Day 200: Atom vs Punk Music

Babies don't like Punk music. There I said it.

It semi breaks my heart but it is becoming pretty clear Atom doesn't see the point when it comes to Punk. I am not even talking about hard core Punk or anything. I am talking about the more "easy listening" varietals like Rancid.

I had this vision that he and I would sit around listening to mp3's, streaming audio, or whatever the listening method is when he is old enough to have an intelligent conversation about the subtle nuances that make some bands great and others forgettable.  The both of us sipping coffee from our mobile devices listening to streaming Swinging Utters on our Teleporter Toaster 3000 that "Not only evenly toasts your bread but also sends it piping hot right to your breakfast table!"  Ah, the future you can't come soon enough.

Now Atom does listen and enjoy "non-traditional" baby music. Our friends introduced us to the Candy Band which sing "punked-out" versions of songs like "The Wheels on the Bus", "Over the Rainbow" and "I've Been Working on the Railroad" and Atom seems to thoroughly enjoy them. But they aren't really punk songs.  They use the same style and pace of many punk songs but they obviously lack the angst filled anarchy that dissipates when describing how the windows on the bus go up and down.

One would think baby music would be a prefect fit for Punk. They both share fairly basic themes, lots of repetition, and at times rudimentary beats. The rub is in the attitude. One can't totally get away with a lot of attitude in baby music. Candy Band does a good job balancing attitude and accessibility (kids probably don't have nightmares after listening to them) but it is deceiving because it really isn't deep rooted attitude even though it feels like it on the surface.

So I guess for now Atom and I will listen to lots of different types of baby music and strive to build a robust palette of musical interests. When his treads are worn down a little more maybe we will revisit Punk until then I guess he will be like most other babies skipping the mosh pits in favor of a good cry.