then writes songs about them. He plays guitar and keyboard. His nine-year-old daughter Rachel plays the drums, and his wife Tina plays the all-important slide projector. The show is hysterical. The connection might not seem obvious but Jason reminds both Lawrence and myself of Pete Kennedy.

I hate calling them a novelty act because they really are good. It isn't just the fact that they are different. There really isn't another word for it though.

So with no implications of lack of merit what novelty acts do you like?

They were talking about them on NPR last week. I'd love to make it out for one of their shows. Their songs reminded me a lot of a cross between TMBG and a Fr�-Improv bit.

 

You are right with the TMBG connection.  John Flansburgh has been promoting the crap out of this group as they opened for TMBG many times in the past year.  They kind of remind me of TMBG in the 80s, when they were more of an avant-garde act, not a standard rock band.

Plus, they do remind of the Kennedys in the cuteness factor.  What is more cute that a family group where the drummer is a 9-year old girl? (well, it worked for the Partridge Family, except this girl actually PLAYS.)

Saw them on Conan a while back. I had to turn it off.

Just like TMBG, they are NOT for everyone.

love, love, love the trachtenburgs. i guess you could call radiant pig and the diana froley 3 "novelty acts," too.

any relation to Michelle? I'd say no, based on their picture

Does Corky and the Juice Pigs count? My brother's a big fan. I like about two of their songs and don't think I could listen to them for an extended period of time, but every once in a while, it's nice to hear "I'm the Only Gay Eskimo."

no, michelle's last name is trachtenbErg.

So does anyone else think that Rachel looks a bit like a young christina ricci?

I was joking

*chuckles and hums The Pandas Must Die*

does Anal C**t count as a novelty act?

*cue 10 minutes of hysterical giggling* :D

Oh man! I'd totally forgotten about them!!!!!

:D

*goes off to search for mp3's*

Has anybody else seen Polygraph Lounge? These guys are totally insane. The play weird instruments like Therimons and kazoos plus some they made themselves. One is a contraption that allows you to play three slide whistles simeltaneously. They are also virtuosi on their real instruments, keyboard and guitar. PL is as much fun as anyone I've seen.

I don't think Radiant Pig and Diana Froley 3 are novelty acts. They don't have a gimmick. They just play neuromusic.