I was originally drawn to this album because of the crazy little kids (the Creeggan brothers) having a bout with boxing gloves that were bigger than their heads. There's something about old family snapshots, especially ones that can be pinpointed to a certain era. The clothes, the decor, the trends seemed so normal at the time. But, I digress.
The photo on the cover of Trunks isn't so different from the music itself. It sounds oddly childish -- simplistic and happy, fun and innocent. The music, like the snapshot, captures the essence of The Brothers Creeggan in their youth. They recall childhood memories of older brother John being trapped inside the refrigerator after the two younger brothers put him there and couldn't reach the handle to get him out. They tell of the time when middle brother Jim was tempted to run away towards a better life living in the woods. The boys even pay homage to the music of their childhood by singing "Inchworm," originally sung by Danny Kaye, legendary children's music artist. You know the song "Two and two are four / Four and four are eight / Eight and eight are sixteen..."
The Brothers Creeggan is a side project for Jim Creeggan, bassist for Canadian pop heroes, The Barenaked Ladies. Younger brother Andy was also a BNL member until 1995. While the music of The Brothers Creeggan doesn't fall too far from the Barenaked Ladies tree in the broad spectrum, it's quite different and the instruments used are a motley mix.
Musically, Trunks is a blend of hippie jamming, beat jazz and cheap lounge music, kept innocent, loose and even silly at times in songs like "Kitchen Dancin." Overall, Trunks is an aural snapshot album, giving the world a glimpse into The Brothers Creeggan's quirky childhood.
