Kenny Young and the Eggplants are a Brooklyn-based trio. Kenny Young, diminutive, and running his fingers through his hair, introduces the Eggplants: Gil Shuster on bass, Eddie Logue on assorted percussion, Kenny Young on acoustic guitar and vocals.

'We're going to sing a song about a badger', says Kenny Young. With a voice like dipped chocolate mixed with crushed velvet, he opens the set – the story of a badger in the badlands who eventually becomes a big film star. All the songs are written by Kenny Young. His lyrics are funny and very cleverly crafted - a weaver of images. Songs are expertly played, and his vocals are clear and easy on the ear. There are songs about demented washing machines with revenge-seeking tee-shirts - based on a true story, he says. There's a pirate radio station run by real pirates – 'time to batten down the hatches, put on peg-legs and eye-patches' is one memorable line. There are a couple of unreleased new songs. Celebrate is a celebration of anything, such as not hitting the boss with a 2 x 4. Subterranea is about living in underground cities. There's mention of a spork – a plastic piece of cutlery that's a cross between a spoon and a fork – and Earl the six-foot squirrel.

There's an excellent acoustic delivery of Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love, with Gil Shuster sounding like a demented cat as he rushes round the audience. Kenny Young does his own version of Lou Reed's 'Walk on the Wild Side', changing some of the lines to fit in with a family audience. So 'even when she was giving head' becomes 'even when she was baking bread'. And to reflect the Scottish element - 'Sugar Plum Fairy came and hit the streets, looking for haggis, tatties and neeps'. The hour goes too quickly for this delicious mix of well-written witty songs, fantastically sung.

Songs (running order): Badger in the Badlands. Rage Against the WM. Curtis Mayfield's on the Moon. Pirate Radio (Radio Eggplantis). Lushy the Grouse. Piano. Celebrate. Earl the Squirrel. Double Bubble Day. My Dinner with Elvis. 186,000 Miles a Second. Whole Lotta Love. Subterranea. Movies by the Sea. Walk on the Wild Side. Come Back Patti. Savage Eggplant.

Band Credits (alpha order): Kenny Young and The Eggplants: Eddie Logue – percussion. Gil Shuster – bass guitar. Kenny Young – acoustic guitar and vocals.

Company Credits: Lyrics & Music: Kenny Young – except Whole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin) and Walk on the Wild Side (Lou Reed). Producer – (uncredited). www.myspace.com/kennyyoungandtheeggplants. www.eggplantis.com

END

(c) Lea Harris 2007

reviewed Wednesday 22 August 07 / Acoustic Music Centre

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008