Yum Yum Children

Yum Yum Children
Origin Oregon
Labels Boot to Head Records
Five Minute Walk
Associated acts The Clergy

The Yum Yum Children are a Christian band originally from Oregon, now located in northern Idaho. Their music is similar to that of They Might Be Giants or 1970s style art rock.[1]

Background

Prior to his involvement with the Yum Yum Children, Leon was in a "psychedelic-thrash-garage"[2] / hardcore[3] band called The Clergy. The Clergy was fronted by a female vocalist, Christi Simonatti, and completed by Jim Swanson. They released only one album, RUAMI, in 1993 on Broken Records.[4] RUAMI was recorded live in the studio and featured an overall sound similar to that of X or early Concrete Blonde.[2] One reviewer stated that their style "switches gears faster than a Lamborghini" and that the band displayed an excellent songwriting sensibility.[5] The Clergy toured with Crashdog and the Jesus Freaks in the spring of 1994.[2]

Following RUAMI, the Goodenoughs created the Yum Yum Children with a reformed lineup of players and a new sound, which was now comparable to the general market bands The B-52's, or Violent Femmes, or in Christian markets Fat and Frantic. Speaking about the transition to the Yum Yum Children, True Tunes News reported that the Goodenoughs' "seem to have eaten some bad cheese and have gotten all goofy on us."[1] Their songs generally have complex and imaginative structures and arrangements,[3] with lyrics that match in complexity and silliness. Their lyrics are based in their Christian viewpoint,[6] although at times the message is not easily decipherable.[3]

Yum Yum Children has been associated with Boot To Head Records, Five Minute Walk Records, and Quiver Society for the releases of their records.

Discography

Members - Original Lineup

Other Performers and Studio Musicians

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Cornerstone '95 True Tunes News New Band Showcase". True Tunes News 7 (2/3): 3334. 1995.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Robertson, Mark (Fall 1993). "Review: The Clergy / Rumai". True Tunes News 5 (8): 11.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Powell, Mark Allan (2002). "Yum Yum Children". Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music (First printing ed.). Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. p. 1063. ISBN 1-56563-679-1.
  4. Powell (2002). "The Clergy". Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music. p. 181. ISBN 1-56563-679-1.
  5. Canfield, Dave (1994). "Music Reviews / RUMAI". Cornerstone 22 (102103): 77.
  6. "YMYM (Yum Yum Children) - The Sparkle In Someone's Eye".