DURANGO (2008)
"Singer-songwriter Kaplan has a husky, wispy sort of voice that curls up and sits on a nearby sofa. Remember Paul Williams’ best songs?"
-MOJO, UK ("Durango" is a Top 10 song pick in the March '09 issue)
"Superb, comfortingly un-hurried jazz-tinged Americana / Mexicana where friendly Steve Forbert-esque vocals and Joe Ely-ish attitude sit perfectly in classic songs that the great Hoagy Carmichael would have been proud to claim as his own. The title track is a wistful lazy delight, expressing desire to up and leave for the wide open spaces - "Oh the city night's not dark, like Durango". And dear old Plonk Lane (Small Faces / Faces - God bless him) would have truly loved Marianne, its mandolin and its chopping-across-the chords guitar. Tucumcari, a muy loco, comical 300-mph US-Mexican border adventure with mariachi accordion and wide-screen movie Dick Dale / Ventures / Shadows electric guitar, leaves you begging for the next chapter. Reason to Be Here features classic Byrds pop guitar, beguiling descending bass lines, True At The Time is quietly hilarious and it takes a couple of quiet listens before the pervy tale of What Is That Noise? unveils itself. The whole album, musicianship and production is absolutely real (as in, not processed or manufactured, with no computer in sight) with art-work and presentation that are way cool. I'll be playing this for a long, long time - you should too. Kaplan and Schey - muchos gracias, hombres!"
-Peter Innes / ALLGIGS.co.uk
"(Durango is a) subtle, warm, well crafted set of songs. Randy Kaplan has a dual personality as a performer of kids’ songs (with none of the usual schmaltz) and a writer of well crafted songs released on several albums over the years. This album has his adult hat on and is a collection of songs he has written with Brian Schey over the past two decades. Ranging from supper club jazz, Broadway like tunes and some very tasty Americana friendly songs this is like a finger buffet, lots of choice... There’s no doubting Kaplan’s talent. Intelligent songwriting will out... The meat here is in a brace of songs in the middle of the album. “What is that Noise?” is a beautiful love song of sorts that begs plenty of questions as to where and what has happened. Nicely picked with some great Hammond organ you just want to listen to this over and over. “Leftovers” sounds like a great long lost Steve Forbert song but better than anything Forbert has written for some time. “You Never Know Why” alternatively growls and skips and at times is reminiscent of Dylan’s 4th Time Around."
-Paul Kerr / AMERICANA-UK.com
"'Durango' finds Randy Kaplan in collaboration with composer, arranger, producer Brian Schey; a wonderfully infectious album rammed with beautifully crafted songs, each as individual as the next but all coming together to form a glorious aural montage for the senses.
"Kaplan's wonderfully throaty, dusky voice and whispery delivery are augmented by some pretty majestic sounding 'scores'; somewhat reminiscent of a subtle Tom Waits, Kaplan and Schey sure make a joyous sound. 'Durango' is a lovely chilled album that begs to be listened to in depth and with respect just to be able to pick up on all its subtleties and underlying nuances. Every song here has been carefully assembled with just enough instrumentation to make it work; never once does the 'score' become crowded or even slightly 'full' - it's a perfect example of giving it all that it needs but no more!
"'Durango' soothes as it excites; it has a beautifully dreamy feel to it and I wouldn't be surprised to see 'Durango' becoming a 'classic' album of our times. Yes, it's that good!! In fact, if music was truly tangible, 'Durango' would feel like the finest silk, the softest leather or the finest ermine! If it were a precious metal it'd be rated at twenty-four carats, at least - it's a real beauty, of that I'm absolutely positive!
"Every once in a while there's an album that comes out that sets new standards and really makes people stop and listen; 'Durango' is just such an album!! Tripping lightly and easily through folk, country and light rock, 'Durango' offers something for most tastes; un-pigeonholeable and genre defying it's a wonderfully laid back and compelling album of the highest order!
"I'm actually stumped for words to describe this work; 'Durango' by Randy Kaplan with Brian Schey is the absolute mutt's nuts, I don't think my meagre words could ever do it full justice, it's just one of those albums that you have to hear for yourself to be able to make your mind up. Just about as good as it gets, 'Durango' by Randy Kaplan with Brian Schey is world class!! Pure brilliance! Absolute heaven!! 'Nuff said!!"
-Peter J. Brown / TOXICPETE.co.uk
LOQUAT ROOFTOP (2008)
"Roots rocker Randy Kaplan is one of those happy-they-exist people you can't quite tell is playing kids' music. And yet he is... He is absolutely worth a listen when he shows up at Symphony Space... He'll introduce kids to authentic-sounding originals as well as Tin Pan Alley numbers, Broadway showstoppers, and Delta blues."
-New York Magazine
"What's a loquat? It turns out that it's an Asian fruit, but it's also the subject of a song by Randy Kaplan... whose music combines rock, blues and stories."
-The New York Times
"Singer/storyteller Randy Kaplan crafts a brassy, old-timey collection with subjects from "The Fire Engine" ("It's big, it’s red / It's metal with water") to laundry camp ("Clothes Dryer"). "The Ladybug Without Spots" showcases Kaplan's bluesy storytelling. (Top 10 Children's CDs of 2008)"
-National Public Radio (NPR)
"Kaplan returns with more of the half-singing, half-storytelling style that made his first kids' CD, Five Cent Piece, such fun. His musical tales—which follow such interesting characters as a cat named Nothing and a ladybug with no spots—slip into more varied genres this time around, with elements of Spanish guitar and New Orleans–style jazz trumpets added in along the way."
-Christopher Healy / COOKIE MAGAZINE
"This has been a banner year for family music, with all kinds of unusual choices, sometimes from already famous artists and often from artists who should be famous. Randy Kaplan is of the latter variety, as his second children's album, Loquat Rooftop attests. A singer-songwriter who bounces between New York and California, Kaplan carries his eclectic interests in roots rock, folk, blues, standards, and theater onto this CD. Listening to this recording feels like hanging out with a guy who's playing what he loves and making it completely his own, especially on classics such as country legend Hank Williams's "Move It On Over" and Annie's Broadway chesnut, "Tomorrow." Although I hesitate to do much comparing, Kaplan shares a subtly subversive playfulness in his original compositions with Peter Himmelman, as evidenced by story-songs of "The Sour Song" and "No Nothing." Then, when you get to the footstomping revelry of "Boogie Woogie Washer Woman" and the elegantly starry title tune, it's easy to conclude that this is a musician bravely taking kids to a textured world of music history and contemporary inventiveness."
-Gregory Keer / FAMILYMANONLINE.com
"Randy Kaplan is another artist taking elements of folk, blues and rock and delivering an amazing collection of songs. Loquat Rooftop, his second release for children, gets the kids up and ready with the bluesy, twangy "Good Morning Blues." "Clothes Dryer" carries you away to a lazy summer day in the Louisiana bayou, as Kaplan sings the story of how he learned how to wash his clothes. And if you’ve wondered what it would sound like if someone sang "Charlie Brown" at the Grand Ole Opry, you can hear it here. There’s even a great rendition (with kids singing along) of "Move It On Over." Stick around for the end of the disc as he offers up a slow and lovely mandolin and horn version of "Tomorrow." Loquat Rooftop wraps up very nicely with the slide guitar- and harmonica-heavy song "Gotta Get Gone." Randy Kaplan has a gift of performing songs with lyrics kids will enjoy and music their parents will really dig."
-CHATTANOOGAPARENTMAGAZINE.com
"Randy Kaplan is a very clever singer, mostly from Brooklyn though he's recently apparently hit the road and is wandering between Brooklyn, Colorado, and California. His first record, Five Cent Piece, had some very funny songs, most notably the tale of the shark who appeared in Randy's tub, demanding, "Shampoo Me," which invariably causes intense giggling in our house. Loquat Rooftop is similarly funny, with "No Nothing" (about a cat named Nothing and some other oddly-monikered critters) and "Clothes Dryer" (in which he reminisces about laundry camp), along with some cool covers (Charlie Brown, Move It On Over). The CD has some sweet moments, too, most notably with the title track evoking a summer evening in the city enjoying the Asian fruit called a loquat. The music ranges from fairly straight-up folk to something with a more bluesy vibe, but, even in those familiar genres, nobody really sounds like him."
-LITTLEROCKFAMILY.com via Bill Childs / SPARETHEROCK.com
"Some of the best music ever composed is often thought of as such because of its ability to, either with it's rich lyrical content (i.e., "Bob Dylan") or passionate instrumentation (i.e., Miles Davis), conjure up vivid images in the listener's mind. While a kiddie rock songwriter may trade visions of Johanna for those of a cinnamon gum ladybug, this same measuring stick of quality is true of music written for the single digit crowd.
"Much like the greats who can be referred to simply by one name (Woody, Seeger, Dylan, Cher - ha!) Randy Kaplan is a dude who knows how to use words as brushstrokes. The picturesque songs of "Loquat Rooftop" radiate warmth, thanks in large part to his uniquely familiar voice and his front porch style of music. His is the musical equivalent of comfort food. Kaplan's tunes are humorous yet sincere with characters who dance happily in your imagination. He is the John Prine of the children's music scene with lyrics as sharp as an aged cheddar, wit to spare and a delivery that's the perfect marriage of singing and speaking.
"Loquat Rooftop" is his second (not just for) kid's record, and is filled with an eclectic mix of traditional tunes, famous covers ("Charlie Brown", "Tomorrow" from Broadway's Annie, Hank Williams' "Move it on Over"), and fabulous folky-jazzy-bluesy originals yet remains centered around the terrific, sentimental title track. With its gentle, finger-picked acoustic guitar, breezy harmonica and hot summer's day imagery, "Loquat Rooftop" is one of the best kid's songs released this year (I would've sworn Kaplan was singing about a fictitious fruit but it turns out that loquats are real!).
"Mike West, Kaplan's producer, penned the 2nd best cut on the record in "Clothes Dryer". The track features street festival horns that pop and includes the best sing along chorus on the disc in "...Clothes Dryer, ain't we got a line, ain't we got a yard full of sunshine". Spot OWTK on the road this month and you'll likely see us all silently screaming out those words.
"Kaplan is only two records into his kid's music career, yet I already feel comfortable placing him on the top shelf alongside Justin Roberts and Frances England. I'm stoked to hear what he has in store on future (not just for) kid's releases.
"Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Loquat Rooftop, either physically or digitally, right now."
-Jeff / OUTWITHTHEKIDS.com
"Randy Kaplan's debut kids' album, Five Cent Piece, was one of the coolest totally out-of-left-field things I've discovered since doing this blog... Randy always adds much of his own originality and personality and style and humor...and I can't imagine anyone else doing that kind of thing as well as Randy does for a kids audience... Like its predecessor, Loquat Rooftop includes some originals and some covers...but a significant thing about this new album is that the originals are the real standouts this time around... The feeling of enjoyment is always first and foremost with these originals...And some of the new originals are more straightforward sounding and are quite beautiful, like the title track (the melody of which reminds me a lot of a song that I'm not sure I've ever heard before), "(Don't Say) Anything At All" (I love how he demonstrates what he's talking about with his little kid voices between the verses) and "Gotta Get Gone", the bluesy closing number.
"A great thing about Randy is that he is not afraid to be downright silly with his voices and jokes when he knows that will serve the material and the intended audience. And by the intended audience, I don't just mean kids... adults eat up well-crafted goofiness, too (Monty Python, Steve Martin during his standup career, the Airplane!/Naked Gun movies, etc.). Certainly, this adult and his wife have laughed out loud many times while listening to this album. Some things like "The Sour Song" are kind of one-time laughs, as brilliant as they are, but other things are funny again and again, and Randy's eloquently witty wordplay and vocal phrasing is always a joy to listen to. He has a real knack for comedy and entertaining through his music, and I can't wait to hear what he'll come up with next."
-Eric Herman / COOLTUNESFORKIDS.com
"It is possible that Brooklyn-based Randy Kaplan could become, if he wanted to, the next Dan Zanes, playing for the moms and dads a mixture of blues and rock that works well for both the kids and adults. But on Loquat Rooftop, his second album for kids, Kaplan continues to follow his own idiosyncratic path that...shows off both his musical and storytelling chops...Loquat Rooftop's mixture of blues and folk-rock, laced with good humor and heart, will appeal to many kids and their adults. Definitely recommended."
-S.A. Shepherd / ZOOGLOBBLE.com
"Randy Kaplan brings a twangy, southern feel to several classic songs (including Tomorrow, which I played again and again, reliving Annie dreams, and Charlie Brown) and lots of originals (No Nothing was a huge favorite in our car and has been referred to and resung often.) With a mix of folk and alternative, and a little bit of pop ("Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow...") this is a CD I'm certain will be played for quite some time. Buy it or download the album."
-MOMMIESWITHSTYLE.com
"I've never thought of the Blues as particularly cheerful until I heard Brooklyn's Randy Kaplan sing Good Morning Blues, the first song on Loquat Rooftop. Amidst the amazingly nimble-fingered guitar work, I heard him ask, Good morning blues....blues How do you do? to which a little voice shouted back, Good...hungry!
"It's that happy-go-lucky feel throughout that had me wishing that Randy was sitting in our living room telling his stories directly to the kids. Songs like the hilariously odd No Nothing has a catchy chorus which makes me croon, I know nothing, you know nothing all day long. And, there is a whole funky orchestra of instruments on this CD, from harmonica to trombone to banjo which crank out music that is so darned good you won't care that this is a kids' CD. The tempo goes from the fast-and-furious Mazal Mazal, the little girl with a "laugh so loud it bounces off the moon", to the smooth and mellow title song. There are even a few covers which Randy makes into his own, like the bad-boy Charlie Brown, which, interestingly, is my son's favorite.
"With a unique ability to create great songs out of such everyday matter as laundry and ladybugs, I'm hopeful that Randy will be putting out CD's as long as my kids like to hear stories. And then some."
-Christina / COOLMOMPICKS.com
"Ed note: This is absolutely one of my top ten favorite new kids albums of the year. So worth a listen."
-Liz / COOLMOMPICKS.com
"Randy Kaplan's highly acclaimed first children's CD, Five Cent Piece, firmly established him in the kids' music scene with glowing reviews from children, parents, and critics alike. His second (not just for) kids' CD, Loquat Rooftop, is filled with twangy, good-natured songs that blend American roots, folk, alternative and pop. Randy's playful lyrics, skillful composition, and inviting vocals assure us that he's delighted to set the stage for a perfect all-ages listening session."
-POKEYPUP.com
"Though family-friendly, Randy Kaplan's music CD album Loquat Rooftop is not just for kids. Featuring vibrant, original blues/folk-rock songs that flirt with whimsical lyrics and toe-tapping rhythms, Loquat Rooftop makes a most delightful holiday gift. The tracks are "Good Morning Blues", "Clothes Dryer", "Mazal Mazal", "No Nothing", "Charlie Brown", "Move It On Over", "The Fire Engine", "Sweetie Pie Honeycake", "The Ladybug Without Spots", "Boogie Woogie Washer Woman", "Loquat Rooftop", "The Sour Song", "Go Tell Aunt Rhody", "(Don't Say) Anything at All", "Tomorrow", and "Gotta Get Gone". Highly recommended for all ages.
-MIDWESTBOOKREVIEW.com
"Some people go into a kids' album project with the idea that they have to become this goofy alter ego in order to appease the "children's music" preconception. Not so Randy Kaplan. No, Kaplan has a unique style, musically and lyrically, that translates smoothly to the kids' music world without having to change a thing... Randy is a storyteller at heart, and it really shows on Loquat Rooftop.
"As with "Over the Rainbow" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" on last year's Five Cent Piece, Kaplan knows how to pick just the right cover songs, tunes that you think would be too hokey to make the cut on a kids' record, but are somehow transformed into classic singalongs. This time 'round, "Tomorrow", from Annie, is given the sweetest treatment you'll ever hear, while versions of Leadbelly's "Good Morning Blues", Leiber & Stoller's "Charlie Brown" and Hank Williams' "Move It On Over" rock enough to make yer kids wanna explore the originals...
"Loquat Rooftop is Kaplan at his best: Memories; images, figurative and literal; sights, sounds, smells, flavors, textures; humor and fun ... all in the form of a song. Randy is one of Brooklyn's hidden gems in the world of kids' music. Get to know him before he breaks out bigtime."
-Warren Truitt / KIDSMUSICTHATROCKS.com
"The songs of Randy Kaplan are surreal, familiar and fun. Deceptively folk and blues based children's songs, the tunes on "Loquat Rooftop" feature both adept finger-picking as well as lyrics that do not dumb down to his audience. That respect for storytelling and of kid's ability to "get it" is what makes Kaplan's music powerful and fun. It is in the tradition of folkies like Guthrie and Seeger, who spoke truth to power but also wrote songs for kids that let them in on the truth too...
"Throughout the sixteen song set, Kaplan's playing shows he has absorbed American folk, blues and country styles, and delivers his own history lessons with depth and passion. Loquat Rooftop is a fun summer record that the whole family can enjoy, one with wit and bite, and enough wisdom and daring to appease even the most jaded listener."
-Mike Wood / MUSICEMISSIONS.com
"As a proud parent of a 21-month old son, I can definitely appreciate wanting to write and compose tracks for children. Kaplan’s second children’s CD, “Loquat Rooftop” is once again produced by Kansas bluegrass legend Mike West (he also helped out on his ’06 gem, “Five Cent Piece”). Ranging from tales about ladybugs without polka dots to deploring the fact that our children have to inherit our mess... my kid loves it!
-J-Sin / SMOTHER.net
"Randy Kaplan may come from Brooklyn, but his music radiates with warm, Midwestern Americana. Kaplan's humorous story-songs "Clothes Dryer" and "The Ladybug Without Spots" suggest a family-style Arlo Guthrie. His charming original tunes like "Loquat Rooftop" and the revved-up "Mazal Mazal" combine with inspired covers (from Leadbelly's "Good Morning Blues" to the Leiber-Stoller classic "Charlie Brown" and Annie's "Tomorrow") to make Kaplan's sophomore disc a pure pleasure for kids and parents."
-PARENTHOOD.com
"A mixture of blues and folk-rock. Humorous stories and lyrics from "The Ladybug Without Spots" to a punk style "Mazal Mazal". A variety of classic singalongs: a sweet "Tomorrow" from Annie, Leadbelly's "Good Morning Blues", Hank Williams' "Move It On Over", and "Charlie Brown". With interesting originals that shine. They combine a raspy voice with a strangeness that captivates and entertains. A joy to listen to."
-ATOZKIDSSTUFF.com
ANCIENT RUINS (2008)
"Randy Kaplan does amazing James Taylor–meets-banjo covers of Nirvana’s “On a Plain” and Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message” on his Ancient Ruins. Nuff said; go check this guy out."
-TIME OUT NEW YORK
"Any record that opens up with its best song is risking being a victim of comparison to it. Yet, though "Ancient Ruins" kicks off with a powerful heartfelt, banjo-drive cover of Nirvana's "On a Plain," Randy Kaplan manages to keep you engaged and surprised throughout. His mix of folk/country melodies and pop harmonies are intimate and there is a ragged feel to this despite the smooth production.
"There are a couple other covers that will probably get a bit of attention, but originals like "A Part of You," "Action Figure" and "The Great Divide" ring truer and more memorably. Sure, a bluegrass take on Grandmaster Flash's "The Message" and an earnest take on Prince's "I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man" have their moments of both genuine and snickering effects, but a few of Kaplan's own tacks are big slabs of soul that need to be the focus of any peek at this record.
"Kaplan has a nice ear for clear pop vocals and arrangements that compliment the more earthy stylings; the mix works, and Kaplan's lyrics ring true in that mix. His themes and tunes on "Ancient Ruins" build off the traditional, but he makes it obvious that the past is only a starting point for his own work.
-Mike Wood / MUSICEMISSIONS.com
"Ancient Ruins" is (a) characterful, understated and charming collection of songs...The mix of styles and textures keeps things fresh throughout and some of the loveliest moments here are the slower numbers such as "Alice Bonvicini" and "Sanctuary Wreath"...The overall sound is nicely understated, which suits Kaplan's delivery perfectly, and the album works extremely well as a whole. Judging from "Ancient Ruins" Randy Kaplan has plenty to offer and should be around making good music for some time to come."
-Matt Hutchinson / AMERICANA-UK.com
"Kaplan's gentle, almost understated, approach to his art is silky, bright and very contagious. The guy just gets the job done, no fuss, no messin', no big ego - just a very mature, boy-next-door approach which is charming and accessible. Beautifully crafted, sympathetically produced and pleasingly packaged, 'Ancient Ruins' is the real deal!
"Kaplan's self-penned material is similarly seamless and refreshingly familiar but he's also not afraid to take another's material, turn it on its head, and make it his own. Kaplan sounds like he was born to do this, it all sounds so natural, unhurried and almost matter-of-fact. Now that's not a criticism it's praise! Kaplan's way is a rather unique way; he makes making music seem effortless - whether self-penned or covers Kaplan seems to be able to emote without makin' a fuss about it all. Kaplan's acoustic folk tends to border on nu-country but also addresses the need to be commercial; he injects just enough in the way of subtle hooks and singalongability to appeal to the 'pop' market without completely 'selling out'.
"'Ancient Ruins' is Americana through and through, of that you can sure; but Kaplan ensures that his music touches anybody, anywhere - Kaplan mixes seriously sensible with down-home funky and fun, social commentary with more personal observation - it all gets the slick Kaplan treatment and ends up being bloody good music, pure and simple. You don't need to be a nuclear scientist, a mathematician or Nobel Prize winner to get Kaplan's syncopated music, you just need to let yourself go with the flow, sit back, relax and enjoy. 'Ancient Ruins' by Randy Kaplan is a great piece of modern art-folk - nothing too stressful, nothing over-bearing, nothing pretentious, nothing self-indulgent. Kaplan's music, as shown in 'Ancient Ruins', is music for everyone, music for anytime, music for anywhere - beautifully chilled, wonderfully honest, a very tasty piece of middle America that should successfully reach out to touch audiences throughout the world."
-Peter J. Brown / TOXICPETE.co.uk
"(Kaplan) has chosen to open his new album with a rather nifty version of Nirvana’s “On A Plain”. He also includes covers of Prince’s “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man” and Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message” with some aplomb, particularly on his excellent version of the latter tune. But there’s a lot more to Kaplan than a few novelty covers... as the man clearly displays a clever ear for a decent tune with a number of his own compositions... (His) simple, strong, compelling songwriting carries these charming, wry, humorous songs... (Ancient Ruins) should please anyone either curious about (Kaplan's) covers or specifically interested in bluegrass music."
-Eddie Thomas / SUBBA-CULTCHA.com
FIVE CENT PIECE (2006)
"Brooklyn's Randy Kaplan hits the mark with his first release for kids, Five Cent Piece, which combines a gloriously wacky collection of oldies (and originals)."
-Susan Avery / NEW YORK MAGAZINE
"One of the most exciting newcomers to kids' music since Dan Zanes, Kaplan's debut is full of rollicking folk tunes."
-E.M. / PARENTING MAGAZINE
"With a bunch of groupies under the age of five... Kaplan, who released five CDs for grown ups before putting out his first kids' album, is continuing to celebrate with performances that all of his fans can enjoy. Five Cent Piece, a mix of Kaplan's own original work as well as covers of Mom and Dad's favorites, will have ears of all ages perking up. Parents will appreciate classic Stones with "You Can't Always Get What You Want," while their offspring may lean more towards songs about city apartment inhabitants - namely mosquitoes and roaches. The lyrics are silly - "they're tryin' on your underwear, checkin' out your grocery list, reading your copy of Metamorphosis" - and parents will laugh too, getting the joke that's years over their kids' heads."
-Sophie Friedman / TIME OUT NEW YORK KIDS
"Randy has one of the most interesting voices I've ever heard... He shares some of the nasal twang as singers like Michael Stipe and Arlo Guthrie, and there's also just a bit of grit in there, as if his vocal chords forgot to shake their shoes out after a day at the beach... "Over the Rainbow" is one of those songs like "Unchained Melody" or "O Holy Night", where I thought it would need a particularly virtuoso vocalist to pull it off, but Randy's version is one of the most beautiful I've ever heard. The earthy twang of his voice along with the gently rolling guitar may not be in perfect pitch or perfect intonation, and yet it is so "just right" in every deeply soulful sense that really matters... "Roaches" is very pleasant musically, but a bit disturbing as it describes an apartment where roaches are everywhere, even on the bookshelf reading Kafka (of course). The song ends with the roaches singing in a way that sounds almost like vocal slide guitar... It's the little details during his song commentary, the warm and welcoming feeling of the music, and the instantly engaging and friendly nature of Randy's voice and character that makes this such a winning recording."
-Eric Herman / CoolTunesForKids.blogspot.com
"(Kaplan's) debut (kids') CD is a mix of well-chosen (and often reworked) covers and skewed originals... With his mixture of somewhat different arrangements, traditional bluegrass and folk instrumentation, affinity for storytelling, and wide choice of covers... Kaplan has fashioned one of the more unusual kids and family albums of the year, good for chilly winter afternoons or late summer days. Recommended."
-S.A. Shepherd / ZOOGLOBBLE.com
"Randy Kaplan once again reminds us of the difference between childish and childlike. His folk songs for children are honest and ring true, and retain a childlike wonder at the ways of the world. To remain in awe even in the dark times is a sign of someone on the right road... Kaplan covers some children's classics, and his originals have the same sense of wonder and directness of the best songs for kids. Never talking down to them, singing to them in a raspy voice as a friend, as if they are in on the story, not just waiting to be taught. Kaplan covers "You Cant Always Get What You Want," with altered lyrics of course, since kids want slightly different things than did Mick and Keith. Even "Over The Rainbow" is given new life here... Kaplan is as trustworthy a guide through childhood as you'll find, at least musically. Everyone needs this record."
-Mike Wood / MUSICEMISSIONS.com
"One of my favorite things about Five Cent Piece is that the CD itself looks like a giant nickel. But it sounds even better than it looks... Kaplan's original songs, including "Mosquito Song" and "Shampoo Me," are as imaginative and rambling as a pre-schooler, and musically brilliant. The folksy acoustic sound throughout Five Cent Piece is beautifully mixed. Again, this is an amazing album."
-Amy Davis / LOVELYDAVIS.blogspot.com
"Following up his stupendous "Perfect Gentleman" album with an album that's for children and adults who still like their music fun and sing-along-able Kaplan covers such children's classics as "Over the Rainbow", "Kids" of 'Bye Bye Birdie' fame, "I'm a Little Dinosaur", and "You Can't Always Get What You Want". His own originals are just as entertaining and fun for both adult and child. My own 5-month-old son really loved this album. Thanks Randy!"
-J-Sin / SMOTHER.net
"Guitarist Randy Kaplan knows something about kids -- to the toddlers of Park Slope, Brooklyn, he's as recognizable as Elmo from his coffee house morning shows and pre-K gigs.
But as his first record for children shows, he's also an excellent musician and songwriter. Kaplan combines refreshingly straightforward takes on traditional folk songs... It's territory familiar to Dan Zanes fans, but wittier, with less of the folk-music-is-good-for-you attitude. Then there are Kaplan's own compositions, like "Mosquito Song" and "Roaches", with menacing man-bug dialogues to make parents squirm and kids cackle... The real surprise is the sensitivity of the arrangements, as on Bridget Law's plaintive violin solo for "Over the Rainbow." Thankfully, unlike Ralph Covert, Kaplan goes easy on background singing from kids; here, less is more. "Five Cent Piece" is a welcome release for parents who've had enough Laurie Berkner for one lifetime.
"
-M.J. Wilson / WORDPRESS.com
"Five Cent Piece combines twangy pop covers and Kaplan's own endearing tunes in a 17-track set both four-year-olds and their parents can relate to. In Kaplan's hands, the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" becomes a lesson in kiddie compromise, and the popular ditty "Roaches" slips in references to Kafka's Metamorphosis... He doesn't dumb it down for the kids... He just expects them to come along for the ride. And they do."
-Irene Bradish / TIME OUT NEW YORK KIDS
"I beg you, dear parents: This album is as vital a part of your child’s proper development as milk, sunshine and challenging established orthodoxies... a masterwork."
-Thurston Dooley III / THE BROOKLYN PAPER
PERFECT GENTLEMAN (2004)
"(Kaplan's) lyrics don't underestimate their listener's intelligence, being literate and occasionally not a little highbrow... unafraid of multi-syllable words or obscure subject matter. Kaplan is a craftsman in the tradition of Paul Simon, to whose "Still Crazy After All These Years" "Perfect Gentleman" is first cousin."
-Jeremy Searle / AMERICANA-UK.com
"(Randy Kaplan) stands alone, within equidistant small-rock-hurling reach of PAUL SIMON (and) WOODIE GUTHRIE... His musical approach (on Perfect Gentleman) is homemade cheerful multi-instrumental confidence with a harmonica... plunder chests full of styles and rhythms sitting under clever drolleries and nifty tunes... personal story telling, cheerful nuttiness, ability to slip into and out of the mournful or the weird."
-Sam Saunders / www.WHISPERINANDHOLLERIN.com
"Quality recordings from lo-fi underground recording popster Randy Kaplan. Kaplan's tunes are nice and laidback... often recalling the music of Paul Simon and Bob Dylan. (Rating: 4+++)"
-Baby Sue / www.BABYSUE.com
"Not many people wound sing about Eve (as in the Bible's Eve) being the first human hermaphrodite but Randy Kaplan explores that notion on his enigmatic "Perfect Gentleman". He performs his tongue-in-cheek vocals over an assortment of vintage organs and boisterous guitar with a light rhythm section bleeding on the edges. His voice is what's at the center of the mix with an earnest take on life and all its hypocrisies. He's certainly unique and his unique song arrangements will keep fans coming back for more salivating the whole way."
-J-Sin / www.SMOTHER.net
"Kaplan has a pleasant, easy-going hand in his songwriting, and the songs here are instantly likable... This demonstrate(s) Kaplan's ample writing skills."
-CENT.com
"Randy's uniqueness and originality come from his uncanny ability to see his world and ours from almost any angle. These perspectives come together in a poetry of contradictions and complexities that are exposed through his hypnotic melodies and profoundly intimate lyrics. His literary yet accessible songs capture ambivalence and investigate the inner lives of human beings in the tradition of Leonard Cohen or Stephen Sondheim."
-KRISELEN.com
"...Randy has a collection of cheap organs and has pulled from them many different rhythm tracks to which he writes his music too. That's about the only unorganic thing about Perfect Gentlemen. Kaplan manages to get personal on many different levels throughout the double album. He jumps off with one of the best tracks on the album, "Rusty & New". It's interesting to see the way he can overlap the beats almost seamlessly while creating some very impressive songs on top of."
-Dennis Scanland / MUSICEMISSIONS.com
"Randy Kaplan sounds like a fun guy to have at parties, entertaining guests with his humorous tales of life, love, and interesting characters. He takes a simple approach to psychological, esthetic, social, historical and political problems by turning them into stories. Part cabaret, part folk, part lo-fi inventiveness, Kaplan strums his guitar and provides beat samples from cheap toy organs to accent his narratives about lost girlfriends, bad behavior, the state of the world, useless desires, and such. Kaplan ventures into the surreal, as he discusses Edith Wharton's love for Alexander Hamilton or a woman who won't get off her cell phone, even when she's on the toilet. He pines for Bernadette Peters although he knows he has problems maintaining a relationship with women older than himself, wonders if the Biblical Eve was a hermaphrodite and pines for the Garden of Eden. If Kaplan's topics seem scattered, they are all united through the narrator's consciousness. He's having a good time letting his imagination run wild and invites you to join him."
-Steve Horowitz / POPMATTERS.com
"Kaplan's music is very unique: some songs have a country beat while others project a more alternative feel... He draws very vivid images... and sings about things that everyone can relate to, whether it's our parents, true love or our time in high school."
-Jacque Booth / SACRED HEART SPECTRUM
"It's easy to fall hopelessly in love with Randy Kaplan's music... (His) formula works best on tracks like opener "Rusty & New", a playful folk song that makes love seem incorruptible. Similarly, "One Too Many Times" radiates an innocence that feels natural and unrehearsed. Still more of Kaplan's playfulness emerges in "Bernadette Peters", a head-bopping, tongue-in-cheek story about a biker chick who weighs Steve Martin by jiggling his ass."
-Ryan Humm / SPLENDID MAGAZINE
"Singer/songwriter fans of the world unite! We are dealing with a premium example of a singer/songwriter here. Melody, lyrics, arrangement, production-everything comes from Randy personally. Actually, only one thing does not: the heart of the 28 (!!) songs are rock, jazz, waltz, swing, bossa nova, dixie, cha-cha and rhumba drum samples extracted from 1970’s analogue keyboards. That sounds at first like overboard avant-garde. But Kaplan’s true artistry lies in using entirely simple beats... and laying his wonderful folk compositions so precisely on top of them. It’s as if Randy, in ancient purist tradition, has a big drum on his back and is stomping the beat with his foot.
"And then there are these lyrics! Through simple yet effective orchestration, they gloriously attain lots of room to breathe. And they prosper into genuine stories, stories which require intelligent and open-minded listening. Naturally, without seeming dumb and old-fashioned in the process.
"The man, who comes from Brooklyn, and consequently is already sort of a cult figure in the folk Mecca New York, is often compared with Paul Simon. In fact, on "Perfect Gentleman" he shows himself to be a poignant observer and chronicler of his time. A song about a woman who constantly walks around with her cell phone in her ear may seem, from the distance, cheap. However, to call this song "Never Be Alone" shows that Kaplan has recognized a deeper psychological significance in the standard communication practices of our time. Observations like these are Kaplan’s greatest strength: to look at human behavior, complete with its strengths and weaknesses, from all kinds of perspectives. Kaplan avoids the usual underground singer/songwriter trap of relying on completely obscure and expressionistic language and nonsensical musical outbreaks. His stories are relatively easy to follow and although the presence of his howling dog in "Off Limits" comes as a surprise, it serves and doesn’t distract from Kaplan's "homemade" project.
"Recurrent in his songs is his flashing sense of humor, a humor which is skillfully married to a bitter sense of reality. There’s the anti-Prophet who wishes nothing more eagerly than to receive a funeral as big as that of Jesus or Moses. There’s the story of the overweight middle-aged man who carries around a picture of himself insolently posing for the camera, many years younger and in top shape. With this picture of his earlier self he now tries to seduce women. Of course it is comical. But it is also far more: it is tragic and at the same time, comes from a wisdom, a knowledge of the falsity at the heart of many human endeavors. I do not know who was responsible for landing this Randy Kaplan c.d. on my desk. But may God praise and bless him for it!"
-D. Wonschewski / KONTRASTRADIO
MIRACULOUS DISSOLVING CURES (2001)
On "Miraculous Dissolving Cures," transcontinental singer-songwriter Randy Kaplan sounds like he can hold the line against most folk-pop comers. He compiles a collection of stories that incorporates elements of longing and loss, and from the get-go of "Crushed Berries"- with the line "My friends will save a fly from a spider's web/But then they'll order rack of lamb or baby back ribs"- there's also a serving of irony. Kaplan, who's obviously well-read, conjures the Big Dipper, Sinatra and Job's wife on "Volunteers," a seeming non sequitur fest. But somehow, everything on the album fits together.
-Kevin Amorim / NEWSDAY, New York
"Kaplan's creativity sends out sparks. One can only hope that if he eventually cheers up, that won't dilute the intensity of his songwriting."
-DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE / Northampton, Massachusetts
"Randy Kaplan is a cheeky songwriter with enough personality to stand out from the dulling crowd of singer-songwriters."
-TIME OUT NEW YORK
LAKE CHAMPIONS (1999)
"(Kaplan's) songs are sweetly personal and wonderfully void of pretentious overtones... The stories he sings wind and twist away from the ordinary and toward refreshing new ideas often humorous and bizarre... never predictable."
-THE INDEPENDENT / Lawrence, Kansas
"Long Island-born Randy Kaplan sings of modern romance, male neuroses, and quirky character studies with the off-kilter viewpoint of a man who appreciates the blurred edges as much as the finer points. Like Leonard Cohen before him, and his friend and musical compadre Dan Bern, Randy's self-effacing lyrics make you laugh, cry and blush at their honest simplicity."
-THE BOTTOM LINE / Required Listening preview; New York City
"(Kaplan's) songs display keen psychological insight... His emotional range is broad, running the gamut from uplifting to bleak."
-THE MATTRESS / Olympia, Washington
REBORN AS BEES (1999)
"Kaplan originals... resound with a thought-provoking consciousness."
-THE ISLAND VOICE / Long Island, New York
"Melody, lyrics, arrangement, production... it's all here... The lyrics stand on their own as poetry, unique and compelling in its imagery... This guy's no lightweight."
-THE INSIDE CONNECTION / Long Island, New York
BOYISH HIPS (1997)
"Kaplan makes us smile as he points out hypocrisy...
(He crafts) exceptionally tender songs (and) pens understated tunes that,
the more we hear them, eventually evolve into anthems."
-NEWSDAY / Long Island, New York
"Whether he's singing about despair or ecstasy, Kaplan's songs are bittersweet, romantic, and sometimes nostalgic. And his point of view is always original and often startling."
-THE PERDIDO PELICAN; Pensacola, Florida
LIVE PERFORMANCES
"Absolutely enjoyable... Kaplan has a knack for communicating directly with
his audience... playing with his phrasing and reelin' 'em in."
-MUSICIANS' EXCHANGE; New York City
"He's damned funny... a little of Loudon Wainwright III about him, and a little more of Dan Bern... He had the audience in the palm of his hand."
-ANTIMATTERS; New York City
"(Kaplan) also performs songs penned by his grandfather in the 20's. (He) has gone on to become a familiar face on the West Coast circuit and his Delta blues/country/folk blend of styles is the perfect medium for his John Prine-like sense of humor... downright refreshing."
-THE MUSIC PAPER; New York City
"Kaplan's warm, inviting voice (provides) a peek into the future of the
tradition-steeped folk craft."
-LONG ISLAND VOICE; Long Island, New York
"Little adoring fans sat around performer Randy Kaplan yesterday, listening intently to all of the lyrics of his songs. Some swayed gently back and forth, others danced side by side with a friend. Everyone seemed extremely happy to be with Randy in the park... After the concert, Randy was surrounded by quite a crowd of little ones, all wanting to get close to their idol. It was actually super sweet to watch."
-PARDONMEFORASKING.blogspot.com
"SONG AND ASKANCE MAN - If there is another recording artist who is mining the dark recesses of the child’s imagination — that nether nether land betwixt reason and madness — as well as Randy Kaplan, I have certainly not had the pleasure of his acquaintance.
Darker than Zanes, more powerful than Father Goose, able to leap tall buildings yet see each and every cockroach, Kaplan is a national treasure who brings a sly wink to the art of kid’s music.
I was reminded of that during Kaplan’s packed concert in Carroll Park on Wednesday afternoon.
At the show, he played track after track from his master work “Five Cent Piece,” the 2006 album that established him as the black sheep of that irritatingly large flock of Raffi wannabes.
At the album’s dark soul is “Grape Juice Hesitation Blues,” which puts a crowd of small, juice-loving children in the same role that the Rev. Gary Davis once found himself: yearning for that elusive elixir (though if I am not mistaken, Davis was after nourishment of a different kind).
Kaplan’s most challenging hit — the one the kids actually screamed for at his concert on Wednesday — is “Shampoo Me,” in which the narrator, a shark fed up with the unclean condition of our planet’s waterways, begs for the comfort of a rinse and a set.
And there is simply no better kids song today than Kaplan's “Roaches,” a ditty that serves as the existential mirror that Kafka only hinted at (are we the roaches or are the roaches us?)"
-Thurston Dooley III / THE BROOKLYN PAPER
EARLY WORK
"There's a child-like honesty to Kaplan's songs; he often sounds like someone who doesn't know better than to let his guard down. That makes him endearing."
-THE OLYMPIAN; Olympia, Washington
"Kaplan (has a) bizarre folk style and nasal vocals. Who knows, however, whether it's intentional... or just bad."
-BAM MAGAZINE; Los Angeles, California
"(Kaplan has) a raw sweet edge and a good smattering of humor."
-SOUNDWAVE MUSIC NEWS; Portland, Oregon
"Randy Kaplan writes fine, twisted songs about the perils of everyday life."
-L.A. READER; Los Angeles, California
"Kaplan is a local hero."
-BAM MAGAZINE; Los Angeles, California
